RV Tour Leg 28 - Tour of the Ancients (with a Driveway Stop in Pagosa Springs)
- Judy Carmein
- Apr 12
- 4 min read
Late March found us weaving through the Four Corners region—where Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado all shake hands. This area is packed with echoes of the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly the Anasazi), who lived here from around 850 to 1250 AD. Their cliffside homes, pottery, and ceremonial sites speak to a vibrant culture that thrived for centuries before moving on—likely pushed by environmental shifts. But as the Indigenous folks we met reminded us: they didn’t disappear. They're still here, and the ruins are not abandoned—they're sacred.
Our "Tour of the Ancients" was a bit of a weather-dodging loop, doing our best to save higher elevations for later (spoiler: we nearly pulled it off). We did get caught in a snow surprise at Mesa Verde and bailed a day early to avoid the big dump.
Midway through planning, we realized we'd be just a couple of hours from the winter hideout of our friends Sapa and Thora. So we tweaked the route and spent two cozy nights in their Pagosa Springs driveway, soaking up their world and meeting their crew.
It’s always fun to see how people live when you've only heard the stories. We got to meet a handful of their many friends—including one who gave us a fascinating tour of his geodesic dome greenhouse (equal parts sci-fi and salad bar).
We also hiked the gorgeous trails around town and, of course, played some pickleball. Priorities.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument - We explored both rims of this jaw-dropping canyon, where ancient ruins cling to the cliff sides. People still live and farm in the canyon valley, which made it all the more magical.
Aztec Ruins & Chaco Canyon - We lucked into a sweet little campsite in Bloomfield, NM, the perfect base for both Aztec Ruins and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Aztec had a fantastic audio tour that gave us a crash course in Puebloan history.
The road to Chaco was a long, bumpy dirt adventure past free-range cattle and wild horses—pure Southwest.
The ruins there were massive, awe-inspiring, and somehow still standing after nearly a thousand years. We also squeezed in a tough but satisfying hike to Cox Canyon Arch.
Mesa Verde National Park - At this higher elevation, winter wasn’t done with us yet. Parts of the park were closed, but we still got in some solid hikes and saw incredible cliff dwellings and petroglyphs. It’s hard to imagine how people scaled in and out of those spots—especially people our age. (Did they have ladders? Levitation?)
Our final hike led us to what we thought would be a better view of a mesa—until David said, “Guess why we can’t see the mesa?” My answer: “Are we on it?” Yep. Surprise summit! The panoramic view, including our campground way below, was spectacular.
Bluff, Utah - Next stop: Bluff, Utah—gateway to some of the most mind-bending landscapes we’ve seen yet.
Bears Ears National Monument - A big driving loop took us past sweeping views, quiet ruins, and hidden trails. We capped the day with a bouncy 4WD road to Muley Point—one of the trip’s top views. From this high mesa perch, we saw Monument Valley in the distance and the San Juan River carving wild loops through the desert floor like a giant’s doodle.
Valley of the Gods - Think Monument Valley's little cousin—still majestic, just more remote. You need a high-clearance 4WD to explore it properly. Enter: The Beast, our trusty Ford F-350, which handled the terrain like a champ. Definitely one of our best travel decisions
Goosenecks State Park - Another San Juan River marvel. Here, the river makes tight, snaking bends that look like Mother Nature took up abstract sculpture. The views from the rim were pure magic.
Closing Thoughts - Our Tour of the Ancients wasn’t just a walk through old ruins—it was a humbling reminder of deep time, deep roots, and the people who came before. The landscapes were dramatic, the engineering impressive, and the cultural footprints unforgettable. We left with a dusty truck, full hearts, and a deeper appreciation for the stories etched into these canyon walls—and for the people still living them today.
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