Partners Protect and Promote the Cultural Treasures of Southwest Colorado
Collaborations welcome visitors and inspire community pride
Located in the heart of Colorado’s Four Corners region, the destination management organization Mesa Verde Country is surrounded by ancient landscapes and a vibrant, living Indigenous heritage. In this culturally rich area, tourism partners are joining forces to protect sacred sites, preserve local stories and promote respectful, meaningful visitor experiences.
These efforts reflect a key strategy from the Colorado Tourism Office’s (CTO) Mountains and Mesas Regional Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, fostering collaboration to support responsible visitation, cultural preservation and community wellbeing.
Partnering with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Mesa Verde Country is building meaningful relationships with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, supporting tourism that honors the Tribe’s vision, values and economic development goals.
The region is home to some of the most significant archaeological sites in North America, including:
- Mesa Verde National Park – celebrating the living heritage of 27 Pueblos and Tribes through its iconic cliff dwellings.
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument – the most archaeologically dense area in the U.S.
- Lowry Pueblo National Historic Landmark – a 1,000-year-old ancestral Puebloan site.
In 2025, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is participating in the CTO’s Destination Development Mentor Program, receiving 100 hours of consulting to inventory tourism assets and assess market readiness. The program also provides mentorship to the Tribe’s Economic Development Department.
Additionally, the CTO awarded the Tribe a $20,000 Tourism Management Grant to enhance wayfinding signage—improving the visitor experience and supporting destination stewardship.
Another milestone includes the reopening of the Ute Mountain Trading Company and Museum in summer 2025. Closed during the pandemic, the revitalized attraction will showcase tribal art and pottery, with artists creating work on-site. “People want that tactile experience,” said Mesa Verde Country CEO Brian Bartlett. “If they can see people making art, they will learn the story and buy the finished product.”
Modeling Respectful Recreation
Mesa Verde Country works closely with hoteliers, restaurants, retail shops, public land managers and Tribal members to build a tourism community rooted in respect. As a member of the Montelores Coalition, Bartlett collaborates with Ute Mountain Ute representatives, local leaders and landowners to align tourism with conservation values.
This commitment began with support from the CTO’s destination development department in 2021, which brought the community together for visioning and action planning. In 2022, through this work with the CTO, the DMO collected 25 local stories that now inform visitors and strengthen a shared sense of place—featured at the Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez and Montezuma Heritage Museum.
Education is a key strategy. Volunteers and staff teach visitors how to stay on trails and respectfully interact with archaeological sites. For example, guests are encouraged to observe pottery shards, then return them to their original position—deepening their connection to the site and fostering a sense of stewardship. “They feel like they’re picking up the mantle on our behalf,” said Bartlett, “and will take that knowledge to other destinations.”
Building Local Pride Through a CTO Learning Lab
To further strengthen visitor experiences, Mesa Verde Country launched a customized CTO Destination Learning Lab in spring 2024. The free online training educates frontline hospitality staff about the area’s culture, geography, events and respectful tourism practices.
What started as in-person business visits evolved into a scalable solution that empowers local staff to confidently share the area’s stories and values. “That pride comes through when frontline workers tell guests about what makes this place so special,” said Bartlett.
Collaboration Drives Impact
In southwest Colorado, powerful partnerships are turning vision into action. With just one full-time staff member, Mesa Verde Country is proving that meaningful collaboration—with Tribes, local leaders, volunteers and state partners—can preserve cultural heritage, strengthen the local economy and foster deep community pride. Together, these efforts are creating a model for destination stewardship that honors the past while shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future for all who call this region home—or come to experience its wonders.
Share Your Success Story
What destination stewardship successes make your community proud? Please share your story with the CTO.
