Take a scenic ride along the edge of four states and into the heart of Ute Mountain territory as we follow U.S. Route 160 from the Four Corners Monument eastward to mile marker 10 in Colorado. This brief but unforgettable stretch of highway is part of the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway, offering both a literal and symbolic gateway into the cultural and geological richness of the American Southwest.
We begin at the Four Corners Monument, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet in a single, wind-swept location. Though the monument itself lies within New Mexico, the road quickly crosses into Colorado, and the terrain immediately changes. Here, the land rolls gently beneath an expansive sky, dotted with desert scrub and framed by distant mesas. As we leave the monument behind, US-160 becomes a ribbon of pavement winding through sovereign Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Lands, underscoring the deep indigenous history that shapes this landscape.
About five miles in, we pass through Teec Nos Pos Wash and skirt a few low ridgelines—subtle elevations that hint at the nearby foothills of the Sleeping Ute Mountain. This is a land where ancient roads once ran: trade routes, hunting paths, and spiritual trails carved by the Ancestral Puebloans long before U.S. highways ever reached this region. Today, the road may be paved, but the spirit of journey remains, guided by sacred geology and centuries-old traditions. Road signs are sparse, but the feeling of crossing into sovereign lands is unmistakable—a reminder that we are guests in a place where time stretches far beyond modern maps.
As we approach the ten-mile mark, Ute Mountain looms larger to the north—a guardian presence steeped in both myth and natural grandeur. Rising nearly 10,000 feet above the plains, this isolated peak is central to Ute cosmology, often considered a sleeping warrior lying on his back. The road curves gently, following the contours of low ridges and dry washes that lead into Montezuma County. Though there are few buildings or services along this stretch, the experience is anything but empty. Here, isolation offers clarity: every mile carries the weight of centuries, from prehistoric civilizations to the living traditions of today’s Native communities.
Our drive concludes near mile marker 10, just before the entrance to Ute Mountain Tribal Park becomes visible in the distance. While not part of the standard tourist path, this park—operated by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe—is one of the Southwest’s true hidden gems, offering guided tours of ancestral cliff dwellings and rock art not accessible to the public otherwise. From here, US-160 will continue eastward toward Cortez and Mesa Verde, but this first segment serves as a quiet overture to what lies ahead: a journey through lands as ancient as they are enduring.
This drive is more than a border crossing—it’s a passage into a sacred landscape where the land remembers. And if you’re paying attention, it might just whisper some of its secrets as you roll on by.
🗺️ Route Map
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