Canyons of the Ancients National Monument ('the Monument') encompasses 174,000 acres of federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The Monument is located in the Four Corners region of southwestern Colorado, about 50 miles west of Durango, 10 miles west of Cortez, and 12 miles west of Mesa Verde National Park. The Monument was designated on June 9, 2000 by Presidential Proclamation to protect cultural and natural resources on a landscape scale.

The Monument contains the highest known archaeological site density in the United States, with rich well-preserved evidence of Native American cultures. The archeological record etched into this landscape is much more than isolated islands of architecture. This cultural landscape contains more than 8,300 recorded sites, which reflect physical components of past human life: villages, field houses, check dams, reservoirs, great kivas, cliff dwellings, shrines, sacred springs, agricultural fields, petroglyphs and sweat lodges. Some areas have more than 100 sites per square mile. The number of sites is estimated to be up to 30,000.

This landscape has been used or inhabited by humans, including Ancestral Puebloan cultures, for at least 10,000 years, and continues to be a landscape used by humans today. Contemporary uses of the Monument include recreation, hunting, livestock grazing, and energy development.

Source: BLM Website (March 2023)

Establishment Canyons of the Ancients National Monument — June 9, 2000

For More Information Please Visit The OFFICIAL BLM WEBSITE

The contents of brochures, site bulletins and trading cards (denoted with a colored caption) can be viewed by clicking on the cover. Most modern-day brochures, however, are cover only (denoted by a white caption) due to photograph copyrights. These items are historical in scope and are intended for educational purposes only; they are not meant as an aid for travel planning. The dates under each brochure do not reflect the complete range of years that a particular brochure was issued.

Date Unknown
Anasazi Heritage Center Date Unknown	Anasazi Heritage Center Date Unknown		Date Unknown	Anasazi Sites in the Four Corners Region 1990
cover only Dominguez and Escalante Ruins Date Unknown		cover only Along the Trail to Escalante Ruin Date Unknown		The Escalante and Dominguez Pueblos at the Anasazi Heritage Center Date Unknown
Sand Canyon Pueblo Trail Guide 1990		Sand Canyon and Rock Creek Trails Date Unknown		Sand Canyon & Rock Creek Trails 2020
Lowry Pueblo Ruins Date Unknown

Ancestral Pueblo settlement structure and sacred landscape at Castle Rock Community, Colorado (Radosław Palonka, Kathleen O'Mera, Katarzyna Ciomeck and Zi Xu, extract from Antiquity, Vol. 94 Issue 374, 2020)

Annual Manager's Report — Fiscal Year 2017, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (October 31, 2018)

Annual Manager's Report: 2021, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (Ray O'Neil, Vince MacMillan, Tracy Murphy, Garth Nelson and Russ Japuntich, 2021)

Annual Manager's Report: 2022, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (Vince MacMillan, Blythe Morrison, Amala Posey-Monk and Ray O'Neil, 2022)

Architecture, rock art and the settlement structure in the Castle Rock Community, Mesa Verde Region, Colorado (Radosław Palonka, extract from Antiquity, Vol. 90 Issue 349, 2016)

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado 2019 Highlights (2019)

Circular Relating to Historic and Prehistoric Ruins of the Southwest and Their Preservation (Edgar L. Hewitt, 1904)

Dolores Archaeological Program

Aceramic and Late Occupations at Dolores (Timothy Gross and Allen E. Kane, 1988)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Early Anasazi Sites in the Sagehen Flats Area (Allen E. Kane and G. Timothy Gross, 1986)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Early Small Settlements in the Dolores River Canyon and Western Sagehen Flats (Timothy A. Kohler, William D. Lipe and Allen E. Kane, 1986)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Grass Mesa Village: Book 1 of 2 (William D. Lipe, James N. Morris and Timothy A. Kohler,1988)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Grass Mesa Village: Book 2 of 2 (William D. Lipe, James N. Morris and Timothy A. Kohler,1988)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: McPhee Village: Book 1 of 2 (Allen E. Kane and C. K. Robinson, 1988)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: McPhee Village: Book 2 of 2 (Allen E. Kane and C. K. Robinson, 1988)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Middle Canyon Area: Book 1 of 2 (Allen E. Kane and Christine K. Robinson, 1986)

Anasazi Communities at Dolores: Middle Canyon Area: Book 2 of 2 (Allen E. Kane and Christine K. Robinson, 1986)

Field Investigations and Analysis - 1978 (David A. Breternitz, 1983)

