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Colorado Hiking|Nature

This Hike Takes You To A Place Colorado's First Residents Left Behind

By Annie | Published March 09, 2018

There is no arguing that Colorado is home to some of the most scenic hikes in the country. What you may not realize, however, is that in addition to the scenic trails are hikes that are as historic as they are intriguing, as demonstrated by this Colorado trail that some of the state’s first residents left behind:

You probably think you know all there is to know about the Ancestral Puebloans who built the dwellings around Mesa Verde (pictured), but did you know the group didn’t stop there?

Case in point: the jaw-dropping Chimney Rock National Monument!

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Located in the beautiful San Juan National Forest, Chimney Rock is made up of an old Ancestral Puebloan site that is thought to have housed some 2,000 Native Americans between AD 925 and 1125.

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Situated on 4,726 acres, the Chimney Rock National Monument is managed and protected by the U.S. Forest Service, and houses such dwellings as the Great House Pueblo (pictured below), which consists of two kivas, 36 rooms, and stones and materials that were all hauled by hand up the steep ridgeline.

In addition to the structures themselves, the Chimney Rock National Monument offers a half-mile out-and-back trail that passes the dwellings and is suitable for all skill levels.

To learn more about Chimney Rock National Monument - and how to schedule a tour - please visit the US Forest Service's website.

Have you visited this incredible historic landmark? Share your experience (and photos) in the comments below!

Learn more about Colorado’s Ancestral Puebloans by checking out these 12 Fascinating Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Mesa Verde In Colorado.

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