Very nice museum and adjacent outdoor display. We loved the gift shop, which by the way, does not only offer very cool merchandise of Edge of the Cedars, but also from Goosenecks State Park. The collection of artifacts is beautiful and the short introductory film very informative. Entrance fee is only $ 5.00 per person. It was a plus for us to be able to take our dog to the outdoor exhibit, and the lady behind the counter was super nice. We had a great experience.

This is a great museum and not at all what I expected! They have multiple types of exhibits from a video, to a photo gallery, to displays (including an extensive pottery room), to actual ruins, it has everything! There’s a nice little gift shop as well. We spent a couple of hours there and didn’t even get to read everything.

Must see stop. Very nice collections, exhibitions and film. You can go in back to see a real ruin. Our favorite part was reading testimonials from people who discovered artifacts.

Excellent museum.. so many relics from all over the 4 corner area

Wonderful museum with inside and outside exhibits. Learn more about local ancient cultures.

Great museum, perfect for kids. The tour felt informative and well mapped. Everything on display was really cool. The museum director had some fascinating insights on ceramic lineages and modern ceramic impressions. Bring your friends!!

Fascinating llmisrim.onnan unassuming town Who knew they had a first rate museum about ancient people and their culture? I sure didn't, but was fortunate to run into someone who recommended it. I'm glad they did because we learned so much about the artifacts, especially pottery, the housing (kivas versus pits), the tools, the petroglyphs, etc, both in the exhibit indoors (don't miss the second floor!) and the outdoor one which allows you to climb a ladder down into an underground kiva. They also have a small but excellent museum shop with lots of goodies, including books , t-shirts, jewelry made by indigenous people, etc. All in all, a very positive experience, made me want to learn more!

Clean, well maintained dino museum. Great for kids and adults alike. Plenty of parking, easy to find and good hours. Open seasonal so check before you go. Much bigger than I expected. Go here if you can.

It's a relatively small museum where based on your interest you can spend anywhere between an hour to a couple of hours. It was definitely informative. If you have kids who are curious about dinosaurs this is definitely a good place. It's even good for adults.

Loved it here ! It was a well done museum, great exhibits, and learned a lot! I loved the unique-ness of movie history with dinosaurs. I will definitely be back.

Really cool place to stop when passing by, $6 for adults, $4 for kids, and $5 for seniors. Lots of interesting facts on Dinos and popular movies like Godzilla. Definitely worth the stop. ✔️🦖

Very great museum kids will love this. There is a lot of things here from footprints to how they made early dinosaur films in the 50s so plenty of things for all ages.

Great museum for kids and adults! It’s only $6 and there are some great exhibits for both kids and adults. We enjoyed the scavenger hunt with our 4 year old. The gift shop had great items for very reasonable prices. Staff is super nice.

Very cool museum with many awesome dinosaur displays and lots of great information.

Took the intro course, and it exceeded expectations on every level. Course material was exceptionally well organized and presented in logical order, with plenty of time for demonstration and questions. We were able to complete two canyons during the course with instructor supervision, giving us the knowledge and confidence to go out on our own, which we did (and had a great time). Would definitely recommend. Can't really think of any suggestions for improvement- it was that well done. Kudos, North Wash Outfitters. Excellent value, excellent course, and big fun. Thank you!

I had a wonderful time at the Beginning Canyoneering training. Jared is an expcellent instructor with tons of experience. I especially enjoyed the class structure of class room time, go to the cliff and refine what was learned in the class, and going to a slot canyon to apply what was learned. I highly recommond the class to anyone thinking about getting into canyoneering.

Jared and Lisa with decades of experience leading canyons unlock and share finer details of canyoneering that you won't find from other sources or classes. In the advanced class they shared practical and subtle tips across a variety of topics including evaluating and building marginal anchor building and nuanced strategies for avoiding stuck and twisted ropes—they provided invaluable, practical insights. The hands-on training, combined with the guided canyon experiences, allowed for real-time application of skills in a controlled yet challenging environment. Their instruction is both comprehensive and precise, making even the most complex techniques accessible and manageable. For anyone serious about honing their canyoneering skills and learning from two of the most experienced professionals in the field. While longer than other courses in duration, it's well worth the added time and delivers a level of training and expertise that leaves me confident in tackling further canyons

I can’t recommend this canyoneering course highly enough. I walked away with solid technical knowledge, a clear understanding of all the essential gear (and more), and most importantly, hands-on experience that gave me the confidence to safely descend a beginner-level technical canyon after the course. The instruction was practical and applicable. Rarely do I leave these types of courses feeling ready to put the skills into action, but this time, I absolutely do. Jared and Lisa were knowledgeable, patient, safety-focused, and FUN - creating an environment that was both educational and empowering. If you’re looking for a real foundation in canyoneering, this is the course to take!

North Wash Outfitters Canyon Rescue Have you ever made a mistake setting up your ropes in a canyon? Have you ever come across another group in trouble? Have you ever wondered how you would get out of a bad situation? This course teaches you how to mitigate mistakes and rescue yourself and others in the backcountry. This is a must if you are serious about canyoneering. Jared and his team have extensive knowledge and experience teaching canyoneering techniques, from basic to advanced to rescue. They’re also a lot of fun to hang out with. This course is all hands on, in the field, with lots of scenarios and opportunities to practice. You will leave feeling confident in your newly learned abilities to build rope haul systems, piggy backs, lowering systems, pick offs, and problem solving with the gear you have. I highly recommend North Wash Outfitters for their knowledge, passion, and ability to teach these crucial skills.

Took the Technical Canyoneering Course in North Wash with Jared and Lisa. Can’t say enough good things! I would highly recommend this course. It was a perfect blend of education, training and great way to get experience in the canyons with some fun and highly experienced instructors! Had a blast and look forward to taking another course with them in the future.

Knowledgeable and skillful guides who are a pleasure to go canyoneering with , and going down a beautiful canyon. What could be better?

The visitor center of Blanding was a nice location in town. The workers were very nice and were able to be helpful when asking for directions. They do have an assortment of choices when it comes to maps and books, as well as souvenirs for those just going through. Overall, it’s a good spot in town to get the best information!

There are tons of non commercial NPS and Utah state maps and brochures for natural attractions around the area. The woman on staff was incredibly knowledgeable and helped steer us to excellent places in Natural Bridges and routes we would otherwise not have known. She drew on the maps, made notes, and estimated mileage. The center & restrooms are clean. A great place to stop to plan sightseeing or get more info about a plan already made.

When traveling between Arches/Canyonlands and Natural Bridges/Monument, you must stop here. This is the nicest visitor center we've come across in our decades of road trips. They have immaculately clean restrooms, a nice exhibit space, loads of maps, brochures, and guidebooks, and one of the nicest and helpful visitor center hosts we've met. She gave us a lot of great tips for our trip in the area.

This was a wonderful surprise on our way from Moab to Page AZ! Lots of free and for sale maps offered, some local artifacts, clean bathrooms and a very nice and helpful lady with travel advice. Outstanding - thanks!

Very knowledgable and friendly staff who gave excellent hiking and camping recommendations. A great place to go to-- I've never enjoyed a visitor's center experience as much as I did this one! Blanding is a gem!

Very clean bathrooms. easy to get in and out of with a trailer. Free maps and some souvenirs to purchase. Friendly staff. Nice picnic area green grass for the dogs.

Very nice spot to stop, its getting a new roof but large outdoor space playground, restrooms were clean. Good information, cool things to see.

This was a FABULOUS hike. Wore me out but well worth it. Spectacular sights all the way around. Crossing it canyon was an adventure too. I love everything about this place. The air conditioned visitor center felt so good after an hour and a half in the hot sun.

