Sand Canyon - Mountain Biking
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Photos

The entrance to the national monument at Sand Canyon.
Garrett Stimax

Snow capped Sleeping Ute looms over the canyon.
Garrett Stimax

A view in Rock Creek canyon from the West Rock trail.
Garrett Stimax

The high desert scenery.
Garrett Stimax

A view of Sleeping Ute from the trail.
Garrett Stimax

The high desert scenery.
Garrett Stimax

A view in Rock Creek canyon from the West Rock trail.
Garrett Stimax

Snow capped Sleeping Ute looms over the canyon.
Garrett Stimax

A view of Sleeping Ute from the trail.
Garrett Stimax
About
Summary
Sand Canyon is a developed trail system in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument just outside of Cortez, Colorado.
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Distance
11.7 miles
This is the distance for the lower loops, not including the whole Sand Canyon trail.
Destination Distance From Downtown
0.0 miles
Difficulty
3 of 5 diamonds
The loops at Sand Canyon vary slightly but overall the trail system is intermediate difficulty.
Time To Complete
2 hours
Depending on which route you take, Sand Canyon could take anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours.
Seasonality
All Seasons
Except for immediately after rain or snow, this trail system is accessible year round.
Dog Friendly
Yes
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