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 |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000322 |
| Center point | 37.44° N, 108.91° W |
| 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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSalter Rx
24 mi from the center point
- PrescribedDawson Rx
33 mi from the center point
- PrescribedGroundhog Piles Rx
49 mi from the center point · 30 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.3 miLowry Ruin ↗National Historic Landmark
- 12.8 miMesa Verde Administrative District ↗National Historic Landmark
- 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
- 9.9 miPark Point Fire Lookout ↗Mesa Verde National Park, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
182,568 acres.
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?
Rules vary by unit. The BLM page has the current camping rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.437° N, 108.911° W. Hovenweep National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
Is there a fire near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Salter Rx at 24 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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?
The National Register has 11 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 and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- 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.