Nine National Monuments in Colorado Worth Visiting

Many aspire to check national parks off their bucket list, believing them to be the nation’s most spectacular landscapes. But before earning their more prestigious label, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison were national monuments (with identical views and far fewer crowds).

From cliff dwellings to dinosaur bones, these often-overlooked destinations offer a wealth of historical, cultural and scientific value. Discover what makes all nine national monuments in Colorado worth visiting on your next road trip.

Colorado National Monument
1750 Rimrock Drive, Fruita
Red rock formations and panoramic canyon views are plentiful at Colorado National Monument, especially along Rim Rock Drive. In addition to stunning overlooks, this route between Fruita and Grand Junction leads to several short, low-effort hikes. Stretch your legs on the Canyon Rim Trail to Window Rock and marvel at the sandstone towers framing Devils Kitchen Trail. Other paths lead to petroglyphs left by the Fremont and Ute peoples. Entry is $25 per vehicle.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
15807 County Road 1, Florissant
More than a billion years of geologic history are on view at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Hike past an ancient lake bed, remnants of a pyroclastic flow and the former site of an Ice Age mammoth excavation on the Geologic Trail. Preserved stumps of massive redwood trees appear along the Petrified Forest Loop. Read the interpretive signage on both short, easy paths and view more exhibits within the visitor center. Entry to the park is $10 per person; youth under sixteen are free.

Browns Canyon National Monument
307 West Sackett Avenue, Salida
Browns Canyon is home to one of the country’s most commercially rafted rivers. While free to access, paid whitewater tours are the best way to experience the destination. Feel a rush of adrenaline as you splash through thrilling class III rapids and remote scenery. The Arkansas River also boasts the state’s longest stretch of Gold Medal waters, where large trout are frequently hooked on fly fishing trips. Hikers should head to the Turret Trail, a moderate 7-mile route through the Ruby Mountain foothills, or opt for an easy river walk from Hecla Junction.

Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument
10th Mountain Division Memorial Highway, Leadville
Once the training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division, Camp Hale-Continental Divide became the state’s newest national monument in 2022. Remnants of the field house, concrete bunkers and shooting range can be seen on a self-guided auto tour or while hiking the eighth segment of the Colorado Trail. Rock climbers can also scale the same crag formerly used by thousands of the division’s soldiers, while backcountry routes challenge ATV riders and snowmobilers. Entrance is free year-round.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
27501 CO-184, Dolores
Though often overlooked in favor of nearby Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients boasts more than 8,300 archaeological sites, which is the highest known density in the nation. Explore kivas, field houses, cliff dwellings and petroglyphs within Ancestral Puebloan villages and along ancient roadways. To better navigate the expansive park and understand the significance of the region, begin your journey at the visitor center and museum. Tickets are $7 per adult and waived for youth under sixteen. The national monument is otherwise free to enter.

Hovenweep National Monument
Road 4721, Pleasant View
To view the six prehistoric sites within Hovenweep, start at Cutthroat Castle near the west side of Canyons of the Ancients. Then drive to the Horseshoe, Hackberry and Holly units, where more ruins lie among the juniper trees and sagebrush. The park’s largest collection of Ancestral Puebloan structures, called Square Tower Group, lies across the Utah border. Marvel at the area’s namesake three-story tower and nearly thirty kivas before continuing to the most southern site perched on the edge of Cajon Mesa. Day passes are $20 per vehicle.

Dinosaur National Monument
Echo Park Road, Maybell
While most of Dinosaur National Monument lies in northwest Colorado, its most famous sites are across the Utah border. These include the Quarry Exhibit Hall featuring more than 1,500 dinosaur bones and unexcavated findings along the Fossil Discovery Trail. On the Colorado side of the park, the easy Harpers Corner Trail displays imprints of sea creatures that predate the dinosaurs, along with views of the Green and Yampa rivers. To see them up close, book a rafting trip with one of several commercial outfitters. Park entry is $25 per vehicle.

Chimney Rock National Monument
3179 CO-151, Chimney Rock
The pre-Columbian cultural complex of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, was linked to several outlying communities, including Chimney Rock in southwest Colorado. From May through October, solo visitors and guided groups can view pit houses, great kivas and other ancient discoveries that showcase astrological alignments. Plan a trip during the equinoxes or summer solstice to see the iconic pinnacle rock formations at their prime. Entry is $20 per vehicle.

Yucca House National Monument
County Road 20.5, Cortez
The extensive village at Yucca House remains largely unexcavated, though the national monument near Four Corners was designated in 1919. Travel down dirt roads and past private properties to access this site, where desert shrubs hide remnants of Ancestral Puebloan structures. To the untrained eye, the overgrown landscape may seem less remarkable than other archaeological areas. Book a free ranger tour to fully appreciate its historical and cultural value.