Great little hiking loop around the upper end of the canyon with some close and not-so-close views of architecturally unique towers and dwellings. While we did enjoy coming out here at least once, we felt more impressed by Chimney Rock and Aztec Ruins as they felt far more interactive and personal.

Out in the middle of nowhere land. BUT, such amazing examples of the talents of the ancient ones in building housing and water gathering. Rugged and hostile in the summer. Cold and difficult in the winter. Walking tour around the perimeter approximately 2 miles. Well worth the effort. Absolutely an amazing place!

The Square Tower loop trail at Hovenweep NM is an easy trail with multiple Ancestral Pueblo buildings along this canyon mostly within sight of each other. I love the one within the boulder since it's unique. I attended one of the ranger talks about it while I was there which was informative.

Very neat place to see pueblo ruins. Along the cliffs. A 2 mile loop allows you to see the whole pueblo. The 2 mile loop involves climbing down and up the canyon. Well done trail. Even has benches to rest. You will be in full sun with little shade.

This place is amazing. I hiked into Painted Hand Pueblo and Cutthroat pueblo. Absolutely breathtaking. I was able to take some amazing photos and it was so quiet and peaceful. There were no crowds. I saw six other people combined at both places and there were only a dozen or so people at the Visitors Center, including park employees, while I was there. This is a must see for anyone interested in the Ancestral Puebloan peoples... Or even if they are not.

It was a bit disappointing. You a lot of walking to not see very much. I don't think its anything like the descriptions you read where it says its the best ruins anywhere. I've seen better. Much better.

Overall, an interesting photo stop. Slightly expensive entrance fee(8$). I arrived in the afternoon, and waited in a 40 minute line to take a picture in the center 4 corners. I felt even one employee could have helped direct tourists. Some folks started to vocally voice their concerns aloud, as people in the front ‘took their time’. Was pleasantly surprised by the friendly local native people selling merchandise. They displayed hand painted art, magnets, postcards, stickers, and jewelry. I recommend to make this stop. There’s a few outdoor toilets around the area as well as plenty of dirt/rock parking spots. Surrounding the monument, there are a couple hiking paths.

This landmark has been on my must-see list for quite some time, and it did not disappoint. For just $8 per person, visitors can stand at the monument where four states meet and capture memorable photos. Surrounding the monument are numerous booths featuring handmade arts and crafts by local artists. Additionally, the outer rim of the monument offers several trailheads, providing a wonderful opportunity to explore each state. During our visit, we even encountered wild horses along the trail, making the experience all the more memorable.

⭐ Standing in Four States at Once! I visited the Four Corners Monument and it was such a fun and unique stop. The drive in is beautiful from any direction, and there are clear signs leading to the entrance. I bought my ticket at the gate and parked right next to the site — plenty of parking and clean public restrooms. Inside, there are many Native American (Navajo & Ute) craft stalls with souvenirs, jewelry, and local art. After that I walked straight into the monument area, where you can literally stand in four states at once — Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. There were other visitors but it never felt crowded. There’s a short line to take the classic photo on the exact “four states” marker, so a little patience is needed, but totally worth it. The whole area is clean, organized, and easy to explore. On the way out you can also stop by the state welcome signs for Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and the Navajo Nation for extra photos. A really cool and memorable experience. Highly recommended! 📸🇺🇸

We rode our motorcycles from Phoenix out to Four Corners, and it was an unforgettable trip. The ride itself was scenic with plenty of open roads, mountains, and desert views along the way. Stopping at Four Corners Monument was a fun experience—standing in four states at once is something you don’t do every day. The area has several local vendors with handmade crafts, jewelry, and souvenirs, which added to the charm. It’s definitely more of a quick stop than an all-day activity, but worth it for the unique landmark and the ride to get there. If you enjoy road trips and motorcycle rides, this is a great destination to check off the list.

Welcome to the American west. This was a long time bucket list item ✔️. My beloved uncle Richard and aunt Margaret visited decades ago. Their memories served to inspire mine. This is the only location throughout the continental USA where four states intersect at single point. It would be interesting understanding the reasons behind the state line decisions. I recall there being a PBS production discussing how various state lines came to be. Meanwhile, we drove scenic highway 160 from Durango. The sandstone terrain felt mesmerizing; this was a visual I had seen only in western films. There were shapes, dimensions, and formations carved into this unique dusty landscape covering millions of years, dare I say perhaps even a billion years. This area once comprised oceanic territory. Ours was a stunningly beautiful drive. Arriving, the four corners monument is well marked and easily located. We knew in advance there would be an $8 per person entry fee. Probably $5 per person would have been more appropriate but their price is the price. No reason to haggle, just enjoy. After parking, we noticed there were restrooms (porta-potty) available, food trucks, vendors, and the four-corners intersection. On this Friday, there weren’t many visitors yet, so there wasn’t overt pressure to rush photos. I highly recommend taking your time. We helped other couples take photos, while they reciprocated. This was an efficient tradeoff. Afterwards, we toured the vendor area engaging with the craftsmen, and in one case observed the final coat of paint being intricately applied to the pottery. Interesting and educational experience! The product quality was undeniably high. My only regret was not taking time to short-hike the terrain behind the monument. Afterwards, we returned immediately to Durango. If you are considering going, GO, this a once in a lifetime very worthwhile experience:

The last time I was here was 1992, and this time was staying in the area. Visited during the week in the shoulder season, so fewer visitors. The local vendors offer varied handmade art and craft works. Since I was there last, the Navajo Nation developed a short hiking trail at the end of the parking lot, the Dancing Horse Trail. I was so very happy to have the opportunity to revisit the site, on a beautiful November day.

It’s kinda cool straddling 4 states. Bit of a tourist trap. It’s really only this one spot for pictures. You get in line and snap a few. Not entirely sure it’s worth the $8 per person but it’s something to check out. There are vendors that line the area. If you’re looking for some unique souvenirs. We went off season - the vendor we spoke to said it’s usually really busy until mid Sept.

Beautiful and informative ancient Pueblo site surrounded by a stunning Sagebrush prairie and Juniper-Piñion forest. There are pit toilets available and quite a few shaded picnic tables nestled within the trees. It's a lovely and quiet sport to sit, eat, and reflect.

I enjoyed going into a kiva and looking at the original wooden support beams and masonry that the Ancestors Pueblo people built. I didn't stay long because a thunderstorm was approaching and all those metal support beams would attract lightning. The last bit of road to get here was a bit rough with some ruts so I had to be careful with my compact car.

This site is very small but interesting. You can actually go into the pueblo! And the Great Kiva is one of the biggest I have seen. The drive up is also beautiful.

Fun little set of ruins to see, and even more fun that we could go inside for a closer look at the size of the puebloan rooms and kiva!

Worth the drive from the Canyon Of the Ancients museum. Picnic area and toilet.

I've been here a couple of times - really fascinating up-close look at ancient life. And you can go inside!

This is a great site with some informative signs. It's an easy walk around the sites and absolutely worth visiting. We had the place to ourselves for at least 30 minutes, which was amazing. It's in a remote place and not frequented as much as some other sites in the area. Please leave no trace and preserve these sites for generations to come. There's a bathroom here and a couple of picnic tables as well.

Just Wow. These are some awesome sites to visit. The different sites are spread out but each is unique. You will be driving some dirt roads but they are not too bad. The history you see is phenomenal. The pueblo ruins are a site to see. It's amazing what they did over a thousand years ago by hand.

Incredible area for ancient puebloan history and ruins! Bring plenty of water for hiking and 4WD with high clearance if you plan on camping in the backcountry here - no permit necessary at several campsites!