Final Synthetic Report (David A. Breternitz, Christine K. Robinson and G. Timothy Gross, 1986)

Reductive Technologies Manual: Preliminary Analysis Systems and Procedures (Carl J. Phagan and Thomas H. Hruby, 1984)

Research Designs and Initial Survey Results (Allen E. Kane, William D. Lipe, Timothy A. Kohler and Christine E. Robinson, 1986)

Studies in Environmental Archaeology (Kenneth L. Petersen, Vickie L. Clay, Meredith H. Matthews and Sarah W. Neusius, 1985)

Supporting Studies: Additive and Reductive Technologies (Eric Blinman, Carl J. Phagan and Richard H. Wilshusen, 1988)

Supporting Studies: Settlement and Environment (Kenneth Lee Petersen and Janet D. Orcutt, 1987)

Synthetic Report (D. A. Breternitz, Christine K. Robinson and Timothy Gross, 1986; electronic edition not available)

Synthetic Report 1978-1981 (David A. Breternitz, 1984)

The Dolores Archaeological Program: In Memoriam (David A. Breternitz, extract from American Antiquity, Vol 58 No. 1, 1993)

The Dolores Legacy: A User's Guide to the Dolores Archaeological Program Data (Richard H. Wilshusen, Karin Burd, Jonathan D. Till, Christine G. Ward and Brian Yunker, eds., 1999)

Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports

DAP-002: The Dolores Archaeological Program Research Design (A. Kane, W. Lipe. R. Knudson, T. Kohler, S. James. P. Hogan and L. Sebastian, 1981)

DAP-003: The Sagehen Flats Archaeological Locality (Allen E. Kane, 1981)

DAP-004: Excavations at Sheep Skull Camp (Site 5MT2202), a multiple occupation site (Sarah H. Schlanger, 1981)

DAP-005: Excavations at Sagehill Hamlet (Site 5MT2198), a Basketmaker III/Pueblo I habitation site (Nancy J. Hewitt, 1981)

DAP-006: Dos Casas Hamlet (Site 5MT2193), In-House Report (Joel M. Brisbin, Alice Emerson and Sarah Schlanger, 1979)

DAP-007: Excavations at Little House (Site 5MT2191), a Pueblo I/Pueblo II field house (Nancy J. Hewitt, 1981)

DAP-008: Preliminary Report on Excavations at McPhee Pueblo (Site 5MT4475) (Joel M. Brisbin, 1980)

DAP-009: Preliminary Report on Excavations at Marshview Hamlet (Site 5MT2235) (Martin E. Bussard, 1980)

DAP-010: Grass Mesa Locality Overview (Patrick Hogan, 1981)

DAP-011: The Dolores Archaeological Program Field Manual - 1978 (Allen E. Kane, Nancy J. Hewitt, Patrick Hogan, Gary Brown, Steven Dominquez, Joel M. Brisbin, William A. Lucius, Roger Moore, Steven D. Emslie and J. Holly Hathaway, 1981)

DAP-012: Archaeomagnetic Sampling Program (J. Holly Hathaway, 1982)

DAP-013: The Dolores Archaeological Program Magnetic Reconnaissance Survey Program: Field Operations (J. Holly Hathaway, 1981)

DAP-014: Climatic Reconstruction (Kenneth L. Peterson, 1982)

DAP-015: Laboratory Operations - 1978 (Paul J. Farley, 1982)

DAP-016: Reductive Technologies Analysis (Roger A. Moore, 1980)

DAP-017: 1978 Additive Analysis Report (William A. Lucius, 1981)

DAP-018: Activities of the Faunal Consultant (Steven D. Emslie, 1982)

DAP-019: Botanical Studies (William J. Litzinger, 1982)

DAP-020: Magnetometer Results (Robert J. Huggins and John Weymouth, 1981)

DAP-021: An Archaeoastronomical Reconnaissance of the Dolores Archaeological Program Area (John A. Eddy and Allen E. Kane, 1981)

DAP-022: A Brief View of Homesteading in the Primary Project Area with a Test Model of the Basic Homesteading Periods (Steven G. Baker, 1978)

DAP-024: Prehistoric Archaeology of the Sagehen Flats Locality (David H. Greenwald, 1982)

DAP-025: Excavation at Tres Bobos Hamlet, (Site 5Mt4545), a Basketmaker III Habitation (Joel M. Brisbin, 1981)

