A brief history
Spanish for “green table,” Mesa Verde was home to the Ancestral Pueblo for more than 700 years. Situated in Montezuma County, Colorado near the Four Corners, Mesa Verde National Park was established as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1906. It is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States, and was created to protect the cliffside dwellings built by the Ancient Pueblo people known as the Anasazi. The park protects almost 5,000 archaeological sites, including over 600 dwellings built in the alcoves of the overhanging cliffs. There are several things to see and do in the park — use the information here to help plan your visit.
Main Attractions
Museums
Upon arrival at the park, you should visit the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. This state-of-the-art research facility houses the museum’s collection of more than three million objects. The visitor center features exhibits that focus on contemporary Native American cultures inhabiting the area. The Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum displays dioramas illustrating the Ancestral Pueblo way of life. Along with exhibits of prehistoric artifacts, the museum offers a 25-minute film that provides an overview of the park.
Cliff Dwelling Tours
Next, we have the cliff dwelling tour! This tour takes your through homes in the area, some containing only one or two rooms, others more than 100! A number of individual dwellings can be seen during a self-guided or ranger-led tour. Specific structures that can be toured depending upon the season include: Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Long House, Spruce Tree House and Step House. These well-preserved buildings contain several rooms and highlight the architectural details used to engineer the structures. Approximately four miles north of the Chapin Museum, the Far View Complex is a collection of four villages and a dry reservoir. Because the trails and ladders are steep and uneven, visiting a cliff dwelling can be strenuous.
Related article: 5 of Colorado’s Most Popular Fourteeners
Mesa Top Loop Road
Finally, a six-mile-long auto tour along paved roads, the Mesa Top Loop Road provides the opportunity to view 12 easily accessible sites, including surface and cliff dwellings, such as the Sun Point Overlook, Square Tower House, Cedar Tree Tower and the Sun Temple. Visitors to Mesa Verde National Park can also follow one of several hiking trails. Check out this video footage of this extraordinary national park to get a glimpse of what awaits.
When to go
If weather is your primary concern, we recommend visiting Mesa Verde National Park, in either Spring or Fall. Spring temperatures will fall between the 50’s and 70’s, with Fall temperatures ranging from the high 40’s to mid 70’s. The best months for avoiding the crowd are May and August, just before and after the Summer rush.
Related articles: Camper’s Guide: California’s Yosemite’s Half Dome or Camper’s Guide: Katmai National Park, Alaska
Featured Image from Stephen Roth/Unsplash
