Manitou Cliff Dwellings Preserve & Museums

Description:

• The cliff-dwelling ruins here are real, although originally they were located elsewhere. This put us off at first -- they would be more authentic if they were in their original location -- but the move here may have saved them. In the early 1900s, archaeologists, who saw such dwellings being plundered by treasure hunters, dismantled some of the ancient buildings, gathered artifacts found there, and hauled them away. Some of these ruins, constructed from A.D. 1200 to 1300, can be seen here in a village reconstructed by archaeologists. There are also two museums with exhibits on prehistoric American Indian life, and several gift shops that sell American-Indian-made jewelry, pottery, and other crafts, plus Colorado souvenirs. American-Indian dancers perform during the summer. Allow 2 hours.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010