Lowry Pueblo Revisited After Two Years.

In February 2014, Roy and I visited Lowry Pueblo, in Colorado, for the first time.  In March of this year, our friend Amy was off for spring break and asked if we would take her there.  She definitely did NOT need to twist our arms for that!  As usual, the ride to the tiny town of Pleasant View was quick and uneventful.  Remember, out here a traffic jam is defined as, "three pickup trucks in front of you, and no passing lane".  The road to the pueblo ruins is a mixture of unmaintained pavement and dirt/gravel; so if you have a delicate rump and don't like being jostled; well you're going to miss out now, aren't you.  I figure it this way, if you really, truly want to experience something, you just do it!  ...and this is NOT an endorsement for Nike.

Once parked in the small lot, the restrooms are nearby, as well as picnic areas with tables; surrounded by trees, it's quiet and serene.  All in all, if just seeing the pueblo ruins and Great Kiva, the walking is about one quarter of a mile or thereabouts.  This is a self-guided tour, informational boards throughout, and guidebooks at the sign-in box at the entrance to the path.  No, this is not indoors; it's outdoors, so no heat in winter, no air conditioning in summer....stop whining!

Not much has changed since we were here two years ago; the trees and shrubbery might be a bit taller and fuller; but the ruins have remained the same.  Lowry Pueblo is definitely a sight to see; and all around are the different mountain. ranges.

Wooden Posts Still Inside the Walls.

A small doorway, bend down and watch your head, leads into lower rooms and a smaller kiva.  There is still plaster on the walls where paintings had once been.

Plaster on Walls.

Fire Hearth
 

A lower trail from the Pueblo leads to the Great Kiva; stand back and you can make out the figures, created from stones, on the bottom.

Wandering around Lowry Pueblo is an easy hour; bring a picnic and enjoy the serenity.   Better yet, make a visit to Painted Hand Pueblo, it's on the way to Hovenweek National Monument.  Make a day of it!!!

Mary Cokenour

Sand Canyon Trailhead - Canyon of the Ancients.

After doing our shopping at the Walmart and City Market in Cortez, Colorado; Roy and I decided to take Road G back to Utah instead of the usual highway (Route 491). It wasn't lunch time yet, but we certainly had enough food in the back for an impromptu picnic. Road G turns into Route 262 and eventually comes out onto Route 191, in between Bluff and White Mesa, Utah; and yes, it's a scenic drive which I will be writing about later on.

Since we'd already found Sand Canyon Pueblo, we also wanted to check out the trailhead on Road G.  We weren't prepared for the 6.5 mile (one way) hike, but wanted to get a basic lay out of the land.  You will most definitely see the formation, which was the background of Castle Rock Pueblo, before you get to the actual parking area and beginning of the trailhead.  The parking area is slickrock, so once you leave the paved roadway, you are on all natural terrain.

Castle Rock Pueblo is an ancient village dated back to 1250 A.D. which was built around the base of a butte.  It was thought to have contained 16 kivas, 40 rooms and 9 towers.  It was first photographed in 1874 by William Henry Jackson, but as time progressed, photographs kept a record of its deterioration.  All that remains is a small section of logs in a corner near the top of the butte, and a small section of wall at the eastern side.

As I stated before, the trail you will be hiking, or mountain biking on, is all natural; slickrock, sand, rocks, dirt.  Watch for the cairns (small piles of stones) or informational signs that will help you stay on the trail.  We only walked about a half mile in to get an idea of the terrain.  The scenery is quite beautiful, especially seeing lovely flowering plants and cacti thriving in the sandy soil

We have planned to return to the Sand Canyon Trailhead, and definitely be well prepared for the hike.

Mary Cokenour

Sand Canyon Pueblo - Canyon of the Ancients.

Until recently, the only way we knew of going to Sand Canyon Pueblo was doing the 6.5 mile hike (one way) from the entrance off Road G.  That is until we found the shortcut (look at my map on the Painted Hand Pueblo post) using Road P, a quick turn onto Road 18, and then onto Road N to the entrance (a total of 9 miles from Route 491).  Where is Road P in the first place? About halfway between Route 184 which leads to the Anasazi Heritage Center, and the junction of Routes 491 and 160 in Cortez, CO.  By the way, there is a picnic table at the trailhead, so take advantage of this opportunity to sit under the trees and listen to the quiet.


This trail has two parts also, since the area the pueblo stood on was massive - 420 rooms, 100 kivas and 14 towers; making this community larger than the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde.  There are informational signs all along the trail, so you'll get a good understanding of what you are looking at, even though it might just be a pile of rubble.  Before you begin hiking, one informational board will encourage you to say something to the spirits of the area; a prayer, kind words, whatever moves you.  That whisper you just heard in the slight breeze that just went by; they're giving you a blessing also.

Pay Respects to the Spirits.

The entire hike will be about 3 miles roundtrip; we went left (East) first towards the towers; take time to see the canyon views these people long pass saw everyday of their lives.

That short hike to and from the towers was only about a half mile roundtrip; the majority of the ruins will be to the right (West); don't forget to admire those canyon views.

Pit Cover with Logs

Central Plaza

Looking across the canyon at the towers.

Algae on the stones creates its own artwork.

Its very quiet in this area, so when birds begin singing, it's pure music.

Next post will be about the trailhead from Road G, so stay tuned.

Mary Cokenour