Archaeological Site Disclosure & Ethics

Purpose

This project documents landscapes, travel routes, and publicly known places of historical and cultural interest across the American Southwest. The intent is educational and interpretive, not exploratory or extractive.

Sources of Information

All information in this project has been compiled exclusively from:

• Commercially published guidebooks sold publicly (including those available in visitor centers and major retailers)

• Long-established public websites

• Historic USGS topographic maps and other publicly accessible cartographic sources

• Academic and historical publications available to the general public

No information has been obtained from confidential archaeological records, SHPO databases, CRM reports, permit-only surveys, or restricted tribal sources.

Archaeological Sites

Archaeological sites on public land are protected by federal, state, and tribal laws. Some sites are open to visitation, some are discouraged, and others are closed entirely.

Accordingly:

• Sites known to be closed or restricted are not provided with GPS coordinates or access directions

• Sensitive areas may be represented only at a general or regional scale

• Some sites may be mentioned for historical context only, without location data

Accuracy & Access

Land management policies and site conditions change over time. Inclusion of a site does not imply that access is legal, appropriate, or encouraged.

Visitors are responsible for:

• Verifying current access rules with the appropriate land-managing agency

• Respecting closures, signage, and tribal boundaries

• Following Leave No Trace principles

Ethical Use

Users are expected to:

• Observe sites without touching, climbing, or altering them

• Never remove artifacts or disturb features

• Understand that preservation depends on restraint