Enjoy a half-day, 3/4-day, or full-day hike in Canyons of the Ancients’ premier archaeological district.

Learn from your knowledgeable guide about the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people who inhabited the Four Corners region. The Sand Canyon District contains numerous alcove (cliff dwelling) sites where people lived from approximately A.D. 1100-1285, just before they migrated en masse to the south.

How did these people utilize the geology, plant and animal life, and water sources to not only survive but to thrive in this high-desert area? What can we learn about their culture from the architecture left behind? Your guide can provide deep knowledge of sites that have been excavated and what early Euro-American explorers saw when they arrived.

Optional: Finish your day with wine tasting at a local vineyard or head back to Cortez an enjoy a tasty treat at a restaurant suggested by your guide. (For the physically strong, the half-day tour dovetails nicely with Trip # 2 at a 10% discount!)

  • Interpretive hikes with information on Visit with Respect, Leave No Trace, Ancestral Pueblo culture, botany, biology, archaeology
  • Guide will meet participants at Sand Canyon parking area, Road G.
    • Half-day hike (approximately 4 miles):
      • $200 for up to 4 people, additional $25 per person over 4
    • Full-day hike (approximately 7-8 miles):
      • $280 for up to 4 people, additional $35 per person over 4
    • Extra East Rock loop (approximately 10 miles total):
      • $335 for up to 4 people, additional $42 per person over 4
    • Sand Canyon/East Rock 3/4-day hike (approximately 5 miles):
      • $255 for up to 4 people, additional $32 per person over 4

1. Sand Canyon Trail Interpretive Hikes (Available all year)