Beautiful stop on our trip. The gift store and learning center was closed on Sunday but they had the most wonderful, knowledgable volunteers there. Mr. And Mrs. Westphal! They pulled a bunch of info for us and shared some of their favorite places to go. Beautiful walking path to the top with signage available about plants and various information. Nice benches and picnic stops along the way. Very educational about pueblos and kivas. Highly recommend this stop!

Some of the coolest best hiking in the entire area. It is a Hidden Gem that no one really knows about, you can see amazing Rock formations, cactus, painted lizards. There are many archaeological sites, kind of like a mini Mesa Verde. Go in the spring and then in the fall, it's too hot in the midsummer.

Interesting area to visit & learn a little more about history. It is past several farms and down a gravel road & at one point we were wondering if we were lost but Google Maps took us right to it. It's free to visit & has bathrooms but they are the ones with a hole in the ground & no water.

This specific site is remote unpaved road access. Visitor center is on another location.

It was quite the adventure climbing up on snowy and ice paths, but despite the treacherous walk up…the view was to die for!

My family and I visited and were blown away. Antonio was very attentive and provided amazing suggestions for tasting. We met the owner and he was beyond hospitable and friendly. The wines were extraordinary and we are having several bottles shipped home. This was well worth the drive and time spent. We will visit again!

Nice little vineyard across from Sand Cayon TH. Freindly staff and good pizza! Loved the outdoor vibe. The wines were decent, though we felt they were a bit lean-bodied and fairly straightforward in flavor; plus hardly any if them from Colorado!..

So lovely! Customer service was above and beyond and I was so surprised how good the wine was!! Who would have thought in Cortez! Everything was top notch, from the wine to the pizza to the charcuterie board. Side note... I'm always nervous bringing my kids to typically adult places, but everyone was friendly and accommodating and I never felt unwelcome. Thanks! Can't wait to try more of your delicious wines.

Absolutely lovely winery! This little gem is secluded and quiet and full of personality! Antonio, the lovely gentleman who helped us, was very knowledgeable and friendly. We spent an afternoon tasting and snacking on charcuterie, hummus, and quiche. We played a game of cards on the patio and enjoyed the day! Beautiful location!

We dropped in after a hike around the Sand Canyon. It was lovely. Incredible view and delicious wine. The Chardonnay was a stand out, and we were able to have a quick chat with John (the owner) who had loads of interesting stories to share and gave us a good laugh. We loved it!

What a beautiful place to visit, fantastic wine 🍷 and great customer service that makes you feel like family. I was very fortunate to be able to attend this years end of harvest dinner party and it was absolutely extraordinary!!!

Who knew Colorado would have amazing red wines?! Kudos to the vintner who has created unique and flavorsome wines. The scenery is just gorgeous here. Harvest was underway and Ian was kind enough to walk me through the process and answer all my questions...with an added bonus of getting hiking tips for the surrounding areas. Definitely worth the stop if you're traveling through the area. Update 2023: I travel to the Colorado area every October from the East Coast and I make sure to find my way to Sutcliffe Vineyards, no matter what part of the state I find myself in. I had the unique opportunity to watch the annular solar eclipse here this year. John, the owner, is a true gem and I enjoy talking to him and hearing about his interesting and varied life. The wines are simply outstanding. I traveled here this year specifically for my favorite varietal, Petit Verdot, and it exceeded my expectations--absolute heaven in a glass. Thank you, Antonio, for your kindness and stellar service during my visit.

What a great hike this is - ruins are preserved, but the ecosystem is also worth stopping to marvel at an examine. The views are also incredible.

Adventurous canyon hike along slick rock, sand, and cliffside! Great canyon and mesa views, plus those of Sleeping Ute. A handful of precariously placed pueblo ruins will keep you hiking for more! Unfortunately, you can't really get close to any of them. So, enjoy the hike itself and bring plenty of water and sunscreen!

This is a great trail with nice scenery and lots of cool Ancestors Pueblo ruins. I turned around at the last listed ruin before the switchbacks since rain was rolling in. The trail was fairly easy up to this point. Next time I am around here and if the weather is nice, I will try to do the whole trail.

Loved hiking in the Canyon of the Ancients along the Sand Canyon Trail from the south trailhead! It is so peaceful. We hiked about 4 miles in to see all of the Pueblos. Then we hiked back to the car. We started early in the morning.

Well worth the hike to see. It’s not a short one either. We ended up turning back after the corn Cobb house.

Sand Canyon is a fantastic hike. We hiked to the 8th ruin, then turned around as it was a really hot day. Total hike mileage round trip to the 8th ruin, “house with standing curved walls” was 8 miles. It’s obvious that BLM or volunteers take special care of this area. The trail is wide and is fairly smooth dirt and sand surfaced and well maintained and edged with rocks or sticks to ensure people stay on trail. Horses and bikes are allowed on the main trail. Not only is this a great area to view ruins, but also has stunning views of the canyon, Mesa and Ute Mountain.

The Sand Canyon trail is a great hike if you want to get to some of the lesser visited archaeological sites in this region and get a nice hike in while you view them. Distance between the two trailheads and Sand Canyon is 6 miles. We opted to hike in about three and a half miles and hike back out. The archaeological sites are located within the first three miles of the trail. The portion that we hiked is a moderate hike, with little elevation changes. It is well worn and pretty well marked with cairns so we didn't have any difficulty following the trail. The trail is fairly exposed so if you're going out on hot days it would be best to go early morning. It took us about 2 and 1/2 hours and we took time to stop and take pictures and really look at the sites and the scenery in this canyon.

Four corners monument was out of my way but on my list. Was a little bit busy not bad. $8 per person worth a one time thing.

We were just passing through the area and needed a place to stop for lunch. There were picnic tables and the signs around the visitor center said open, but everything was barred up and did not look very welcoming so I'm not sure how people were getting tours. Anyway you can see Chimney Rock from the side of road and it's pretty interesting. There is some information there to read about the site to learn a little more.

Thank you, Veronica, Jasmine, and Rickie for our full-day tour. We appreciate all of the pre-trip planning you helped us with, and we had a great day with Rickie. He validated what we had learned from prior reading and expanded our knowledge even further. The sites in Mancos Canyon were phenomenal teaching stops. Walking just under the rim in Lion Canyon was fantastic—I wish the trail could be longer! Rickie, we appreciate all of your teaching.

Drove by here Nov 3 but everything was closed up. It looked deserted and it not see any signs saying when it reopens. It’s worth it to pull over in the pullout and walk up to the centre to read the sign boards. Beautiful site and I’m sure the tours would be amazing. Gave it a 3 only because nothing was open….

A must do. If Mesa Verde National Park is on your travel itinerary, add at least the half day tour here. You’ll want to call ahead to confirm. Tours start at 9am- arrive at 8:30a to check in. Our tour guide was Wolf, one of only 2 guides here. You’ll gain an understanding of the culture and experience the past in a completely different and arguably better way than the way folks at the National Park do it. The sites are stunning and well worth it!

It was gorgeous! We stayed on the paved road as it was directed due to this being a sacred site. But even with three miles out this was a fantastic place to look at! Wish we could have gone closer but we have to respect the rules. Breathe taking view regardless! And the mountains across from the ship rock were gorgeous as well

My mother and I were lost trying to find Four Corners and we stopped here to ask directions. The lady in the visitors center was very helpful!

Wow, what a wonderful asset to the community and to us all. A beautiful facility. Much more importantly, a kind, welcoming, expert staff. Much appreciated. Disciple James

What an incredible experience. This place if full of history and prior civilizations.

Beautiful displays, and very helpful staff, really helped with my decision on a route and timing to cross the mountains.

Wonderful welcome center! Very friendly and full of information about the surrounding areas.

Lots if good Informstion shared for events in the area along with great restaurant suggestions

Friendly lady at the front here. She was great help. And I was surprised at how much magazines and brochures are available here. It's a lot, not just for the local area!!!! Thank you!

