Hi,
I am sure you get far too many of these to answer but if you have the time please reply.
We may be able to visit the West and I am thinking about (my wife has a class to attend in Norman, OK) going from Norman to Grants, Grants to Farmington with a stop at Chaco (yes it will be a short stop), Farmington to Blanding, UT going by the Four Corners, not planning a stay at Blanding, Blanding to Cortez, CO. Want to see some of the ruins near there and spend maybe two nights. Then back to Farmington and a two day drive back to Norman to see anything we may have blown by on the way.
I will have two small children and very little money. My daughter wants to see desert and she was more interested in ruins than zoos and such. Farmington and Cortez also have frisbee golf courses for a break from the educational and cultural.
This will be in June so I am sure it will be hot and crowded and I don’t like crowds. I will also be avoiding cities the best I can.
So what do you think of the plan and is there anything I really shouldn’t miss in the area?
Thank you,
B

Along with Chaco, you’ll probably want to visit Aztec National Monument, in Aztec, New Mexico, near Farmington; it has a restored Great Kiva.

In Farmington, there is also Salmon Ruins.

Out of Cortez, Mesa Verde is an obvious choice, but I highly recommend Hovenweep National Monument to the West. It probably won’t be crowded. It makes a great contrast to all the others because the ruins are much smaller, like single family dwellings, but just as interesting and in amazing condition.

North of Cortez a bit, is the Anasazi Heritage Museum (interesting as a stop on the way to something else, more than as a destination, in my opinion). Farther north, Lowery Pueblo has a very large kiva and is out in the middle of nowhere.

Blanding has Edge of the Cedars State Park which has a great collection of pots as well as interesting ruins.

Roughly southeast of Cortez is Chimney Rock National Monument, which is magnificent, though not really on the way to or from any place else. You’ll get to see a tremendous range of terrain from high desert at Chaco to forest near Chimney Rock.

Write back anytime. Let me know how the trip turns out. mjh

www.mjhinton.com/wild/
www.mjhinton.com/chaco/
www.mjhinton.com/outliers/