Perkins Road to Canyons and Ruins.

In my write up about Browns Canyon Ruins, I mentioned that Perkins Road (CR 206) is also the way to Three Kiva Pueblo; well coming from Blanding that is. There is another route, but that's going to be in the series of write ups I'll be doing on the various canyons between Monticello and Blanding.  By the way, this isn't going to be about Three Kiva Pueblo; sorry, but I'm not done with Perkins Road just yet.





This graded gravel road has some of the most amazing scenery along both sides; dips, curves, steep inclines and declines giving a full vision vantage view.  There is also a full view of the Abajo Mountains; a covering of snow giving them a more defined, dramatic aura.





Monument Valley is in the far distance.

One detail I should warn you about Perkins Road, it likes to change names; in the city of Blanding you start on Main Street and 500 South, then it turns to 1100 East/Dairy Lane. You'll get to a cattle guard with two signs - CR 206 and CR 2416 and wonder; now when did it change to CR 2416? Don't panic, just cross over the cattle guard and stay the course; that's CR 206 just playing its name game with you.



Get ready to get a bit frustrated, I'm going to tease you to no end now.  Twenty miles along the road, you'll come to the junction for Montezuma Canyon Road (CR 146); there is some sort of substation there.  The left turn will bring you to Three Kiva Pueblo in another seven miles; however, this entire road is full of cliffside and cave ruins; rock art; wineries, and modern homes built into the sandstone walls.   CR 146 comes out on Route 191, just five miles from the Monticello Welcome Center.  Sorry, but that's all I'm going to say about it in this post; you'll just have to wait for my canyon series.

There are two options now; make the left turn onto CR 146, or keep going straight; oh and I mean that.  There will be forks in the road; stay straight, or if unsure, lean towards the right hand path.  The scenery gets pretty drab, the desert and stone taking on a grayish hue; horses roaming the land freely don't seem to mind posing for photos.

This horse was a true sweetheart.



Just as you think you're about to fall asleep, a homestead comes into view; around the corner, Hurrah, signs!  Now all you have to do is pick a direction; return the way you came,  CR 262 to Blanding or Bluff, Hovenweep National Monument, or to Cortez, Colorado.  Cortez is where we were headed, to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Tequila's.   Oh my, the stomach is growling, and I'm drooling just thinking about eating one of their most awesomely delicious meals.



Route to Cortez, Colorado



There you go, Perkins Road (CR 206), and the point of all this is that you shouldn't just go to a certain point on a roadway just to see one thing...keep going and find those other wonderful sites.

Mary Cokenour

Blanding's Ruined Ruins.

Preservation (Merriam - Webster)
1 - to keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction; protect
2 - to keep alive, intact, or free from decay; maintain
3 - to keep or save from decomposition

Coming from the East coast of the United States (New York and Pennsylvania), destruction of historical structures in the name of progress seems to be a given.  Larger, more modern structures mean larger incomes to the land owners; those who try to prevent the destruction don't have the finances to prevent it.  The East coast is much older in settlements than the Southwest; doesn't mean the same isn't happening out here though.

The most historical structures in the Southwest are the Native American settlements; though only ruins now, for the most part, they still tell the story of those who were here before.  There are government agencies and archaeological groups that try...yes, try...to preserve, but lack of manpower and finances can only do so much.   Destruction of ruins and grave sites began with the original pioneer ancestors and continues with their modern day prodigy.  In June 2009, many citizens of San Juan County (several prominent ones at that) were busted in a Federal sting operation.  Surprisingly, the community was torn between supporters of the thieves and those disgusted and embarrassed by their actions.  Lets put it in perspective, the desecrated sites belonged to ancestors of the Native Americans who still live in the area; but that's ok since those ancestors are all dead, the artifacts bring in loads of cash, and who cares anyway.  Well then, it should be alright then to go to the grave sites and historical structures of the pioneers, that are still preserved, to rob and destroy them?  What's good for the goose is good for the gander, right?  Excuse me while I take a moment to laugh as I picture locals having seizures over the idea of this. 

Overlook view from a hill east of ruins.

Since I've now given you a moral puzzle to mull over, lets get to the gist of this post, Browns Canyon Ruins.  This ruin site is located 4.5 miles outside of the city of Blanding, along Perkins Road (CR 206); you will pass them on your way to visit Three Kiva Pueblo.  Finding any information about them was almost impossible; I said almost.  First I called Edge of the Cedars State Park and Museum; a center for Native American preservation in San Juan County; they'll know, right? Wrong; the woman I spoke with didn't have a clue as to the area I was describing (even after displaying photos on Facebook), and told me to contact the BLM.  I spoke with a gentleman at the Monticello Field Office who had lived in Blanding, "Oh, we always knew them as the Browns Canyon Ruins", but that is all he could tell me.  Then I spoke with a retired BLM ranger who informed me that not all sites under the jurisdiction of the BLM are maintained; it all depends on how well preserved they already are.   These ruins are mostly used by locals as a "hang out" where they can drink alcohol (broken beer bottles and empty cans attest to this) from the prying eyes of the city elders (Blanding is a 100% dry town).   How sad; not even an informational plaque exists at the site to give any historical facts about the ruins (how old, what peoples occupied them, who were they named after).

Alright, lets bring Browns Canyon Ruins into the light and give them some respect.


To reach them, from Main Street in Blanding, turn onto 500 South heading East; one mile down the road will curve and become 1100 East/Dairy Lane.  There will be many ranches, including an Elk ranch and you can tell this area is where money lives.

Bull Elk demonstrates his high pitched "bugle" call.

