Ute people once inhabited this entire region, from the San Luis Valley west into Utah, and, after a series of forced relocations and treaties, from the 1860s to 1930s, control only this small strip of land in the dry high plains of the Colorado Plateau. The relationship between Utes and the federal government is one of conflict and ongoing tension.
The Ute tribe won their first rights for potable water on this arid reservation in 1988. The tribal land includes a number of archaeological sites, including petroglyphs and cliff dwellings, but can only be accessed through guided tour. The tribal park can set up half- and full-day tours, which include lots of rough and dusty driving over back roads.
