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MikeInTown
MikeInTown
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3 out of 5
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Four Corners Monument

  • March 29, 2008
  • Rated 3 of 5 by MikeInTown from Norristown, Pennsylvania
Four Corners Monument

Although it took us out of our way, this was a fun detour during the Durango, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico leg of our road trip. The Four Corners Monument marks the only place in the U.S. where the borders of four states meet at a single point. You can actually be in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah at the same time!

The monument is a small gated area in the middle of the desert. To reach it, we drove an hour southwest from Mesa Verde National Park on a mostly two-lane desert road. Upon arriving, we were charged $3 per person to enter the parking lot. The monument is a slab of concrete engraved with the boundary lines of each of the four states. There is an elevated platform above the slab that can be used when taking photos. There were only a handful of tourists visiting the monument that September afternoon. We all took turns taking pictures of each other posing in all four states simultaneously.

The Four Corners Monument is surrounded by vendor booths of an Indian market. Jewelry and souvenirs are sold here. Despite the impromptu look of the place, we were impressed with the variety and uniqueness of the items being sold. The items ranged from cheap trinkets to quality craftsmanship. My wife kicked into shopping mode and visited each of the booths (in all four states). She had made several jewelry purchases by the time she was finished. She got better deals here than she had gotten anywhere else during our trip.

If you decide to visit the Four Corner Monument, make sure you visit their website to determine closing time. It would be a shame to make this desolate drive only to be greeted by a closed gate.

Finally, the only lavatory facilities at this site are port-a-johns. They were clogged and smelled horrible. Plan your restroom stops accordingly.

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