Campsite Review: Canyon of the Ancients - Cortez, CO
Theo and I camped out here on September 3rd, 2020. I can’t recommend this site enough to anyone with an AWD car. There is a couple hundred yards of really tough driving that deters most. On a Thursday night, Theo and I were the ONLY ones camping on the canyon rim.
The sites are primitive, you get a fire ring and maybe some flat ground. There’s a chance you’re going to be the only soul for miles. It was so quiet Theo only perked up when the coyotes nearby started singing. The poor man is so confused by them, and I’m confused why he’s confused by them. There has to be something in the pitch or the frequency of a coyote howl that tells dogs it’s different? Theo could hear a dog howling and it barely registers, but if he’ll go fight or flight when he hears a coyote off in the distance. There’s not a lot of academic research I could find. Who is getting a grant to research that? The internet seems to agree though, dogs know the difference, we just don’t know why.
The site would make an awesome home base for a couple of day trips. Theo and I tried to see as much as we could in one day, but there was so much more to explore. Mesa Verde is maybe 45 minutes from the campsites, and you should dedicate a full day to seeing it. Our 2/3 hour visit on the way into camp wasn’t enough, it gave us time for the famous drive through the park and explore a little. But I was really bummed to miss out on hiking down to the cave dwellings, those need a full morning or afternoon to do. We also missed out on seeing Hovenweep and the Four Corners National Monuments, which would have required another two days.
Being in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, the campsite is a destination itself. The view is the primary reason. To the west are the silhouettes of Monument Valley, scattered amongst a horizon of canyons. Sleeping Ute Mountain sits in the foreground of your view and makes the canyon more dramatic. You know when the sunset is so spectacular that the only reaction is to laugh?
I do want to give everyone a heads up about two potential drawbacks to this site, but don’t let them deter you. I visited in the summer when it was extremely dry and there was a fire ban in place. This hurdle is easily avoided by checking ahead with the ranger’s office or bringing a camp stove as a backup.
The other potential drawback is the campsites are in mountain lion country. Now, you can plan ahead here and check with the Ranger’s office for sightings. However, I didn’t know about this and was informed that not only was I in mountain lion country but there were multiple sightings here within the last few weeks. Considering my nerves are more comparable to that of a housecat than a lion, I did wake up spooked when I heard a bump in the night. As long as you’re smart you’re not going to have any problems. Learn from my rookie mistakes, check ahead!
Access: 4/5
AWD necessary, not difficult when dry
Campsite Quality: 4/5
Primitive, expect a fire ring, be pleasantly surprised if you get more
Location: 5/5
Primo canyon rim camping
Noise: 5/5
No one for miles! Sites are spread out too!
Directions
Coordinates: 37.383253, -108.803658
These coordinates confused my GPS a tad. It gets you close but not exactly to the canyon rim. When you get to County Road N follow it past the BLM signage until you reach a cattle guard. Immediately following the cattle guard you take a left onto Road 4726. Two things to look for that will tell you you’re in the right place are:
1. There is a Canyon of the Ancients sign on the right side of the road past the cattle guard.
2. There are two campsites on the left side of Road 4726 immediately after you turn in. These exist for cars or rigs that aren’t capable of the washout road.
Once on Road 4726, follow it back until you reach the canyon rim campsites. It should take between 5 and 10 minutes based on how slow you have to take it. Be respectful along the road as it does pass some private land before you get to the campsites. You’ll notice fencing for private land along the way, just keep going because you’re getting close!
