Mountain Ute Tribal Park

On Saturday, 9 o'clock (am), our caravan set off led by our guide Ricky. The Ute Tribal Park is only accessable to non-tribal members with a guided tour. Although Ricky had missionary zeal in relating his version of the one-true-way (Native American Version) it worked well as we traveled down the canyon looking at aspects of a couple of thousand years of history.

Having done interpretation tours I can be critical of other poor devils having to do the job. Ricky was good. He was comfortable with the subject within his own mind, that of a traditional Indian, never trying to be an objective anthropologist which would, I have no doubt, brought down the wrath of the "old ones."

The canyon had its own beauty. Again, I felt comfortable as I could deal with the environment. It is not a WOW! place. It was manageable.

The "timeline" was fascinating. An ancient Puebloan site followed by a relatively recent Ute occupation Our guide went back much further to former worlds that precede this one, the fourth, post flood. My mistaken childhood, could not get me past thousands of pottery shards and the writing on the wall.

Puebloan probably before 1200 AD

Ute late 19th early-20th Century

It is good to collect special places, don't you think? Of course you may have to put up with some of the locals make rude noises.