11 Most Underrated Towns In the Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, touching states like Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, is home to many small towns that are overlooked as destinations. These ten towns with welcoming residents and one ghost town are attractions in their own right and gateways to places like Arches National Park, the Painted Desert, and Canyonlands National Park. Find towns with rich native American culture, evidence of living in a high desert region, and modern pursuits like seeing traditional art and crafts.
Experience the alien feel of the landscape around them, combining buttes, canyons, and mesas in a colorful red rock haven right from Mars. The plateau offers grasslands, shrublands, and sagebrush at lower elevations, while bear woodlands of pinyon pine, juniper, and shrubs dominate the higher reaches and, higher still, montane forests of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and aspen.
Bluff, Utah
Bluff is a distinctly local town tucked away in southeastern Utah off Highway 191, some 330 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. It is a quintessential destination with rich human and natural history along the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway, in between the beautiful sandstone cliffs and the scenic San Juan River. Bluff City was founded during the famous "Hole in the Rock" expedition in 1880 by Mormon pioneers as a wannabe farming community along the river that never played out as such. Even earlier settlers, the Ancestral Puebloans, left behind rock art and abandoned dwellings, among other artifacts, in the area today.
Sightsee the clues of harsh desert living throughout Monument Valley and the Valley of the Gods and landmarks like Bears Ears National Monument and Hovenweep National Monument, among the evidence of the Nomadic Paiute, Ute, and Navajo tribes that traveled through the region. Experience the vibrant local culture with modern-day influences on the streets, like cozy bistros and cafes serving delicious, unpretentious food. Choose from boutique lodges, guesthouses, or several campgrounds and RV parks for unforgettable overnights.
Cortez, Colorado
The southwestern Colorado town of Cortez is unjustly overlooked just for having so much to rave about. Only eight miles from the entrance to the natural world of Mesa Verde National Park, home to some of the state's most revered treasures, Cortez is also the epicenter for culture and rich agriculture. This town in between the national park and the fascinating Ute Mountain Tribal Park is one of the richest archaeological centers in the US along the central part of the Old Spanish Trail used in the late 16th century for travel between northern New Mexico, California, and southern Colorado.
Visit this small town with diverse roots to uncover all the tribal secrets lying in the shadow of the tremendous valley under the domineering Mesa Verde peaks. See history alive, from ancient cliff dwellings to ranches and farms on the outskirts to a modern-day lifestyle amid mountain views that beckon for an outdoor adventure of a lifetime. Stroll the high desert valley streets with notable attractions, a sore to the eye, in intricate artwork, artifacts, and customs at Cortez Cultural Center. This stretch along the 114-mile Trail of the Ancients' scenic byway is strewn with natural wonders and archaeological points of interest to discover in between local cuisine, Colorado wines, and craft breweries.
Durango, Colorado
The overlooked largest town in southwestern Colorado, Durango, with just over 19,500 residents, is a popular hangout among those who know of its bustling scene in the region. Enjoy strolls through the historic downtown area, ripe with nature and history, and Main Avenue, replete with shopping and dining options, including welcoming inns and fun craft breweries with great food on the menu. Choose a historic hotel, or a cabin stay at the range's base to enjoy a flowery springtime spectacle right from the doorstep and falltime spectacular events in town.
This scenic mountain town along the beautiful Animas River is full of memorable ways to experience the outdoors under near-year-round sunshine (over 300 days!) Visit anytime for attractions like Four Corners Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, and rafting the Upper Animas River. You can also take up skiing at the nearby Purgatory Resort and enjoy the best soaks at Trimble Hot Springs. Check out the iconic Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a knowledge-worthy, scenic family pastime on the historic Durango Train ride.
