The Ride of the Ancients was started by the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway and Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance. Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway serves as a gateway to the Ancestral Puebloan and heritage destinations throughout Southwest Colorado, with a mission to instill appreciation for the cultural continuum represented here. Uninterrupted from ancient times to contemporary society, our enchanted landscapes and enduring people still practice traditional ways that can offer the visitor valuable insight and perspective. Trail of the Ancients aspires to be a pathway for learning from the past and investing those lessons in the future, promoting understanding of this exceptional region and its place in the larger world. Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance collaborates with Bureau of Land Management to engage the public through education, outreach, and stewardship for the use and enjoyment of the natural and cultural landscape of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and nearby public lands.