Remnants of ancient civilizations can be found all throughout America. This is especially true for the land ranging from Oregon to Florida. National parks are an excellent way to learn about history. Despite the origin of national parks being relatively new, many of our parks were actually home to ancient civilizations. Here are just three national parks where you can take a big step back in time.
1. Mesa Verde
First up, and probably the most easily recognized is Mesa Verde. Mesa Verde is the home of ancestral Pueblo people and located in southwestern Colorado. Iconic sandy-colored brick structures built beneath a soaring overhang are known as cliff dwellings. These constructs were homes for the Puebloans, and used to farm the tops of the mesas. In addition to an amazing view from below, many individual structures can be explored. Mesa Verde is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites on the entire continent. As a result, there are a plethora of ways to enjoy it, including self-guided tours or walks led by park rangers.
Related article: Explore Ancient History in Capitol Reef National Park
2. Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Next, we have the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwest New Mexico. This historic park was yet another gem attributed to the ancestors of the Pueblo people. One of America’s most important pre-Columbian sites, the area was a hub of activity from 850 to 1250 and home to thousands of people. Huge buildings and great round structures built into the ground, called “kivas,” are found within Chaco Canyon. The “kivas” are beautifully intact and the most extensive ruins north of Mexico. The Chacoans crafted fifteen complexes of sandstone blocks and timber collected from distant areas. The structures crafted were the largest on the continent until the 19th century. Chaco Canyon can be explored via hiking and biking trails, guided tours, and night sky demonstrations.
3. Olympic National Park
In contrast to the dry settings of the first pair of national parks, Olympic National Park in Washington is renowned for having four distinct ecosystems: temperate rain forest, Pacific coastal, alpine and a drier forest to the east. A family from Florida was vacationing in Olympic in 1993 and found an odd, woven bit of material along a field of melting snow. The weather that year had been especially warm and an age-old drift had melted back to reveal part of a nearly 3,000 year old basket. Based on the discovery of an arrowhead embedded in the rib of a mastodon, civilizations may have been present here as many as 12,000 years ago.
Related article: Ancient History: 3 Places You Can Collect Artifacts also 5 Places You Can Find Fossils in the US
Featured Image from Alec Krum/Unsplash