A wonderful visitor center. Staffs are very friendly and helpful. I suggest people to go there at first when you visit Cortez.

Fishing is good large lake for all kinds of activities not too far from home

No comment. Not saying where we were. The fewer that know, the better. But it was nice and quiet and peaceful and calming

Nice place to hike and swim! Nature is beautiful around the reservoir and the water is clear.

Loved fishing on this Lake!! It is amazing!! We had a great time.

Beautiful lake, slow as hell fishing, trout and kokanee are main catches with some bass. Great play lake in summer months stays up near 70 degrees.

Great smallmouth bass lake, however the lake level was very low. We were there for 6 days and they moved the dock twice. Fishing was very tough but ended up with some good sized ones. No walleye though. It's a big lake, it's your call.

Wonderful resevoir for water sports of all varieties including fishing. Camping in many areas, we went out the North West end, the 50 minute drive out of Delores was well worth the spot which had very little occupancy. Great fishing !

This location is beautifully maintained and has beautiful displays. There are fun activities for younger kids to enjoy while exploring. Outside there is a path you can follow that's half a mile out, as well as some picnic tables.

The museum has great exhibits and the two movies are great too. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. There's also the pueblo nearby as views of the reservoir.

Whether you go to visit Mesa Verde NP, this is an absolute must see. What we think we know, this museum helps to answer how, where and when The Pueblo People lived. Beautiful examples of Archeology and artifacts found. I was surprised by the multitude of langusges spoken. And, it connects Modern Native Americans and their migration paths. Absolutely fantastic historical museum. Many thanks to the staff and all who helped to contribute. Tip: If you suffer from elevation adjustment drink lots & lots of water & emergence drink. Avoid caffeine & alcohol. Send friends your own photo album.

Incredible area for ancient puebloan history and ruins! Bring plenty of water for hiking and 4WD with high clearance if you plan on camping in the backcountry here - no permit necessary at several campsites! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff and volunteers at the Visitor Center!

Amazing experience! Lots of interactive exhibits and information about the ancient Puebloan peoples! We weren't able to go to the cliff Palace but you can buy tickets, and I'd advise you do that in advance!

Museum was great, well done, very nice volunteer. Lots of artifacts. But the ruins were missable, as was the reservoir view.

What a surprise to find this Visitor Center and Museum. The facility is beautiful and the staff were so knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a lot and made plans to visit the many sites in the area. The walking path to the site was perfectly sloped and easy to walk. I personally liked the art on display in the Lowry Room.

My second favorite tour of the 3 we took. Ranger Julia (my favorite Ranger that guided us on a tour!) shared her wealth of knowledge of the park and its history with us, and we had the pleasure of hearing Ranger Bonnie play her flute on the tour. What an incredible experience!

It's an amazing experience. It's great to be able to walk through this beautiful Ancestral Puebloan ruin. The Rangers provide lots of information about their culture, the area, and the ruins.

We visited Mesa Verde at the end of July and were very fortunate to book a ranger guided tour for Long House. Tours sell out quickly and it's best to book in the morning as soon as they become available. Currently (as of July 2022) the tour tickets are posted to recreation.gov at 8am MST 14 days ahead of time. Long house is stunning, and it's a very exciting experience to hike down to the 800 year old cliff dwelling. The tour was thought provoking and well timed. Parking for the tour is at Wetherill Mesa. Do be aware you must hike to the Long House trail head, about a 15 minute walk. Additionally you must arrive 15 minutes early for a safety briefing, so all in all give yourself an extra 30 minutes from your arrival time to the parking lot. We also visited Cliff Palace, which just opened to tours for the summer due to road construction. Cliff Palace is gorgeous and incredibly well preserved, it's a powerful experience to walk through the site and imagine the amazing challenges and joys of living in the Palace. One of the rangers who spoke at the palace was part of the indigenous intern program and we felt fortunate to hear her from unique perspective and cultural connection to the site. If you only have time to tour one site, we would definitely recommend the Long House tour over Cliff Palace, you can get great views of cliff Palace without the tour. Give yourself plenty of time ahead of the tours and pack water.

I feel so lucky to see and go through this amazing place. The ranger leading the tour gave so much information about the place and the people that used to live here. I allocated enough time to get to the meetup point before my scheduled tour. Some folks missed the previous tour because they didn't realize they had to hike quite a bit to get there from the parking lot. The ranger was nice enough to let them join our tour. It was in the 90s when I was doing the tour and the heat made it tougher. I'm glad I got lots of water.

This trip and tour is not for the meek. If you choose and book it, get a morning tour because of sun placement. Our tourguide was outstanding and assisted in better understanding of the dwellers community. The insight and history provided gives insight to the period of cliff dwellers.

Incredible place!! you could get inside some if it. Rangers did a great job on the tour. The hike in and out is little bit strenuous when the temp is around 90, but well worth it. It's unbelievable what people could accomplish 1,000 yrs ago. What a fantastic place to visit and learn.

Absolutely spectacular! Long House is the second largest set of ancient ruins within Mesa Verde, but they are only accessible by ranger-guided tours that are offered seasonally. Make reservations in advance, because tours are limited to 30 people.. Tours last 2 to 2.5 hours, and the hike is moderately strenuous with mostly paved trails, switchbacks and steps to descend into the canyon, and ladders and steps to explore within the ruins. Only water may be taken into the ruins, so eat your lunch and snacks BEFORE you start the hike.

This was a fun hike. It's a loop (start by going to the right). We did this in the middle of February. It starts out paved for a short while, then a bit muddy, followed by an intermittent dry with rocks and boulders to approximately 2" of snow. The beginning is more challenging until you get to the turn and head back. The trail is clearly marked with ribbons on the tree. You climb up staircases made of rocks and over some boulders. The hardest point is at the turn. If you are not the fittest for hiking, start left and when you get to the point turn-around. Or perhaps just walk the paved area and view the village from the benches. There is plenty of parking, a museum, and clean bathrooms. Don't forget, veterans, and they're entire car load, can enter the park for free, with proof of service.

Decent hike in terms of the actual walking and terrain, but the views as you walk and the ultimate payoff in terms of the petroglyphs are a little underwhelming. Better hiking options elsewhere in the park

Not the easiest trail, but definitely worth it. Don't forget water! If it's even a little sunny, the combination of altitude and the fact you're in the desert make it less pleasant. Lucky for us, it clouded over just as I was starting to hate my life choices. As others have noted, it's best to hike this counter-clockwise, following the signs into the canyon, then returning to the mesa top after finding the petroglyphs. Overall, trail's just under 2.5 miles long.

This trail is awesome. Be sure to do it counterclockwise. Starts in the canyon...if you're starting on the Mesa...turn around and walk into the canyon, then start the trail. Be aware of loose rocks. I wish I could hike this trail more often.

One of the best trails to hike in Mesa Verde! The hike is listed as strenuous and there were lots of climbing up and down and steep inclines. However, the views were just breathtaking and makes all the blood sweat and tears all worth it. Definitely make sure to have enough water especially on hot days. The trail is about a 2.4 mile loop. Half of the loop is relatively flat and not rocky. The other half is all the steep inclines and rocky terrain.

FANTASTIC hike - and definitely some aspect of strenuous to it.. highly recommended that you follow the trail counterclockwise - ie start from the Spruce Tree House and descend down from there - don't start walking on the flat plateau first! The incline and steep steps at the halfway point by the petroglyphs were MUCH easier to go up than to try to climb down from the plateau!

Starts out fun but quickly gets icy, some parts are scary with ice and a massive drop next to you. If you're going in the winter months bring spikes for traction. I am not the most experienced hiker and this gave me some scares along the hike especially near the end. Would not recommend for beginners although sights are amazing.

