The National Scenic Byway connects prehistoric sites of Native Americans, including the
Navajo,
Utes and early
puebloan people, who lived and farmed in the Four Corners area from about 1
CE to about 1300 CE. There were people
hunting and gathering for food in the Four Corners region by 10,000 B.C. or earlier. Geological features include sandstone-rimmed canyons, snow-capped mountains, red rock landscapes and green valleys. Most of the stops — archaeological sites, Native American lands or modern communities — are near or on paved roads, but some of the roads are rugged graded roads.
Colorado Four Corners to Mesa Verde Four Corners Monument recognizes the only
quadripoint in the
United States. From the monument, the byway follows
U.S. Route 160, crossing the
San Juan River and continuing in a northeasterly direction, merging with
U.S. Route 491 near the
Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park Visitor Center. The park has archaeological evidence of Ancestral Puebloan sites and the Ute culture. The route turns northerly, passing
Ute Mountain and
Yucca House National Monument, an unexcavated Ancestral Puebloan site. The route continues along U.S. Routes 160 / 491 to
Cortez, the county seat of
Montezuma County. Located within the city are the Cortez Cultural Center and
Hawkins Preserve and Hawkins Pueblo. The Cortez Cultural Center has interpretive exhibits of the Navajo and Ute Native Americans and the early Puebloan people. Mesa Verde is designated as a
World Heritage Site. on Montezuma County Road CC. Along the byway is
Lowry Pueblo, a
National Historic Landmark in
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, originally excavated in the 1930s and dating to around 1060 AD. The byway continues towards the Utah border along Montezuma County Road 10, crossing the
Old Spanish National Historic Trail, a historic trade route connecting
Santa Fe with
Los Angeles. At the Utah state line, the byway becomes San Juan County Road 213 (Hovenweep Road), passing some of the outlying sites of
Hovenweep National Monument Hovenweep National Monument preserves six sites Ancestral Puebloan settlements in Utah and Colorado.
Utah The Utah portion of the byway follows a patchwork of federal (
U.S. Route 163,
U.S. Route 191), state (
Utah State Route 95,
Utah State Route 261,
Utah State Route 262), and local roads in
San Juan County and northern
Navajo Nation.
Hovenweep to Bluff and Blanding After crossing the state border into Utah and passing the entrance to
Hovenweep National Monument, the byway heads west to
White Mesa and the junction with U.S. Route 191. South of White Mesa, the byway connects to
Bluff and the southwestern sections of the byway; north of White Mesa, the route connects to
Blanding and
Edge of the Cedars State Park. The park features Ancestral Puebloan ruins, a museum, and artifacts that provide a detailed view of how the Ancestral Puebloan lived and worked. The northernmost spur of the byway extends to
Monticello, Utah. Nearby features include
Manti–La Sal National Forest and
Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument, one of the largest known collection of petroglyphs from indigenous peoples who lived in the area 2,000 years ago.
Blanding to Natural Bridges West of Blanding, the byway follows Utah State Route 95 across
Comb Ridge and through
Comb Wash, before ascending the eastern side of
Cedar Mesa and entering
Bears Ears National Monument. The monument is co-managed by the
Bureau of Land Management and
United States Forest Service, along with a coalition of five local Native American tribes: the
Navajo Nation,
Hopi,
Ute Mountain Ute,
Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, and the
Pueblo of Zuni, all of which have ancestral ties to the region. Nearby ruins include the partially reconstructed Mule Canyon Ruin and the Butler Wash cliff dwellings. A short spur of the byway connects to
Natural Bridges National Monument. The park loop passes three of the largest natural bridges in the world.
Natural Bridges to Monument Valley The byway heads south on Utah State Route 95 atop Cedar Mesa, passing the Grand Gulch Primitive Area and the eastern reaches of
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, before descending the plateau at
Moki Dugway and entering the
Valley of the Gods. A few miles through the valley is the turnoff for
Goosenecks State Park, just outside the town of
Mexican Hat. The southwestern spur of the byway proceeds along U.S. 163 through Mexican Hat and crosses the San Juan River into Navajo Nation. This section of the byway ends at the Arizona border, within
Monument Valley and at the entrance to
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
Mexican Hat to Four Corners The byway parallels the San Juan River east and north of Mexican Hat, once again crossing Comb Ridge and intersecting with U.S. 191 and Utah State Route 162 near
Bluff. The byway continues through the San Juan valley , passing through
Montezuma Creek, UT and
Aneth, UT before reentering the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation in Colorado and intersecting with U.S. 160 east of the Four Corners Monument. ==Neighboring byways==