Summary
- The Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway is a captivating journey that traces the footsteps of Indigenous communities in the Four Corners region, immersing travelers in the legacy of the Ancestral Puebloans, Utes, and Navajo.
- This National Scenic Byway winds through Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, showcasing remarkable cliff dwellings, subterranean kivas, and ancient petroglyphs that pay homage to Native cultures.
- The drive is 662.4 miles of pure Southwestern culture and heritage, with many Native American settlements and monuments fully displayed, making it a can't-miss road trip for those wanting to experience something unique and authentically Southwestern.
The Trail of the Ancients unfolds as a captivating journey, tracing the footsteps of Indigenous communities that thrived in the Four Corners region for centuries. This modern-day expedition melds history with scenic allure, guiding travelers on a journey through the heart of ancestral cultures. This National Scenic Byway winds through four states—Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona—immersing explorers in the legacy of the Ancestral Puebloans, Utes, and Navajo who inhabited these lands from 1 CE to 1300 CE.
Enriched with archaeological gems, the trail reveals remarkable cliff dwellings etched into sandstone escarpments, subterranean kivas, and ancient petroglyphs. Its path pays homage to Native cultures, covering geographical borders and four incredible US states. Now, people can drive through this sacred land, see each respective sight and learn something new along the way. This is considered one of the more scenic routes in the Southwest, so it's worth embarking on.
Where Is The Trail Of The Ancients Scenic Byway?
- The Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway goes through Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway runs from southeastern Utah, southwestern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, and New Mexico: the Four Corners. This route is one of the more beautiful in the Southwest United States and has been a destination for global travelers for many decades.
The drive is 662.4 miles of pure Southwestern culture and heritage, with many Native American settlements and monuments being fully displayed. Of course, there are sacred sites where people can't go directly, but these can be seen along the drive.
Besides that, this drive is roughly 116 miles through Colorado, boasting the broken, arid cultural terrain of the Ancestral Puebloan people who once settled here. Overall, it's a can't-miss road trip for anyone in the US wanting to experience something unique and authentically Southwestern.
This national scenic byway falls within hundreds of miles of protected land. Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, also known as the four corners, are a staple of this route.
- Travelers don't have to drive through every state within this byway, so they could easily stick to the shorter roads in each of the four states.
For those in Utah who also want to experience the famous red rocks, heading to Moab is another noteworthy stop on this road trip.
What Are The Four Corners? Can You See Them All At Once?
- Address: 597 NM-597, Teec Nos Pos, AZ 86514
- Hours: Open daily from 8 AM to 6:45 PM
One of the more intriguing points within the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway is the famous 'Four Corners,' where the states of New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado all connect.
Over the years, this has become a bucket list visit for tourists wanting to experience one of the few places in the world where this happens. After all, why not stand at a point where one is in four states at once? Talk about an adrenaline rush!
With many affordable hotels and even hostels in this area, visitors can take a much-needed break from the car and stay the night near the border of these four iconic states.
Another thing to remember when coming to the Four Corners is that lines to stand on the border between the various corners can be 30+ minutes long during peak vacation seasons. However, this should only be 10-15 during regular, nonprime seasons.
One of the nice parts of the Trail of the Ancients is that it offers plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy the sights, or take a detour.
The Grand Canyon is another destination to find stunning views along this drive, so for those in Arizona: it's worth the extra time in the car? A trip from Sedona to the Grand Canyon is an exciting trip worth trying.
What Is So Special About The Trail Of The Ancients? (& Is The Whole Thing Drivable?)
One of the more fascinating aspects of the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway is that guests can see clues about the ancient civilization with cliff dwellings, rock art, and pottery sherds. In addition, some notable stops along this Southwestern drive include:
- Butler Wash Ruin
- Mule Canyon Ruin
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Grand Gulch Primitive Area
- Cedar Mesa trails
- Moki Dugway
- Muley Point
- Valley of the Gods
- Goosenecks State Park
- Hovenweep National Monument
Again, much of this drive takes place through Utah, so it's worth it to make stops in that state to get the most out of this experience.
Colorado and New Mexico have great pit stops, and Arizona boasts countless towns, sights, and places to stay the night. There are also other ancestral archaeological sites in the Southwest worth visiting.