Highly recommend this hike! It’s 2.4miles (3.9km). There is a “right way” to go around the trail. Start by going down toward Spruce Tree House. There are numbers around the trail. If you find the lower numbers first then you are going the right way. There is a decent amount of climbing. I recommend doing this one earlier in the day when it’s not so hot.

Fantastic hike! Only one building and area with strong petroglyphs. Fun rock scrambles, tight squeeze in one area, lots of stairs. Great "hard" hike. Awesome caves and places with shade in the beginning if you start by going down into the valley from the museum.

This was so great to see! We didn't hike all the way down because we had little kids and it was hot outside but we got close enough. So awesome. I'm so glad we came! There is a bathroom not too far from here. And a museum, an old post office, and a ranger station.

To see this was our main reason for visiting the park. wasn't able to see it up close because the trail is closed but there is a nice observation area just across from it for good photos and the trail head is near the gift shop/museum. I highly recommend a visit to this NP!

Make sure you thoroughly research any national parks you're going to before taking to Google maps to post negative reviews because you can't bother to see on the NPS website that this location has been closed indefinitely for 7 years due to safety concerns. Even from a distance, this is still pretty spectacular to see. There's a pretty great overlook just behind the museum and offices - it's a little steep, but it is paved, and only a few hundred feet from the road. We were hiking the Petroglyph Point Trail and thought maybe there'd be a better vantage point down in the canyon, but (at least in July) the trees are almost too dense to see anything especially well.

You can view the Spruce tree house from distance behind the museum. I wish if I could go there but they have closed the trail and do not allow any visitors to go near Spruce tree hiuse due to safety concerns. There are no tours for this place but it is amaong to see the structures :)

Closed until 2019 due to efforts to the NPS's efforts to stabilize and protect this treasure, but it was open when I last went and it was wonderful, and had the added bonus of being the largest major ruin you could visit on a self-guided tour. Currently, there is a good view of the ruins you can access. Don't miss it.

I enjoyed watch a sudden thunderstorm over the Spruce Tree House, there were two instant waterfalls next to the Spruce Tree House and right over it. You instantly realized why the ancient natives selected this place for dwelling, maybe easy access to rain falls and water collection? I even caught a lightning on my video, it was awesome! Cheers!

Do the guided tour! You get to walk down to the ruins, and hear so much of the story of the lives of the people who lived there. So much knowledge, and facts you don't get on your own. The bus takes you there and back, and it's worth a day or half day of exploring!!

🌄 Absolutely Worth the Visit – Cliff Palace is a Must-See! 🏺✨ If you’re visiting Mesa Verde, Cliff Palace is THE highlight you can’t miss! It’s truly a step back in time – standing in front of those ancient cliff dwellings is absolutely surreal. You must see it with your own eyes to believe it. 🎟️ TRAVELER TIP: Make sure to buy your $8 ticket in advance on recreation.gov — it’s the only way to access the site and tours book up fast! The tour is ranger-guided and filled with fascinating facts about the Ancestral Puebloans who built this breathtaking structure. 🚗 It’s a 20-mile scenic drive from the park entrance to Cliff Palace, so plan accordingly. I recommend the early morning tour – not only is it cooler and more shaded, but the lighting makes the views even more magical! 💧 No hiking trails around this area, and no water nearby, so come prepared with your own refillable bottle. 🚻 Bathrooms near the site were very stinky during our visit – just a heads-up! 🏞️ The visitor center, however, was a pleasant surprise: super clean, with great exhibits, awesome souvenirs, and seriously delicious food! Great spot to recharge before or after the tour. ⛰️ Whether you're a history buff or a nature lover, Cliff Palace is a unique adventure that’s 100% worth it. Just plan ahead, come early, and soak it all in!

Definitely worth the tour reservation fee. I would say the reservation is a requirement because most tours are full and will not be able to accept walk-ups. We went the end of September, so it was warm, not hot. We were expecting cold and rainy, but the forecast change that morning. We arrived early ended up listening to the one ranger and almost discourage people from going on the tour due to a variety of possible health issues. We did not receive the same speech from our tour guide, just basics regarding being able to climb the ladders. I would recommend a good pair of shoes, as there is sand on the rock stairs on the way down and up. My wife is definitely afraid of heights, but has very little issue in climbing any of the ladders, so this should not dissuade you in going. The history is interesting, and should almost be reverent in realizing we are more alike as humans than we are different. I was wondering about the lighting for photography. We wanted an earlier start, and we didn't have to fight with half shadows. But I am still wondering if the late afternoon shadows provide added texture to the photos in general... Thoroughly enjoyed our tour at Cliff Palace.

Reservations required! You can go to recreation.gov and tickets are $8/person. There are also restrooms and water available at this trailhead. I’m afraid of heights, and did just fine with the ladders on this tour, so don’t worry too much about that. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America and I loved learning about the history of the ancestral Pueblo peoples. Mesa Verde in general is such a unique place, and a must stop if you’re in the area.

Was a cool experience to be able to see how people lived in the cliff dwellings. You don’t really get to explore or take photos, just kinda listen to the ranger talk about the history and walk through. It was a nice experience, but wasn’t overall exciting.

Beautiful view of Cliff Palace. We took a visit mid-November and it was crowd-less which was nice. It’s a long drive to these views but worth it, bring snacks and a lunch. Stop at the visitor center, get your passport book stamped and then head into the park.

Absolutely worth the $8/person tour! Must be able to climb ladders and walk up/down steep steps! Definitely wear good hiking/active shoes

This was my favorite tour of the 3 we did. If your can only do one, this is the one! Ranger Jay was so knowledgeable and engaging. I was never bored listening to her speak! The exit out of the dwelling was really cool and a fun experience with ladders and ancient stairs climbing between boulders

The tour is definitely worth it and Mesa Verde is a great park with tremendous cultural heritage. My only complaint would be that the park service guide talks continuously, so there is no time for reflection or a chance to just soak up the site. Would be nice if they left a little time for folks to be able to look around in quiet and just “be there” to imagine what it was like 700 years ago. (For clarity, there is no way to view the Balcony House except on a guided tour.)

Overall a cool experience. It’s a big tour group and you don’t really get to explore anything other than just listening to the ranger talk and then taking some photos. Really neat to see and if this is something you’re into you’d probably love it. Climbing the ladders if you’re not used to the elevation can definitely gas you out! They weren’t really hard to do and I wouldn’t say anything was challenging but it’s a little scary climbing up with someone in front of you and thinking they may fall on you… lol. It was nice and sunny when we did it, I would not want to go while things are wet. If you look up balcony house in google maps you can go there and that’s the area you will meet you’ll see a shaded area towards the trail head.

Awesome place to take the kids. Make sure you get the reservation. Bring sunscreen, and some water. The walk there is not strenuous but if you are not mild to moderately active you may have a hard time going up the ladders. But the main thing is reserve online before for the guided tour or else you won't be able to go. Such an awesome place

This is potentially the most strenuous tour on the Mesa Verde Park. It is best in the afternoon due to sun placement. You will climb up a forty foot ladder, go through a door and crawlspace about the side of a large picture frame. If you are willing to take the challenge, you will have experienced something most visitors never see. The site is impressive and the tourguide was outstanding.

It was a wonderful fun adventure climbing, crawling and climbing through the ancient ruins. Our Ranger guide did an exceptional job telling us about the Puebloan culture and ruins

This tour is amazing. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. If you're afraid of heights, and can't climb ladders this is not your tour.

I really liked the tour. You have to drive close to 40 mins from the entrance of the park. Ranger Frank was really nice in explaining the details and the background of Mesa Verde. He was eleborative and briefed us about what we can expect at the start of the tour. It is amazing to see how people used to live hundreds of years back.

