Trail of the Ancients
Utah
Map
Byway Details
- Designation
- National Scenic Byway
- Length
- 225 mi in Utah
About Trail of the Ancients
Trail of the Ancients is a 225.3-mile National Scenic Byway in southeastern Utah. It also carries designations as both a Utah State Scenic Byway and a Utah State Scenic Backway. The route links a string of small communities, including Mexican Hat, Halchita, Bluff, Aneth, Montezuma Creek, White Mesa and Monticello, so you can break the drive into shorter legs between towns. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to drive it. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Mexican Hat show April highs around 72°F with lows near 40°F, and October highs near 74°F, while July highs climb to about 99°F. Hiking, climbing and camping sit right along the byway. Butler Wash Trail and Blanding Boulders are about 0.1 mile from the route, Sand Island Recreation Area is roughly 0.3 mile away, and Hovenweep Campground is about 0.7 mile off.
Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Mar–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 64–82°F and lows of 33–51°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Mexican Hat, UT weather station, 3.1 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan46° high23° low1 days with snow
- Feb53° high27° low
- Mar64° high33° low
- Apr72° high40° low
- May82° high51° low
- Jun95° high60° low
- Jul99° high69° low
- Aug96° high67° low
- Sep88° high56° low
- Oct74° high43° low
- Nov58° high30° low
- Dec46° high22° low1 days with snow
Where it is
- Towns along the route
- Mexican Hat · Halchita · Bluff · Aneth · Montezuma Creek · Monticello · White Mesa
Source: USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- Butler Wash TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Amphitheater TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Creekside TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Hole-in-the-RockHiking0.1 mi
- Blanding BouldersRock climbing0.1 mi
- Devils CanyonCamping0.3 mi
- Sand Island Group SitesCamping0.3 mi
- Sand Island Recreation AreaCamping0.3 mi
- BluffRock climbing0.3 mi
- Hovenweep CampgroundCamping0.7 mi
- Cottonwood WashRock climbing1 mi
- Sandwalker ButtressRock climbing1.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)
