Immerse yourself in the 170-acre wonderland of Crow Canyon as we learn about the Mesa Verde region's ancestral farmers and the pivotal, 19th-century events that set the stage for the passage of the Antiquities Act.

Participate in an interactive, dynamic Q&A with “President Theodore Roosevelt” (portrayed by Clay Jenkinson) and discuss his vision for the preservation, conservation, and use of public lands.

Throughout the day we will stretch our legs on scenic nature trails to a reconstructed pithouse and pueblo. We'll cap off this incredible day with a stimulating roundtable discussion.

Overnight: Holiday Inn Express, Cortez

Travel to Mesa Verde National Park and spend the day exploring 800-year-old ancestral villages. Discuss the influence and impacts of the Wetherill family and Gustaf Nordenskiöld with respect to the national narrative surrounding cultural preservation.

While Mesa Verde’s establishment as a national park in 1906 was hailed as a preservation triumph, it also restricted Indigenous access to sacred homelands still central to traditional and ceremonial life.

Visit the park’s museum to learn how the Antiquities Act was leveraged to support the nation's first in-park cultural museum. After checking into the historic Far View Lodge perched at Mesa Verde's highest point, enjoy dinner at the Metate Room and reflect on the day's lessons beneath a starlit sky.

Overnight: Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde National Park

Adjacent to Mesa Verde, embark on a unique and unforgettable journey to the Ute Mountain Tribal Park and learn about the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's connection to, and stewardship of, traditional landscapes. The Tribal Park reflects the Ute Mountain Ute people’s sovereignty and self-determination in caring for ancestral lands. This experience highlights contrasting models of land care—federal authority versus Indigenous governance—that continue to shape public land policy.

Later, enjoy a behind-the-scenes curation tour at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center with a discussion focusing on the repatriation of ancestors and their belongings removed by Gustav Nordenskiöld and transported to Helsinki, Finland in 1891. After a delicious dinner in Cortez, we make our way to Bluff, Utah, our home for the next two nights.

Overnight: Desert Rose Inn; Bluff, Utah

Visit the Bears Ears Education Center to learn about the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition’s role in establishing the first U.S. monument in U.S. history co-managed by Indigenous nations—a transformative model for reimagining preservation policy in ways that honor living cultural connections to the land and correct exclusions of the past.

Explore ancestral places in Bears Ears National Monument and engage in thought-provoking conversations and multifaceted issues surrounding land use, including ranching, mining, tourism, and the cultural heritage preservation.

Overnight: Desert Rose Inn; Bluff, Utah

Traverse the backroads of Utah and Colorado, crossing a mosaic of Ute, Diné, private, and federal lands to visit Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Discuss how monuments affect local economies and Indigenous continuity, including access to sacred places, traditional practices, and oral histories. These voices expand the conversation about what “public land” truly means. Return to Cortez for a celebratory dinner and a final discussion, reinforcing the connections and insights gained throughout the journey.

Overnight: Holiday Inn Express, Cortez

Crow Canyon provides airport shuttles to Cortez and Durango airports. Depart with lasting memories and a deeper understanding of cultural stewardship.