Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is a national monument protecting an archaeologically significant landscape located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Colorado. The monument's 176,056 acres (712.47 km2) are managed by the Bureau of Land Management, as directed in the presidential proclamation which created the site on June 9, 2000. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is part of the National Landscape Conservation System, better known as the National Conservation Lands. This system comprises 32,000,000 acres (130,000 km2) managed by the Bureau of Land Management to conserve, protect, and restore these nationally significant landscapes recognized for their outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values. Canyons of the Ancients encompasses and surrounds three of the four separate sections of Hovenweep National Monument, which is administered by the National Park Service. The monument was proclaimed in order to preserve the largest concentration of archaeological sites in the United States, primarily Ancestral Puebloan ruins. As of 2022, over 8,500 individual archeological sites had been documented within the monument.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Monument |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 182,568 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000322 |
| Center point | 37.4374, -108.9109 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 26) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 3 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.3 miLowry Ruin ↗National Historic Landmark
- 12.8 miMesa Verde Administrative District ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0 miPainted Hand Pueblo ↗Pleasant View, CO
- 2.4 mi
- 2.4 miErtel Funeral Home ↗Cortez, CO
- 6.8 miLebanon School ↗Dolores, CO
- 6.9 mi
- 7.3 miHaynie Site ↗Mancos, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
182,568 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
What state is Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Hovenweep Campground, 1.4 miles out. 3 in all are within ten miles. Rules vary by unit; the BLM page has the current camping rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.437, -108.911. Hovenweep National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
How dark is the night sky at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 26 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
Hovenweep National Monument (adjacent), Yucca House National Monument (5 mi) and Mesa Verde National Park (11 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
9 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Lowry Ruin and Mesa Verde Administrative District.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the BLM National Conservation Lands layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.