Gallup, New Mexico
Gallup is an ideal destination for fun family discoveries, thrill-seeking adventures, and culture vultures on a hunt. This unique Colorado Plateau region, home to several tribes, produces over 70% of the world's authentic Native American art. Admire, stock up, and celebrate this fantastic cultural epicenter with the Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial and the Second Street Arts Festival. Nature lovers will find their freescape along over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, minutes away from downtown and further wilderness that will call to recharge on Gallup's fusion cuisine.
The town, nestled in spectacular red rock beauty along the famed Route 66, burst at the seams with enticing outdoors, awe-inspiring arts and culture, and traditional and modern attractions. Join in nightly Indian dances from Memorial Day through Labor Day and enjoy free concerts in the heart of Gallup Downtown. Immerse yourself in the local culture on a stroll through the Gallup Native Arts Market in August and in local nature on a hot air balloon ride or by climbing the red rocks. Enjoy New Mexican chili-based dishes, Native American foods, and authentic Mexican cuisine from fine dining restaurants to tribal-style gatherings.
Holbrook, Arizona
Kickstart your Northern Arizona getaway in the small town of Holbrook, the gateway to Route 66 Mother Road kitsch and the amazing Petrified Forest National Park. This town, essentially a canvas painting of Wild West characters and alien-like landscapes of the Painted Desert, is unjustly underrated. Enjoy the roadside Americana charm on the way to Holbrook amid a remarkable area of rocky badlands. Take a hike along these dazzling, lonesome landscapes between the Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation after setting base to see how the sun plays with the layered earth through colors and shadows.
Holbrook is a bewitching town where vibrant history and geological wonders, hand in hand for centuries, offer discoveries and outdoor activities from the grasslands to the eroded, somber beauty of the Petrified Forest. Check out the whitewashed concrete and steel teepees of the Wigwam Village from 1937 on Route 66, where you can even spend a memorable night for a blast to the past for young and old, complete with parked vintage cars. Stroll downtown to the courthouse visitor's center, the Bucket of Blood Saloon, and the Blevins House, the site of a shootout between the gangsters and the sheriff.
Kayenta, Arizona
Kayenta is a small, underrated town in Arizona along crimson and maroon hills under expansive blue skies. Monument Valley, just 30 miles north, is a sacred landscape that transports you to Mars. First settled as "The Lay of the Land" by the Navajo tribes, this American Southwest desert part of the country is synonymous with the red buttes of the region. Kayenta is the nearest town to the native park for hikes through wild-looking, scenically rising stumped spires in the otherwise lonesome landscape. Take a Jeep tour for a narrated cruise around these mysterious structures and to sightsee the Ear of the Wind.
Kayenta is home to the Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise, where you can see tribes' handywork and authentic creation processes. The Trading Post at the View Hotel in the park offers more traditional and contemporary jewelry and decor for viewing and sale, and you can also spend the night there with views of the iconic red buttes. Enjoy the 17-mile dirt loop, Valley Drive, for scenic views from the comfort of your air-conditioned vehicle, or embark on the easy three-mile loop trail to Mitten Butte, the only public hike in the valley.
Lupton, Arizona
Don't worry if you have never heard of this little town right on the border between New Mexico and Arizona, which also goes by the nickname "Painted Cliffs," its most famous natural attraction. Set high amid the beautiful sandstone cliffs dating from 60 to 200 million years ago, its unique beauty offers a stark contrast to the typically dark and lonely region just to the north. Lupton is a nature lover's paradise and an outdoorsman's heaven for sightseeing hikes in this wildlife habitat of deer, bears, and eagles.
Among over two centuries worth of settlement history and changing names, Lupton was a trading post stop along the historic Route 66 as well as a central departure point for the military expeditions before Fort Sumner came alive in New Mexico. Stop by the Painted Cliffs Welcome Center right at the state's entrance and stroll through the spectacular in-town scenery along multiple trading posts along the bluffs' base, selling eclectic Indian treasures, like the notable Tee-Pee Trading Post.
