Ute Mountain Ute Reservation

The Ute Mountain Ute Reservation is a tribal territory spanning over 550,000 acres across Colorado and New Mexico with elevations ranging between about 4,600 and 10,000 feet. The tribal headquarters in Towaoc, Colorado serves as the administrative center for the community living there.

The Weeminuche Band, original inhabitants of the Dolores River region in western Colorado, were relocated in the late 1800s and eventually established themselves in this reservation area. This relocation marked a turning point in the people's history.

Ute Mountain residents speak their own language and keep traditional hunting and gathering practices alive in their daily lives. These customs connect people to the land and its natural cycles.

The territory is accessible only with permission, with visitors needing to check in at tribal office locations to explore the area. It is best to visit with local guides and learn about current conditions before going.

The adjoining Ute Mountain Tribal Park holds hundreds of preserved petroglyphs and remains of Ancestral Puebloan settlements that are explained by indigenous guides from the tribe itself. This approach allows visitors to learn the archaeological story directly from descendants of those who once lived on this land.