DAP-026: Excavations at Apricot Hamlet (Site 5Mt2858), a Basket Maker II / Pueblo I Habitation Site (John L. Montgomery, 1982)

DAP-027: Excavations at Pheasant View Hamlet (Site 5Mt2192), a Pueblo I Habitation Site (Richard Yarnell, 1982)

DAP-028: Excavations at Dos Casas Hamlet (Site 5Mt2193), a Basketmaker III / Pueblo I Habitation Site (Joel M. Brisbin, A. Emerson and S. H. Schlanger, 1982)

DAP-029: Excavations at Prairie Dog Hamlet (Site 5Mt4614), a Basketmaker III / Pueblo I Habitation Site (Richard W. Yarnell, 1982)

DAP-030: Excavations at Casa Bodega Hamlet (Site 5Mt2194), a Pueblo I Habitation Site (Gary A. Brown, 1982)

DAP-031: Excavations at Moonlight House (Site 5Mt2205), a Pueblo I Seasonal Use Site (James H. Kleidon, 1982)

DAP-032: Excavations at Casa Roca (Site 5Mt2203), a Pueblo I / Pueblo II Field House (Joel M. Brisbin, 1982)

DAP-033: Excavations at Faraway House (Site 5Mt4763), a Pueblo I / Pueblo II Limited Activity Site (James H. Kleidon, 1982; electronic edition not available)

DAP-034: Excavations at Cascade House (Site 5Mt4512), a Pueblo I Field House (Richard H. Wilshusen, 1982; electronic edition not available)

DAP-035: Excavations at Marsh View (Site 5MT2235), a Pueblo III Habitation Site (Richard H. Wilshusen, 1982)

DAP-036: The 1979 Testing Program (Nancy J. Hewitt, 1983)

DAP-036.9: Site 5MT2857 (Nancy J. Hewitt, 1982)

DAP-037: Excavations at Horse Bone Camp (Site 5MT2199), an Archaic-Anasazi Limited Activity Site (Gary A. Brown, 1982)

DAP-038: Excavations at Horsefly Hamlet (Site 5MT2236), an Archaic Camp / Anasazi Habitation Site (Allen E. Kane and Mark L. Chenault, 1982)

DAP-039: Excavations at Ridge Line Camp (5MT2242) an Archaic-Anasazi Limited Activity Site (Judith A. Southward, 1982; electronic edition not available)

DAP-040: Excavations at Hawk House (Site 5MT4681), an Archaic-Anasazi Limited Activity Site (Gary A. Brown, 1981)

DAP-041: Excavations at Climbing Cactus Camp (Site 5MT4682) (Richard Wilshusen, 1982)

DAP-042: Laboratory Operations - 1979 (Paul J. Farley, 1982)

DAP-043: Additive Technologies - 1979 (W. A. Lucius, 1982)

DAP-044: Reductive Technology Laboratory 1979 Report (Carl J. Phagan, 1982)

DAP-045: Photography-1979 (John P. Nylander, 1982)

DAP-046: Activities of the Automated Data Processing Group (Robert P. Ryan and Arthur L. Rohr, 1982)

DAP-047: Botanical Studies - 1979 (Robert A. Bye, 1982)

DAP-048: Faunal Studies-1979 (Steven D. Emslie, 1982)

DAP-049: Pollen Analysis - 1979 (Linda J. Scott, 1982)

DAP-050: Geology of the Dolores Project Area (Frank C. Leonhardy and Vickie L. Clay, 1982)

DAP-051: Human Remains (Louisa B. Flander,1982)

DAP-052: Archaeomagnetic Dating-1979 (J. H. Hathaway and Jeffrey L. Eighmy, 1982)

DAP-053: History and Historic Archaeology (Deborah A. Duranceau, 1980)

DAP-054: Historic Research Design (Deborah A. Duranceau, 1979)

DAP-056: Introduction to 1980 Dolores Archaeological Program Reports (David A. Breternitz,1984)

DAP-057: The Dolores Project Cultural Resources Mitigation Design (R. Knudson, S. James, A. Kane, W. Lipe and T. Kohler, 1984)

DAP-058: Fieldwork and Systematics (Allen E. Kane, 1983)

DAP-059: Additive Technologies Group Midlevel Research Design (Eric Blinman, 1983)

DAP-060: Reductive Technologies Group Midlevel Research design (Carl J. Phagan, 1983)

DAP-061: Environmental Studies Report (Bruce F. Benz and Vickie L. Clay, 1980)