Moab, Utah
Moab is a small, often overlooked resort town amid beautiful scenery near Utah's Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The nearby refreshing waters of the Colorado River are the most welcome sight amid the barren desert landscape in this part of the American Southwest. Come explore some of the most stunning red rock formations and take a cooling dip to wash away the red dust. Relax under friendly skies and the ditto of hospitality, along with a year-round lineup of events and festivals for some local outdoor fun. Pick up a souvenir, home decor item, or unique outfit piece from the selection of shops to reminisce.
The crown jewel national park and surrounding forests, rivers, and rugged land for thousands of square miles around attract worldwide visitors, while the desolate landscape with an alien feel appeared in sci-fi films like Star Trek and John Carter. Arches National Park is home to the teetering Delicate Arch, among many other arches, while the Fisher Towers offers the most dramatic sight during the sunset landscape. Check out the downtown wealth of small businesses like microbreweries, galleries, and restaurants for diverse cuisine, from southwestern fusion to world-class gourmet.
Oak Creek, Colorado
Oak Creek is a tiny, scenic village along the south-central border of the Colorado Plateau. It is the first taste of the more well-known town of Sedona, welcoming visitors after a rolling drive down I-17 along Highway 179, which is the first All-American Road in Arizona called the Red Rock Scenic Byway. The last gentle curve affords breathtaking views of Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock, and that's when you know you've landed in the village.
Enjoy the more residential, easy-going vibe with many homey places to stay away from crowds, from charming bed and breakfasts to hotels, a hand's reach away from all the scenery, and only 5 miles to Uptown Sedona's business hub due north. Oak Creek's own small business scene includes a choice of quality cafes and signature Oak Creek Factory Outlet Stores for all you shopaholics. There is also the TeQua Marketplace, fine dining restaurants, a theater, and outdoor experiences like three golf courses and hikes to the red rocks.
Paria, Utah
This former small western outpost of the late 1920s is a ghost of the town it once was, with 130 residents. Once abandoned, Paria became an underrated tourist place but a star in many films, including Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales, due to the incredibly scenic area around it. Enjoy the scenery on your way into town along the road amid a multicolored mountain range that feels like driving on another planet.
The overlooked town by tourists in this southern part of Utah, home to unique sights and landforms, rewards those who stumble upon Old Paria with discoveries. Today, there is an intriguing rest area along the highway, a day-use area, and the old town past the river for the most avid sightseers. Check out the placards about the history of the town and movie site, and drive for a mile past the day-use area until the Paria River banks. Reach the original townsite after parking and hiking across the river, with the scenery around worthy of the effort.
Torrey, Utah
This genuine Utah town is full of understated charm, like the appealing tree-lined streetscape, and only 259 residents join on a getaway from the city to live a low-key lifestyle. Take a scenic stroll through Torrey, at the top of the world at 6,800 feet above sea level, with alpine views all around. It is also the ultimate getaway to Capitol Reef National Park, full of natural splendor right from your doorstep.
Visit Torrey for a refreshing summer retreat with amenities like laid-back lodging and local restaurants, and venture into diverse nature at Thousand Lake Mountain, just a few minutes from town. Enjoy hikes rimming rusty sandstone canyons through green forests, and along the lake itself, with kayaking and fishing opportunities. The family-friendly town with engaging pursuits for everyone also hosts the notable Cowboy Music and Poetry Festival during the summer.
The Colorado Plateau, named by John Wesley Powell, comprises an expansive basin of about 390,000 sq. km. (150,580 sq. miles) filled with a scenic set of tablelands like plateaus and mesas and surrounded by highlands. The towns at different elevations are full of varied natural landscapes and sights to enjoy on vastly diverse terrain hikes.
This land with numerous canyon splicings, including the Grand, was prehistorically home to farmers. Find their clues of harsh desert living like rock art and abandoned dwellings throughout Monument Valley and the Valley of the Gods. From mountain peaks to bluffy cliffs and buttes, you will also find refreshing rivers like the powerful Colorado, lush forests, and deep state parks.
