Escalante Ruin, Dolores, CO
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 37° 28.430 W 108° 32.801
12S E 716941 N 4150265
Escalante Ruin sits behind the Anasazi Cultural Center in Dolores, Colorado. Dated from around 1129 AD, this structure was probably inhabited in several different generations.
Waymark Code: WM6AJ7
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2009
Views: 8
A visit to the Canyons of the Ancients, or the Hovenweep Monument, should begin with a trip to the Anasazi Cultural Center. This offers visitors information about the cultural ruins they are about to see, and have the best maps to get you around.
My coordinates are where we parked for the Anasazi Cultural Center. The Esclanate Pueblo Ruin is on the cultural center's grounds. We visited in the museum, then took the 1/2 mile trail behind the center to the Escalante Ruin.
We learned that this site may have been inhabited at three different points in time...based on the ages of the wood used to construct additions to the original dwelling. Construction is dated around 1129 AD, but seems the dwelling was occupied for short periods of time (9 years or so). It's possible that this was used for surrounding village gatherings, or religious gatherings.
The pueblo consistes of 28 rooms and a kiva. There is evidence that some of the rooms were used as living quarters, signifying that this was not just used as a gathering spot, or storage.
The archeological evidence points to an occupation of a different culture in this pueblo around 1150 AD, and yet another around 1200 AD...ending the use of this pueblo.
Visit Instructions:
Please provide a photo of you and/or your GPS at the site.