Yucca House National Monument is a large, unexcavated Ancestral Puebloan site in Southwest Colorado. The site has remained largely untouched for the past 800 years. It’s situated on 34 acres with a diverse habitat of plants and animals.
There’s actually not much to see here at all and may not be worth a visit. The road back to the monument takes you by ranches and farms in a scenic, high-alpine desert. Once at the site, only a few stone slabs stick out of the ground, showing little evidence of what lies beneath. It’s a nice area, but may not be worth the 1-hour round trip off the main road near Cortez.
History
Yucca House played an important one in the Ancient Pueblo civilization from A.D. 1150-1300. It was one of the largest villages in the southwest.
Tips
- Bring food and water as there are no services available at the Yucca House. The closest food, gas and lodging is in nearby Cortez. It also gets very hot in this area.
- The road may become impassable in heavy rain.
Canyons of the Ancients is another attraction in the area.
Details
Address: Cortez
Phone: 970-529-4465
Season: Year round
Fee: There are no fees or reservations required for visiting.
Website: nps.gov/yuho
Blogs: 5/2/2012
