Trail of the Ancients
Visitor Services
All national and tribal parks and monuments provide visitor information. Visitor centers are located in Cortez and Dolores, Colorado, and Monticello and Blanding, Utah.
| Service | Description | Service | Description |
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Fees There is an admission fee to enter some areas, including National Parks. |
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Camping There are places to camp along this byway. |
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Food Cortez, Dolores, Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat, and Monument Valley all have fast food and sit-down restaurants. Mesa Verde National Park and Mountain Valley Tribal Park both offer food. |
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Gasoline Cortez, Dolores, Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat, and Monument Valley all have gas stations. |
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Information All national and tribal parks and monuments provide visitor information. Visitor centers are located in Cortez and Dolores, Coloardo, and Monticello and Blanding, Utah. |
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Lodging Cortez, Dolores, Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat, and Monument Valley all have hotels and/or motels. |
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Phone Public phones are available along this byway. |
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Restrooms There are toilet facilities along this byway. |
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Retail Shopping is available in Cortez, Dolores, Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat, and Monument Valley. |
NOTE: The America's Byways® website is federally funded and cannot promote commercial businesses. This data may not be complete or up to date. The National Scenic Byways Program is not responsible for the quality of your travel experience. See the right column on the Byway Overview page for local contact information.
Special Considerations
The major portion of the byway easily accommodates tour buses. All the National and State Parks offer easy access and adequate parking, as does Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and Four Corners Monument. Of the smaller sites, the Anasazi Heritage Center, Lowry Pueblo, Butler Wash, and Mule Canyon offer easy access and adequate parking. The community of Bluff is easily accessed by tour buses and multiple parking venues exist.
Special accommodations for non-English speaking visitors are being addressed by several businesses along the Trail. Desert Rose Inn in Bluff, and Gouldings Lodge in Monument Valley have websites that address the needs of non-English-speaking visitors. Several attractions such as Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Monuments have videos, brochures, and items for sale through the Canyonlands Natural History Association Book Store, located at the sites, in different languages. Other attractions along the byway have plans to implement better multilingual resources and services and will address the need as it arises.
CAUTION: The Moki Dugway is gravel with 10% grades and switchbacks for 2.2 miles. Recreational vehicles should consider alternate routes.
Seasons
- Best Time to Drive
Travel the Trail of the Ancients from early spring through the end of November to enjoy the intriguing culture that is the Four Corners.
- High Season
The high traffic season on the Trail of The Ancients is from May through mid-October. September through mid-October is especially busy.
