Four Corners region entices all types of outdoor enthusiasts by Scott Willoughby, Denver Post Staff Writer

Ranging from Mesa Verde National Park’s tranquil walking tours to do-it-yourself adventures within lesser-known Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, the Four Corners hub of Cortez combines a wealth of outdoor activity with rich Indian heritage and spectacular scenery. And to top it off, it’s almost always summer.

Canyons of the Ancients

Protected by former President Clinton in 2000, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is 3 miles west of Cortez and offers a unique variety of do-it-yourself recreational options in one of the densest archeological landscapes in the world. An estimated 30,000 archeological sites exist within the vast 164,000-acre monument, including 6,000 recorded sites in the form of cliff dwellings, shrines, petroglyphs and sweat lodges, among others.