Lowry Pueblo

Date Visited: May 27, 2026

Location: Canyons of the Ancients, near Cortez, Colorado

Type: Ancient Site

Cost: Free

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 1/2 to 1 hour

Accessibility:The gravel surface of the parking lot should be suitable for mobility device users and there is a designated accessible parking space at the trailhead for an accessible trail. A ¼-mile-long natural surface trail leads to the Pueblo or Great House and the large kiva. The trail is about 3 feet wide and much of it has a slope of 5 percent or less, thanks to the use of switchbacks. However, parts of the trail may have a steeper grade. Access to the interior kiva of the pueblo may not be accessible to those with mobility problems.

Dog Friendly: Yes - on leashes

Best For: History lovers, scenery, photography, families

First Impressions

This site is 25 miles northwest of the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum in Delores, Colorado. The visitor center should be visited first if possible. The road to the pueblo is easy to follow but visitors should be warned that the last 3 miles is on gravel road. Signage is good and the views of the Colorado countryside are wonderful. Once reaching the pueblo, one is met by a large gravel parking lot and pit toilet. There is no visitors' center but a sign-in book can be found a the entrance to the complex.

What We Saw

The pueblo ruins are over 1000 years old and originally contained about 40 rooms. A large kiva can also be visited outside the main building. A circular walk takes one around the pueblo and at one point there is an entrance to see an internal kiva at the center of the complex. This opportunity should not be missed.

Highlights

The kivas, interior and exterior, were the highlight of the visit.

Good To Know

The last 3 miles to the pueblo is on gravel road, it is passable without a 4WD vehicle. The site contains a pit toilet but no other amenities. It is not very crowded and you may have the entire pueblo to yourself on your visit. Bring water and good walking shoes.

Would We Go Again?

I would definitly visit this site again. It is especially interesting to those fascinated by Ancestral Pueblo history and can be combined with a multiday trip to Mesa Verde NP and other local sites.