DAP-062: Preliminary Report, Demonstration and Experimental Garden Studies 1979 and 1980 (Rita Shuster, 1983)

DAP-063: Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains from the Dolores Archaeological Project: 1978-1980 (Ann Lucy Wiener, 1983)

DAP-066: 1980 Archaeomagnetic Sampling Program (J. Holly Hathaway, 1982)

DAP-067: 1980 Laboratory Report (Paul J. Farley, 1983)

DAP-071: Photography - 1980 (Michael J. Hilton, 1983)

DAP-073: Identifying Food Processing Activities: The Ethnographic Resource Base (Judith A. Southward, 1982)

DAP-075: A Preliminary Projectile Point Analysis for the Dolores Archaeological Project (Robert K. Vierra and Carl J. Phagan, 1982)

DAP-077: Temporal Changes in the Anasazi Food Processing Toolkit (Carolyn Raffensperger, 1983)

DAP-078: Study of Correlation Between Magnetic Reconnaissance and Excavation in the Dolores Archaeological Program (Patricia K. Burns, Robert Huggins and John W. Weymouth, 1983)

DAP-079: Explaining variability among artifact collections (Timothy A. Kohler, Carl J. Phagan and Eric Blinman, 1983)

DAP-082: Excavations at Prince Hamlet (Site 5MT2161), a Pueblo I habitation site (Lynne Sebastian, 1983)

DAP-083: Excavations at LeMoc Shelter (Site 5MT2151), a multiple-occupation Anasazi site (Patrick Hogan, 1983)

DAP-084: Grass Mesa Village (Site 5MT23), Overview and Surface Collection Results: 1979 and 1980 (Timothy A. Kohler, 1983)

DAP-086: Archaeological Investigations on Grass Mesa: Area 4, 1979 (Richard V. N. Ahlstrom and Karen Dohm, 1983)

DAP-080: Introduction to Field Investigations in the Grass Mesa Locality, 1978-1980 (William D. Lipe, 1984)

DAP-081: The Grass Mesa Locality Testing Program, 1979-1980 (G. Timothy Gross, 1984)

DAP-085: Excavations in Area 3, Grass Mesa Village (Site 5MT23), 1979 and 1980, a Pueblo I habitation (Cory D. Breternitz, 1984)

DAP-108: Excavations at Windy Wheat Hamlet (Site 5MT4644), a Pueblo I habitation (Joel M. Brisbin, 1984)

DAP-149: Additive Technologies (Eric Blinman, C. Dean Wilson, Robert M.R. Waterworth, Mary P. Errickson and Linda P. Hart, 1984)

History and Intent of the Proclamation for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument Kristina L. Woodall, undated)

Junior Explorer Archaeology, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (2017)

Landscape-Level History of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Montezuma and Dolores Counties, Colorado (Jonathon C. Horn, October 2004)

Late Pueblo III Sites in Lower Sand Canyon Locality, Montezuma County, Colorado — Preliminary Report on the Archaeological Survey of 2009 (Radosław Palonka, extract from Contributions in New World Archaeology, Vol. 2, 2010)

Map (BLM, undated)

Map (BLM, undated)

Map (BLM, 2015)

Map 4, Recreation Management (BLM, January 2010)

Prehistoric Settlement and Physical Environment in the Mesa Verde Area University of Utah Anthropological Papers No. 53 (Joyce Herold, November 1961)

Proclamation 7317—Establishment of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (William J. Clinton, June 9, 2000)

Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (June 2010)

Research on the Pueblo Culture Settlement System from the North American Southwest: Results of the Sand Canyon-Castle Rock Community Archaeological Project (Radosław Palonka, extract from Studia Humanistyczne AGH, Vol. 13 No. 2, 2014)

Sand Canyon & Rock Creek Trails, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (2018)

Shamans, Spirals, and Warriors — Rock Art in Castle Rock Pueblo Community, Colorado, USA Through Native American Oral Traditions and Archaeological Interpretations (Radosław Palonka, extract from Expression, No. 16, June 2017)

Stabilization of Lowry Ruins Colorado Bureau of Land Management Cultural Resources Series No. 1 (Adrian S. White and David A. Breternitz, March 1976)

The Archeology and Stabilization of the Dominguez and Escalante Ruins Colorado Bureau of Land Management Cultural Resources Series No. 7 (Part I: Alan D. Reed, Part II: Judith Ann Hallasi, Part III: Adrian S. White and David A. Breternitz, 1979)

Transportation Map (BLM, undated)