Explore the traditions of Colorado’s early inhabitants

By Jay McKinney

For more than 60 years, Colorado’s first inhabitants have been honored through the renowned Ute Indian Museum located in Montrose. Originally built in 1956 near the ranch of Chief Ouray’s original 8.65-acre homestead site, it is a unique Native American museum because it is dedicated specifically to the Utes. The museum and its grounds are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and are linked to a citywide trail system that includes picnic areas and walking paths. Also located on the grounds is a native plants garden, Chief Ouray memorial park and the gravesite of Ouray’s wife, Chipeta.

The museum connects the past with contemporary Ute life, and the exhibits emphasize their history of adaptation and persistence, with a central theme of geography as significant locations in Ute history are highlighted. One Ute tradition that is examined through the museum is the celebration of the Bear Dance.

“It’s every spring that they celebrate the bear coming out of hibernation, and this is something that was given to them long ago,” says museum director CJ Brafford. “It brings the three Ute tribes together and so it’s about coming together, telling the stories of the past year, how everything went, how the winter went, it’s just a great time for storytelling.”

Brafford compares the Bear Dance to Christmas or Easter in the non-Ute world: an annual event that has a storied history. While all three Ute tribes recognize the Bear Dance as a time of renewal, seeing relatives and celebrating new births and marriages, each tribe has its own particular Bear Dance.

If you’re interested in seeing some prehistoric Ute art, make sure to check out the Shavano Valley Rock Art Site that is regarded as one of the most amazing prehistoric art sites in the world. Located on the cliff face and surrounding boulders of the southwest end of the Shavano Valley, hundreds of years of petroglyphs can be seen if you book a docent-led tour with the Ute Indian Museum. The rock art of the Shavano Valley is roughly 5 miles from Montrose and the museum suggests booking tours in advance, as availability is limited.

The museum also offers a Hands-On History Summer Camp for children ages 6 and up. “Every week is a different theme, so just for the first few weeks we’ve got an archeology camp, the second week is a rocks and fossils camp, followed by an explore mother earth camp and then week four is going to be everything artsy,” says museum education director Carly Jones.

With award-winning exhibits and multiple educational opportunities, the Ute Indian Museum is a gem in the Montrose community and is well worth the visit when in the area. Given their status as the first inhabitants of Colorado, residents and visitors could benefit by learning about the Ute Indians and their connection to this beautiful state.

Jay McKinney is a Colorado native who recently graduated from Metro State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He loves spending time outdoors, playing golf and hiking.

Ute Indian history in Colorado

Dating back to at least the 1300s, The Ute Indians were the earliest people to reside in Colorado, with their ancestral land covering vast portions of Colorado and Utah. In fact, Utah is actually named after the Ute Indians. Given their nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, some Ute bands would frequently venture into surrounding areas that now encompass Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona as they searched for reliable food sources. Their reputation as resilient Rocky Mountain travelers is evidenced by the fact that many of the modern highway systems follow ancient Ute trails.

The Ute Indians had a deep connection to the land they inhabited, and they idolized some of the state’s natural wonders that people still flock to today. For instance, Pikes Peak was a sacred ceremonial site, with the Tabeguache Ute’s calling it Tavakiev, which means sun mountain. While the Utes occupied a large area of land throughout Colorado and Utah, the Colorado Springs region was known as their domain. Artifacts have been found in nearby Garden of the Gods, and Manitou Springs was also regarded as a sacred place, where the Utes and other tribes would spend winters and share the mineral springs in peace.

Known for scenic views that are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, the mountain town of Ouray is actually named after the legendary Ute Chief Ouray, who was appointed as the spokesman for the tribe during the 1800s. While the Utes did not have one designated chief for the entire tribe, Ouray’s ability to speak multiple languages allowed him to negotiate with the European settlers who were infringing upon their territory in an effort to mine the land for gold and silver.

Today there are only three remaining Ute tribes: the Southern Utes reside in southern Colorado along with the Ute Mountain Utes, who also inhabit portions of New Mexico and Utah. The largest population of Utes reside in northeastern Utah on the Uintah-Ouray Reservation.