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 (1) Mesa Verde National Park - contains one of the world's best collection of Anasazi cliff dwellings.  It is one of the most popular attractions in the Southwest and is unique because it preserves the beauty of nature and the works of early man.  Known today as the "Anasazi", Navajo for the ancient ones, this Indian civilization thrived in the region from 600 to 1300 A.D. and then disappeared.
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(2) Hovenweep National Monument - is west of Mancos to the Colorado-Utah border.  The ruins at Hovenweep are over 700 years old.  Be sure to check with a ranger about visiting the outlying ruins.  There are two routes to Hovenweep, south through the red rock beauty of McElmo canyon or north on Hwy 666 to Pleasant View.  Lower ruin, west of Pleasant View, known for its great kiva and painted wall, is a fascination bonus on this trip into the past.
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(3) Ute Mountain Tribal Park - offers a personal experience for the visitor in the ruins of the Anasazi just south of Mesa Verde.  All tours are hosted by Ute Indian guides who will interpret the archaeology of the Park and the history of the Utes as you take this trip back in time.  The mystical feeling of this tour is that you are the first to walk on the ancient Anasazi pathways.  Reservations are necessary.  Call 1-800-548-5485 (ext 282)
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(4) Anasazi Heritage Center and Dolores Overlook - this day's odyssey begins with the Anasazi Heritage Center, the southwest's state-of -the-art museum.  It is a large research and artifact storage facility for the study and interpretation of the Anasazi culture, making it a "must" for Mesa Verde Country visitors.  Continuing west on HWY 484, turn north on HWY 666 to the south edge of Dove Creek, then east to the Dolores Canyon overlook, eleven miles to the northeast.  The spectacular views of the winding Dolores river canyon and the mountain ranger of Southwest Colorado and Southeast Utah surprise the visitor with their beauty.  This is the Grand Canyon of Colorado!  It is a 1/2 mile deep, red-walled canyon with the Dolores river far below, winding its way north to the Colorado River.  
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(5) Upper Dolores Valley - Rico, Dunton, The Meadows - the head waters of the Dolores River are high in the San Juan Mountains near Lizard Head Pass.  This lazy day trip which takes the visitor through Dunton, a turn of the century gold mining town.  You pass through the Meadows and tall aspens to meet HWY 145 above Rico.  This day trip puts on a great fall show.
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(6) McPhee Lake - McPhee, the second largest lake in Colorado, offers all the pleasures of excellent fishing, boating, water skiing, camping, hiking and relaxing.  There are fisherman-access points, boat ramps, picnic and recreation areas all around the lake.  McPhee is just a few minutes from Mancos and offers a quick getaway anytime of day.  What a wonderful way to experience a Colorado sunset.  The lake overlook offers you a 360 degree panorama of four states and several mountain ranges.
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(7) Telluride - nestled deep in the San Juan Mountains, a leisurely hour and a half from Mancos on HWY 145 via HWY 184, Telluride offers a wonderful day's worth of history, romance and adventure for the whole family.  Telluride is a National Historic District located in a box canyon surrounded by towering peaks.  Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank here, but there's more than history;  Telluride hosts music, art, film, food, balloon, hang gliding, even mushroom and photography events over the course of each summer.  Nature puts on her own colorful fall festival.
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(8) San Juan Skyway - this 236 mile loop takes you through the heart of the San Juan Mountains through old mining towns and back to Mesa Verde Country.  From Mancos, you can take the loop either way, passing through Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgeway, Telluride, Ophir, Rico ,Dolores, and Cortez.  This is an excellent way to capture the grandeur of Southwest Colorado.
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(9) Monument Valley and The Four Corners Monument - drive west into John Wayne country and visit the majestic and mysterious rock formations that form the Valley of the Navajo.  The geology is fascination and will make your trip even more interesting.  A film crew in the valley is still a common sight.  There are two routes to the valley; both have exciting side trips to them.  Four Corners Monument, the only place in the United States where four states meet, is a "must stop" to take pictures of each other while standing in four states.
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(10) Canyonlands National Park - Canyonlands is a magical collection of sinuous red rock canyons dissected by intermittent stream beds and washes.  It's a great place to explore, whether hiking, backpacking, mountain biking or by jeep.  You'll find Anasazi ruins, natural arches and breathtaking vistas.  In the spring or fall, Canyonlands is even more breathtaking with the changing seasons.  There are two entrances to Canyonlands; the first at Newspaper Rock (an ancient message board of the Anasazi), the second north of Moab at the awe inspiring Island in the Sky area.
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(11) Arches National Park - Arches has the largest concentration of natural arches in the world.  Over 1000 natural arches have been mapped in this park just north of Moab, Utah.  Many formations of red rock sandstone are visible from the 21 mile paved road.  Don't cheat yourself though; the hiking in Arches is worth the time for the incredible views.  An informative Visitor Center, which is open all year, introduces you to the park and its terrain.
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(12) Aztec National Monument, Salmon Ruins, Chimney Rock - this loop drive takes you into Northwest New Mexico to explore the Anasazi Ruins at Aztec National Monument in Aztec, NM, and the Salmon ruins near Farmington.  On the return journey, you can relax at Navajo Lake which straddles the Colorado-New Mexico border on the Southern Ute Reservation.  Farther north on HWY 151, you'll fine Chimney Rock archaeological ruins.  Be sure to see the view as once the Anasazi did.   
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