Q: Would you suggest exploring canyons of the ancients via backpacking or car camping ??? thanks. j

I don’t think there’s much of a real system of trails in the area of Canyons of the Ancients. But if you don’t mind backpacking along some dirt roads, you might be able to make it work. The area is also a patchwork of public & private land — you’ll need to study some topographic maps. It’s a funny area, neither wilderness nor recreationally developed.

As for car-camping, I have camped in the nice campground at Hovenweep, off of a couple of dirt roads and northeast of there in the La Sal Mountains (UT-CO border). Any way you do it, it’s worth the visit. mjh

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