Absolutely beautiful place!! Restrooms were clean. No showers operational at time of visit in late April. Horseshoe pits. Fire pits and grills at most sites. Yurts also available though I believe they are more for winter camping. Bear boxes in/around some sites.

Very pretty and very clean. We went for a few hours to be at the reservoir and SUP. We found the last good spot and we were there a few hours just enjoying the views of the mountains and the dam and the water. They close the office promptly at 4 pm exactly. Thankfully a ranger was kind enough to speak to me as I approached the door at exactly 4 pm and they had already locked up. You can drive over the dam and make a right and a long that road there are probably 10 access points to walk down to the water. There were bugs but not bad We saw Osprey and bunny and a deer as well as some chipmunks. The water was clean but the ground a bit muddy. We were down by the day use area near the North Campground.

Beautiful area but beware there is a $10 park pass that needs to be purchased. I was only there for maybe 1 hour 30 min at dusk and payed $10. It would be nice if it was prorated for those of us that work and pay taxes in Colorado when the daylight is so short. Just wanted to get my pole in the water but spent 20 min finding a spot and going back to pay 10$ for 1:10 min of fishing. Love Colorado so I payed but wish there was a better system.

Very nice small park with a lot of trees and plenty of shade. The lake is right across the road from us and there are many water spigots scattered around the campground. Our Loop was very quiet with a couple of Yurts here which were pretty nice. We would definitely come back Mancos is less than 10 minutes away and the brewery had a band , good pizza and the beer was okay.

Fantastic camping. Well spaced Gravel spots, many with parking pads if needed so you aren’t dirty. Clean bathrooms, bear boxes and games to borrow! They provide hammock bases so you don’t put your hammocks on the trees. All we heard at night were owls. We will try to fish a bit this morning.

Nice getaway close to highways and towns. Because of this you do hear very slight and distant road traffic but not enough to be bothersome. You also see houses on the ridges above the lake, so you're in the woods but there are still reminders of the outside world around you. Nice spaced apart campgrounds, seems like the West side pairs camper spots next to tent spots, decent set up. Oh! Not all campgrounds are even or level, bring those tire levelers, I drove up on a few rocks which helped but was still sliding a bit throughout the night. Depending on your set up, this could be a real downer. Lots of bathrooms throughout the park, close to hiking trails, saw numerous mountain bikers. You do need to pay for a daily park entry pass, even when camping, only exception seems to be disabled veteran and purple heart veterans plates, or a special pass you get through the website. *read up on fees before going* and ALL campgrounds are reservation only. From what I can tell there's not a regular staff person on duty and it takes a while to connect to customer service through their provided number, so for less stress, research ahead of time! Park is kept up very well, you can see where the fees are going. Overall, highly recommend either for day use or camping 🏕️🥾🌲😎👊

This is one of the best state park. I am surprised there are not a lot of people. That is crazy since I traveled 50 states and toucdowned 97% national parks; this quiet state park is amazing! Tho I wish they constructed outdoor showers. I wd dive in lake with my 2 dogs then bathe them and myself then we have a good windy nap on this picnic table wih them lie beside me. We did hike around the lake. It was a long walk. Probably 2 hrs. I feel so peaceful here! This park also has a beach volleyball and party center for many families or people. Fantastic park!

Best vacation we have ever had!!! Food was amazing and really took care of our special food needs. The drinks were super. The staff so welcoming.

Exceptional experiences well beyond what any other dude ranch’s provide with trips to Mesa Verde, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, human foosball, trap shooting, ATV’s and spectacular stars at night with no light pollution. The dude ranch activities were exceptional however, Robert’s passion, hospitality and cooking were even more exceptional.

Our family had an amazing experience! The staff work as a team to make sure everyone has a great week. You can adjust your activities throughout the stay, and choose from a huge range of options which are all included. We prioritized horse back riding but still got in rafting, ATVs, mountain biking, kayaks and more. Unbelievably, the kids never even went in the pool as there were so many other more exciting options (laser tag, paintball, trampoline, feeding animals, running around the ranch, crafts, etc). The food was great, and they went out of their way to make sure everyone got taken care of. The accommodation was clean, comfortable and very functional. Robert and team have clearly thought hard about guest experience and perfected a horse centered family summer camp. Every detail is considered. Every person working there is a star at their role, whether its wrangling, working in the dining area, or as a kids counselor. We can't wait to go back.

It was amazing. The staff was the best and Robert and his staff’s cooking was amazing. Brooke,Olivia,Will, Loura, Carlos, Sarah, and Caroline were amazing people who were extremely kind. I would highly recommend this to anybody and it was a great family vacation.

I want to live here like Jack Torrance: forever. We wanted a vacation where we didn’t have to worry about meal or activity planning and man did Majestic deliver. Our kids (13, 10 and 6) all had a fabulous time. Every day was packed with choices for different mini-adventures and we tried just about all of them. The meals were excellent. If I lived here and they were a restaurant I’d come just to eat. Staff was A+. Friendly, helpful, accomodating. One highlight was playing baseball with the other families. Even though I coach I forgot how much fun it is to just play a game. Felt like a kid again…that’s priceless. Not the cheapest vacation but I felt we got more than our money’s worth, to the point where I hope this place is still around in a few years because it seems like a steal. Hope they make it last. I hope to be back again someday.

My family visited in 2019 in it was by far one of the best family vacations we ever planned. I have two boys, they were 9 and 13 at our visit and they still rate this experience over any theme park we ever visited. This place is “overnight camp” for the entire family and everyone can find something they enjoy. From the breakfast bell in the morning, to our tired heads hitting the pillows at night, we had memories EVERYDAY! Some days were family activities, some days were “everyone did their own thing”. White Water Rafting, Mesa Verde, Horseback riding the trails, fishing, canoeing, electric bikes, archery, shooting, swimming, relaxing, line dancing, wine tasting, movies under the stars, electric “bull” riding, human foosball, family kickball, duck races, bonfires, the memories are endless. The counselors are more than willing to help with little kids, to make sure Mom/Dad get to do what they want too… Teens find other teens to hang with. The food was amazing, and even accommodated a couple very picky people in my family. Not one person on this ranch wouldn’t do anything to make your stay better. I would highly, HIGHLY, recommend this Majestic Dude Ranch, you will NOT be disappointed.

Omg this place is magical!!! We had the most wonderful time at the Majestic Dude Ranch. Jamie and Robert were so accommodating and helpful. My daughter loved the horses and the sweet cows. The playground and trampoline were a huge hit as well. The food was absolutely perfect and the company could not be better. Can't wait to come back to this gem.

My wife and I scheduled an afternoon ride on Thursday. Brianna was a great guide and the horses were so gentle. We liked it so much we booked a breakfast ride the next day. Jennifer was awesome and the breakfast afterwards was delicious and filling. We would definitely do it again when we come back!

Jennifer is fantastic! This was my kids’ first trail ride and she ensured they felt safe and had fun. Spectacular views of the mountains and through national forest land. The horses are lovely!

We had a great time on our ride! This was our first time in Colorado, beautiful place we can’t wait to go back!! Brandon took us on our ride it was just my husband and I. He told us so much about Mancos Colorado. This trip was short but next time we go we will be going with Rimrock again they have over night stays, dinner , so many choices again thank you Brandon & Jennifer!! We can’t wait to see you guys again, Carlos & Sindra Ramirez

One of the best trail rides I’ve done! Me and my girlfriend went for her birthday and it was an all day ride just the two of us and our guide. We made stops and looked at cool spots in the mountains and had a lovely relaxing ride through beautiful scenery! Would highly recommend! Super friendly and knowledgeable people. Don’t hesitate to book!

