"In The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, Virginia McConnell Simmons provides a detailed and accurate account of this indigenous nation. Using government documents, archives, and local histories, Simmons has separated the often repeated and often incorrect hearsay from more accurate accounts of the Ute Indians." "Simmons' story begins with the Utes' origins and their first contact with the Spanish, from whom they obtained horses, and describes their lives in the larger territories as successful hunter-gatherers, horsemen, warriors, raiders, and traders. Eventually the Utes were forced onto reservations in Utah and Colorado and lost most of their traditional ways of life. Despite acculturation, they have retained a number of important cultural traditions. Simmons expertly and imaginatively describes the Utes' view of the natural world, which has helped them adapt to diverse and sometimes harsh physical environments." "Not only does The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico offer the most comprehensive history available of the various Ute Indian tribes but Simmons also presents the material in a carefully researched yet accessible style, which will appeal equally to scholars and general readers."--Jacket.