Our final trek was up to the Chimney Rock National Monument, an off the beaten path archaeological site at the southern edge of the San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado. Designated a National Monument by President Barack Obama in 2012, its most recognizable features are the twin pinnacles rising above the valley.  It was with moderate effort that I climbed the ancient path leading to the ruins of the structures built by the Ancestral Puebloans of the Chaco Canyon. For anyone afraid of heights or hiking on a narrow trail 7000 feet high this is not the adventure you want to have, though the spectacular view at the top and the opportunity to explore the ancient ruins makes the climb worthwhile! There is a lower trail that is paved and offers easier access to some of the other ruins.