We can’t say enough good things about our experience. Lynne greeted us when we arrived & was super friendly. Gretchen took us on our trail ride & she was so personable - we enjoyed our time with her & learning about the area. The surroundings are gorgeous & it was such a peaceful ride. We would highly recommend Rimrock Outfitters. God bless y’all.

We did a breakfast ride this morning and loved it! Jennifer is very friendly and fun to be around. Brandon was our "chef" today and cooked up some mighty fine vittles! We wish the ride had been longer. And that the rain had held off for a while longer..but the experience was great. Hope we can do a longer ride to enjoy more of the beautiful countryside. Thanks for giving us another wonderful memory! 7/18/25

For years we have scheduled a trail ride every time we come to Colorado. This by far was the most beautiful and best trail ride we have ever had. Lynn was delightful and we thoroughly enjoyed the two hour ride and talking with her along the way. We highly recommend scheduling this outfitter. Our only regret is it couldn’t have been longer!

fortunately the only reason this place gets two stars and not one is the view and closeness to river. When getting ready for bed I pulled the sheets back and found tons long hair on the sheets. Which tells me they didn't clean or change them. Other than that the only inconvenience was the shower. I am 6'3 and the shower was to small for our cabin. So I had to squat down to use it without hitting my head on the ceiling.

Pros : Owners are super nice and accommodating, she lent us fishing rods for us to fish on the river that flows right through the property. And the "cabin" has everything that you need to stay there comfortably. Cons : Flies, many of them inside of the cabin. (Cabin 5) we stayed there 2 nights and killed about 25 flies inside of the cabin and they kept appearing from idk where. We never had the door or windows open while we stayed there but there was still a lot more that we didn't kill. So wife was happy to get out of there.

This was my first time hunting in Colorado and it was definitely one for the memory books.  The accommodations were fantastic, the food was incredible and everyone on the staff was so friendly and helpful no matter what we needed or asked for.  I couldn’t have asked for anything more.   Al gave us numerous places to check out and we found elk in every location. All around a fantastic experience and i will definitely be back.

The cabins are beautiful and very clean! The horseback rides are amazing. I would 100% book now!

We attended a wedding here and it was so fun to stay right on the ranch. The bubbling brook was so soothing, the staff was friendly and helpful, the cabin was adorable (almost like a tiny house), and the biscuits and gravy for breakfast was the best I’ve ever had. Thanks for a great stay!

Just stayed here with my wife. Staff was very friendly and helpful. The location is stunning. Lot of great hiking trails that you can get on right from the ranch. Beautiful views of the mountains and the river. We were in the motel rooms which are very basic but clean. No TV. But wi fi worked fine. There is no dead bolt lock on the door just your simple doorknob lock. If you want something more the cabins are probably the way to go.

This is a great place to stay along the river and it was a cute little cabin we had. I think the best part was that you could sit out on the back porch and listen to the river flow, which was only 3 ft in front of the cabin anyways. The property was very well-maintained. We had a tiny problem with our lock and they immediately came over and fixed it. I couldn't speak enough about this property I will definitely be staying here every time I go to telluride from now on. It's very reasonably priced.

Tall people beware. These ruins are great to see but will require you to duck down. There is plenty of room when you are walking through the general area and viewing the pits. What gets fun is when you stroll through the living quarters, this is where your kids will laugh at you as you squeeze through an area that they blaze through. It was fun and everyone had a good time!

I found the ruins to be fascinating. How could they be built centuries ago? It wasn't crowded so I had some areas all to myself. The museum has some interesting artifacts and a gift shop. A bonus was finding out that it didn't cost anything to enter.

Very informative visitor center with friendly staff. They also show a 15 min movie that is quite interesting. Nice static display as well. You can have a self guided walk with audio for the ruins. Bathrooms and water bottles refill station available in the center. The visitor is free.

Really cool! It’s amazing to stand in a place that was built a 1000 years ago. It’s free and was a good stop for a road trip break. About a 45 minute self guided tour. Highly recommend

We're glad we went to see these ruins, they are worth the trip. There is a lot to see and you can go in and walk through the buildings. There is one big kiva that has been reconstructed and many smaller dwellings. They have a very nice museum here too. This is a smaller archeological site that doesn't require lots of time or walking. Even the building that houses the museum/gift shop/ranger station is an historic house. There are lots of shade trees around the grounds, very pretty.

Loved this place! One of my favorite historic pueblo locations to visit now.. Very friendly staff and volunteers, great little visitor center, adventurous little hike around and through the ruins, and plenty of mysterious guesstimations about these people were doing here! I really loved the restored Kiva, as it brought home to me what all the kivas I've seen could've looked like in their heydays! Plus, walking through actual pueblo rooms, seeing cores beams, feeling the cool air within them, and understanding their size in 3D made imagining their view of the world much easier. BTW, I wouldn't have gone here if I hadn't visited Chimney Rock as well and learned how these two may have been connected.

A definite must see. Beautiful welcome center with extremely helpful staff. The ruins themselves have been preserved with love. I love it.

Highly highly recommend!!! There is so much to see for the entire family! I love these types of museums. Before we knew it we were there over 2 hrs. I could have spent another hour easily. Took my parents and being boomers that grew up in rural America had a high regard and appreciation for history loved telling me about everything. My Dad said he best not stand still otherwise folks might think he's part of the museum. Lol!

The lady in the front was super nice [: I enjoyed this place so much! If you love history, stop by! You'll spend up to two hours here ! It is self guided, which is a huge plus. I definitely want to come back for a second time ! [The mannequin in the old bank scared me so much I screamed when I walked in! Haha made for a good laugh with my mom. ]

I can't help but say GOOD things about this museum! The price can't be beat, the staff is friendly, and there is so much to look at! I brought my son here last year and thought it was great then too!! 👍👍 I also purchased a cook book from here and thought is was the most darling thing with all the local recipes! Cute!

Great place to stop and look around outside, unfortunately the building was closed so we could not stop in. Would also recommend checking out the Aztec Ruins National Monument in the area.

It is really a good museum and it shows the history of the town of Aztec. Not so much of the history of the Indian culture, but it is very interesting with the old buildings and shops with all the different professionals business.

Great museum with lots of local history!

Great local museum, good way to spend an hr or two. Lovely host. Lots to see.

12/2021 They have a big sign by the highway that says "national forest information". Don't believe it. In my experience most forest service employees are friendly, helpful folks. Not here. The person I spoke with was without a doubt the rudest and most unhelpful person I have spoken with in recent memory. Must have been in a hurry for lunchtime to roll around or maybe she had gas pains, but she clearly didn't have any time or any inclination to help me. This place is not meant for interaction with the public - it seems to be an office for their own business and they obviously don't want to be bothered by pesky citizens and their questions. Don't waste your time, keep your happy disposition, and just drive right on by.

We had better success than some of the other reviewers. Though we had to wait and wait and then wait some more. We we able to get the maps we needed and advice on USFS road conditions. To the lady staff person who helped us: you were so right about the back roads in the Silverton area. We made it through but they were very rough even for our AWD and we managed to cause a brake line to fail! We visited September 20th 2021.

I didn't blame the forest service when firewood permits couldn't be issued thanks to Trump and company, but now that they're sending chainsaws into wilderness areas, you wonder what the people in charge here are even for. It's a wilderness area for a reason. We have plenty of trees they can go in and cut down in non-wilderness areas and team up with their BLM buddies east of town to drill for oil, leave the wilderness areas alone. Whoever made this decision should be ashamed and move back to Ohio where they can trash nature all they want.

Everybody here was incredibly helpful and a joy to interact with! Thanks again guys!

