Rangely, CO - Freemont Indian Shelter Caves

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This location is just off the main road between Dinosaur and Rangely, The Fremont Indians lived in the Rangely area until about 1200 AD when they left, either as a result of a long period of drought or from pressure from other tribes entering the region. The Utes followed the Fremonts and were one of the last Indian Nations to lose their independence. In 1879 Utes killed Nathan Meeker, the Indian agent at what is now the Town of Meeker, and ten of his followers as a result of efforts resented by the Utes, who were people of the horse, to make farmers out of them. The Museum has exhibits of arrowheads, tools, rock art replicas, and artifacts of Fremont and Ute Native Americans


While in Rangely drive to the Museum parking lot. Turn Left (west) on Highway 64 once out of Rangely town limits. You will pass through the middle of the Rangely Oil Field. As you climb out of the Oil field, you are going up ‘Mellon Hill’. There are caves on the far side.
About 10.8 miles N40 09.462 W108 58.884
There is a speed limit sign (55) and immediately beyond a turn out on the right side of the
highway. Take it and park. From here on it is ‘Shank’s Pony’ for about ½ to ¾ mile. You are on
the south side of a small canyon with Mellon Hill Caves on the north side. The small overhang at
the very top of the canyon and the big cave right next to it have the most art but each of the three
caves down the canyon have rock art, either above the cave or on the sides. You will see both
Pictographs and Petroglyphs. The triangular bodied figures with the fancy headgear are Fremont
but the Utes are also represented. There is a good foot trail between the caves. Note the metates
ground into the large boulder on the floor of the third large cave.
About 11.8 miles N40 10.031 W108 59.692
On the right there is a dirt road leading to the bottom of the little canyon; it leads to another little
cave or rock shelter that has a lovely branch antlered elk or deer figure on the rock to the left of
the cave. The walk is about 50-75 feet to this one. It marks the base of Mellon Hill. It was of Ute
origin, but because of the depths of the deposits in these caves, some of the art is estimated to be
over 1000 years old

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