At mile 2.3, the road becomes graded dirt/gravel and you're now on Perkins Road (CR 206); while a scenic drive, don't be surprised to see utility vehicles as there is oil drilling in the area. At mile 4.4, the road begins a steep descent and squares off at the ruins (mile 4.5). The multitude of caves are located on all levels, from the ground to the various ledges that stretch across and inward; the western side is closed off by a metal cattle gate.

Browns Canyon Ruins - frontal view

 

 

One outstanding feature is the tall sandstone formation attached to the western front of the ruins.  It resembles a Chanterelle mushroom; its filigree top forming an arch type opening. From the side view, it is close in resemblance to the "Seven Sailors" located in the Valley of the Gods; a small cave holds remnants of ruins within.

With the zoom lens, I was able to get a couple of shots of caves on the western side even though it is closed off.




















Climbing up onto, and walking around, the ledges was not difficult; we were able to inspect the interior of many of the caves. Unfortunately, if there was rock art there at any time, the smoke from fires (charred remains on the ground) and graffiti (Joanie loves Chachi and similar nonsense) has obliterated it.   The only mark we left was our footprints on the sand which would be quickly removed by the weather.

 Roy sitting outside one of the caves gives the perspective of how large most of them are.

 View from the Eastern side, you can see the road coming down from the west.

 

 

 

Digging around for more historical information, I learned that in 1903, folks from Bluff moved up to the area they called Grayson; it was renamed Blanding in 1914.  In 1911, the Brown family moved from New Mexico and settled in; as with most places in the area, the ruins are named after earlier settlers.  They're written about in "Western Pioneer Settlers, Vol. 1 - They Came to Grayson", published 2005 by Ridgeway Art Gallery, featuring the artwork of Kelly Pugh.



So there you have them, the Browns Canyon Ruins; and my only question now is, when does it get its Historical Information Plaque?

Mary Cokenour

Canyon of the Ancients - Lowry Pueblo Ruins

Driving down Route 491 to Cortez, we always see the signs for Lowry Ruins and Hovenweep National Monument; we've been to Hovenweep, but keep saying, "we need to go to Lowry Pueblo Ruins one of these days". This week we finally made it there, it was iffy at first with dark clouds moving in and the temperature dropping, but that was in Monticello. The plan became, if the time we get to the road to the ruins and the weather is the same, we'll put it off for another day again. However, the weather gods were looking out for us; the sky became clearer around the Lowry Ruins and the temperature was around 50F.



The road to the ruins is MC RD CC (Montezuma County Road CC) in Pleasant View; once you turn onto the road you'll see a cell tower to your right.  It is a paved road, but not well maintained which turns to graded gravel about five miles in; the entire mileage to the ruins is nine miles.  Also, at the five mile mark you'll reach RD 10, and to the left, Hovenweep is only 21 miles away; visiting both in one day is very do-able.  The homesteads along the road are mostly farms; there is also drilling going on for CO2, so many utility vehicles will be passing by.  About mile seven the road will fork, keep on going straight and a sign will help guide you; mile eight is the entrance road (RD 7.25) to the ruins; you'll come to a small parking area (mile nine) with restrooms and it's a very short walk to the ruins themselves. 

Hint, you'll see a sign directing you to a picnic area; this also leads to the Great Kiva, but don't go there directly if you're not stopping to eat first.  Go up the concrete walkway to the ruins and follow it to the left; the first viewing of the Great Kiva from this area takes your breath away for a second...it is the largest Kiva we have ever seen in our adventures.  

Immediately after you pass the "Welcome to" sign, look upwards left and the main section of the ruins becomes visible and you are hit with how large it is.  These ruins were constructed in 1060 A.D. over an abandoned pithouse; they were found and excavated in the 1930s, declared a National Monument in 1964 and incorporated into Canyon of the Ancients in 2000.  Canyon of the Ancients oversees over 6000 archaeological sites; their go-to place for information, and to see a great museum, is the Anasazi Heritage Center.  Now continue left on the walkway to the Great Kiva.

From the Great Kiva, there is a perfect view of Sleeping Ute Mountain; it is east of the main ruins and is 50 feet in diameter.

 

View of Lowry Pueblo from the Great Kiva.

La Plata Mountains



Sleeping Ute Mountain

Abajo Mountains

 

Back track up the walkway to the ruins, Lowry Pueblo, named after Colorado homesteader George Lowry.  There are 40 rooms, 8 Kivas and it is estimated that about 100 people lived in this village.  The building style represents both Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde cultures; four mountain ranges can be seen from the pueblo: Sleeping Ute, La Plata, La Sal and the Abajos.





La Sal Mountains

You will be blown away by, not just the size of these ruins, but how well preserved they are.  I don't know about you, but after going inside, walking throughout and all around them; Roy and I both felt as if our souls had been touched.  An amazing feeling and I'm so happy we didn't miss out on it by putting off the visit again.  Here is the first section before you get to the entrance of the lower Kivas and rooms.

Walk along the left side of the pueblo towards the rear, a step down leads to a small doorway...duck!  Wind your way through to the "painted kiva" area; there used to be intricate, geometric designs on the walls, but the paint peeled away after exposure to the air.  However, a specimen was preserved and is on display at the Anasazi Heritage Center.  Strange, standing inside, it felt as if the air around you was actually "hugging" you; it felt relaxing and soothing.

The outside rear of the ruins affords you a "look down into" view of the Kiva area you just came from.

Of course there are all those rooms!

Lowry Ruins is definitely an amazing place to visit; so if you have Hovenweep on your list of sites, these ruins are only about a half hour away; do NOT pass this up!

Mary Cokenour