Really knowledgeable and friendly staff who will help if you have any questions. Also a good place to go if you're a tourist to get some maps or buy some fun souvenirs.

Super helpful! Was able to give us great advice on what roads were open. We come to Durango almost every summer. We always stop by for maps and information.

Great

Very disappointed considering the money you pay for these rooms. They need updating and maintenance badly. Rooms smell very old and musty. Hair dryer sparked and smoked when I tried to use. Plugs were are all old and loose wouldn't hold chargers in the socket. Gross stains on the carpet, no exhaust fan in the bathroom, the light switch for the bathroom had to be held and wiggled to stay on. The AC made a awful mildew smell in the room. We stayed 5 days and had cleaners come in mid week, they didn't changed out sheets and upon getting into bed didn't even make it just threw comforter up. Didn't replenish TP, Coffee, ice bucket liner or soap. When I found one to ask, she was eating her lunch in one of the rooms she was cleaning. This hotel has a great location and nice amenities, it's a shame it could be so nice. The pool could be really nice too, but they have all of the sliders in the room blocked so you can't open them, and the knob for the jets on the spa was broken off. Also, don't be fooled into paying river front view for 70 dollars more, you'll have cars and trees blocking your view. It's not really a river view. Front desk receptionist was very nice.

It is NOT the Durango Downtown Inn anymore. It is now the Roost. The hotel rooms have been redone into studio apartments which are small and rent for an outrageous amount of money. I was merely visiting someone who lives there.

As others have noted here, this place closed as a hotel years ago, now from what I hear overpriced apartments. I read last hotel guests staying there with reservations were kicked out early after it sold. I stayed here several times over 5 year period when it was a hotel when shuttling my son back and forth to summer camp. Great family memories, but hotel often disappointed for reasons you can read in other reviews, wi-fi was out all the time, kinda grungy, but it did have a great location. Last time we stayed several things were not working right and we stopped staying here during our last camp trips. It is clear to me in hindsight the owner decided years ago to harvest the hotel, he overcharged, underdelivered, little care for the place, I watched it deteriorate over my stays, until he could sell the place for the real estate. Still because of a family connection I will never forget this place, it will always have a place in my heart, poor services and all. Durango is a fun place, stay in downtown area, great town to walk in.

The place was just fine. I had no complaints at all.

Location - easy two block walk to middle of historic downtown. Staff - very accommodating and pleasant. Room - clean nice beds, prefer the courtyard view, river view is across motel parking lot. Other - laundry on site, pool good for little kids, nice courtyard with tables and benches. Would stay again.

Place was decent. Hot tub was great. Pool was way too cold!!! For an indoor pool I felt it should have been heated. Andrew, I believe his name was, was the best at the front counter! Very personable, knew his way around town and gave us great advice. Also got us more coffee for our room. 😘

We were pulling a teardrop trailer and in the back they have a great place to park long vehicles. We had some trouble getting a room assigned but it was fixed up quickly. The location was great. Just a short walk to the downtown restaurants, breweries, and shops. It's not fancy, but it was clean and they are pet friendly and we travel with our 5 lb little dog. We would definitely stay there again.

Great way to visit Silverton and see gorgeous mountain scenery along the way. I took the "gondola car" (both directions) and it suited me nicely. The outward-facing bench seat means _every_ seat is a window seat (vs. in the enclosed cars, where not everyone gets to be by a window). Downsides of being out of the enclosed cars: weather (hot, cold, or otherwise) and exhaust fumes. If you can handle those things then you might as well get the full experience. But you still have access to concessions and to the restroom like everyone else. It is a long ride, with a few hours in Silverton, so if you ride the train both ways be prepared for a full day. For a family with smaller children, the train up and bus back might be a better option just to shorten the duration. Photographers: you don't have much time to compose and shoot, so you kind of have to anticipate things coming up. Ask a conductor, they're really helpful and knowledgable at where your best shots might happen. Your wide angle lens maybe has a better chance; you can miss by a little and fix it later with a crop.

This was a great experience, the views were incredible. I highly recommend the Night Sky car it has a glass roof that allows you to see the grandeur of the mountains as you go through the narrow passes. It also has complementary beverages and a snack, adult beverages are available. There's also a First Class attendant to serve you and provide information about the ride. Sean was our attendant and was great.

Hi, everyone! Whenever you come to Durango please Do visit this historical museum. The entrance is free and there is also a souvenir shop in the entrance. I highly recommend this place. You will have a memorable time, I assure that. Until then take care and God bless.

Durango is a beautiful town with lots of shops and eatery. The area around the train station is really nice. The hotels are a little pricey but you're on vacation so enjoy. The train ride to Silverton is breath taking. Worth every penny. I would do it again. The quaint town of Silverton embedded in the valley of the surrounding mountains is a must see. Yes I would definitely visit again.

As a senior citizen, this train ride was the greatest experience of my bucket list. A wonderful train ride which takes in Beautiful scenery and a great staff. It is a hidden treasure waiting to be explored. And ask for Nicholas, the head conductor as he is an encyclopedia of the train world. Very kind and thoughtful associates. Trust them to give you a pleasant experience.

The scenery! The smells. Fresh air. Beautiful creatures. Waterfalls. Pack a lunch. The train food is limited and expensive. Good for a cup of coffee (and the train coffee is good) or a bag of crisps. Lovely people work on the train. Hope I can return.

This was absolutely worth every penny. The scenery is so beautiful that pictures just don't do it justice. You have got to take this train ride just once! You will not be disappointed. Make sure you take some snacks and drinks if you don't wanna pay for high prices on the ride. It also has a bathroom on board in the coach areas. The sites and silverton will take your breath away if you appreciate life. The deer at the end just made it a wonderful day.

Interesting taxidermy with some hands on displays. Some of the hands on item had seen better days and were approaching a time to be renovated. The street was more of a narrow driveway so watch for the sign just North of the bridge across the Animas. The volunteers were the best, spending time with us and sharing stories.

A free little museum showing the history of Colorado’s fish hatchery and showing various wildlife. Check out the hatchery with the live fish swimming around.

Awesome place! There's tons of rainbow trout fish to see outside and a bunch of cool taxidermy wildlife to see inside. It's free, would recommend to anyone visiting Durango.

It is a cool little museum that shows all of the wildlife in the area and it also had a fish hatchery, that you could buy food to feed them. It is free, but they do have a donation box. It is also next to the river and trails.

The museum is still closed to the public (possibly opening Fall 2021)but the fish hatchery is open and the raceways are full of trout! One of my favorite go-to's for a quick nature activity with the kids. Be sure to bring some quarters and feed the fish.

For a small museum it had a lot of good stuff. It was very informative and the two guides there knew so much and helped make it fun for the kids too. Who knew that elk had ivory?

Alot of fun. You learn alot and the staff are great.

We took the Cinco Animas Train round trip from Durango to Silverton in Colorado. It.. was.. breathtaking scenery. All the way!! We paralleled the Animas River most of the way. Just amazing!

Beautiful river. Depending on what part of the river you are visiting, there are paid and free camping, 4wd trails, fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing. Pretty much the typical things that are associated with rivers, however the beautiful location makes the Animas a particularly special river.

All seasons are home to wildlife worth experiencing. The river of lost souls. Ever changing, changing, enduring, and worth ever step of any exploration.

Popular place for rafting. Wanders through Durango. Has many pedestrian bridges and parks.

Stunning with all the massive amounts snowfall from winter, melting off!!

Love the flowing water . Could sit for hrs just watching an listening to river.

Rocks are white w calcification; filter water w a system - iodine isn't enough generally. Backcountry, 4wd or at the least, a Subaru is needed. Lots of mining claims around. Cold still at night end of June. But beautiful as words cannot describe.