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MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, Colo. — Mesa Verde National Park, in the southwest corner of Colorado, is a unique treasure in the U.S. National Park system. Unlike many national parks, which preserve the wonders of nature, Mesa Verde preserves the "works of man."
This great park holds the history of a mysterious people, the Ancestral Puebloans, or Anasazi. They arrived in the area in about 550 A.D. and lived on the mesa top for centuries. They left remains of homes, granaries and kivas. Around 1200 A.D., for unknown reasons, they built elaborate structures into the stone cliffs below. They lived in these sturdy cliffside dwellings for less than 100 years before migrating elsewhere.
With the history and the beautiful scenery, Mesa Verde National Park is a great place to visit or vacation. Here are three reasons why it should be included in your next trip:
Cliff dwellings
The highlights of Mesa Verde National Park for most visitors are ranger-guided tours of the cliff dwellings. Each tour costs $3 per person and reservations are required. Reservations can be made at the new Visitor Center near the park entrance.
Cliff Palace is the largest of the cliff dwellings, with dozens of rooms and several kivas, which were chambers dug out of the ground for religious rites. The view from the parking lot is impressive, but the guided tour of Cliff Palace is worth every penny. Rangers not only allow visitors an up-close look at the dwellings, but share the known history of the site and the people as well. Tours of Cliff Palace are offered seasonally.
Balcony House is the most adventurous of the cliff-dwelling tours with the longest ladders — and two tight crawl spaces. Though it is the smallest of the toured cliff dwellings, it is the favorite of many visitors to Mesa Verde. Tours of Balcony House are offered seasonally.
Long House is the second largest of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. Though it is several miles out of the way of other park attractions, it is worth the effort. Long House is on Wetherill Mesa and tours are only offered during summer months. Step House is located nearby and can be seen without a tour.
Spruce Tree House is the most accessible of the cliff dwellings and can be reached by a paved trail without a tour during warm weather months. Rangers stand by to answer questions and ensure the safety of both visitors and the site.
Visitors to the cliff dwellings should expect to walk down uneven stairs and climb up sturdy ladders, all at 7,000 feet of elevation. These tours stop frequently and are otherwise neither long nor strenuous. Visitors who do not wish to take the tours can see most of these dwellings, and many other cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde, from easily accessible viewpoints.
For families, these tours are best suited for school-age children who are able to navigate the stairs and ladders on their own. Parents should be aware that deep kivas and steep cliffs are unfenced, and that children will not be allowed to climb on or even touch most of the ruins. For most families with older children, these tours will be a fun and educational experience for the whole family.
Other park highlights
Many more people, perhaps tens of thousands more, lived in this area in 1200 A.D. than live there today. Archaeological sites abound on the roadsides of Mesa Verde National Park. Some of these are simple pit homes from the early settlement of the area. Others, like Coyote Village, have many rooms and can be explored freely.
Mesa Verde National Park is home to a diverse collection of wildlife, including several endangered species. It may be difficult not to see a mule deer or wild turkey during a visit. Visitors who arrive early, stay late or lodge inside the park may be treated to sightings of black bear, coyote, gray fox, mountain lion or elk.
Many families will enjoy participating in the Junior Ranger Program. Most national parks offer this program at no cost for children between the ages of 5 and 12. Families can pick up Junior Ranger books at a ranger desk and complete activities that help families learn about history and nature in Mesa Verde National Park. When the activities are completed, children take the book to the ranger desk where they will be sworn in as Junior Rangers and given a souvenir Mesa Verde ranger pin.
Planning your trip
Mesa Verde National Park is open year-round, but Far View Lodge, Morefield Campground and most of the restaurants and other amenities inside the park are only open seasonally. Weatherill Mesa is open from late May through early September. Lodging and dining are available year-round in nearby Cortez, Colorado.
Entrance fees are $10-15, depending on the season. These fees are good for up to seven days.
Plan at least one full day to see the highlights of Mesa Verde, including ranger-led tours of Cliff Palace and Balcony House. Plan another day or more if you would like to visit Weatherill Mesa, hike some of the park's trails, or explore the park at a leisurely pace.
Bring plenty of drinking water and sunscreen into the park. The climate of Mesa Verde National Park is very dry with little shade. The park sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet and drinking plenty of water is one of the best ways to combat the effects of altitude while exploring the wonders of Mesa Verde.
Outside the park, nearby attractions include Four Corners Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument and the family-friendly Anasazi Heritage Center.
Allison Laypath is an expert on family travel and author of the family travel blog tipsforfamilytrips.com. With her family, Allison especially enjoys road trips, national parks and local field trips. Email Allison at allison@tipsforfamilytrips.com.
