Mesa Verde National Park

Thursday - 13 June 2002: Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - I can't even begin to describe all the wonderful things we have seen today - both made by man and nature. Mesa Verde National Park  is a beautiful place, and was the first National Park created to protect man-made structures. Over 4,000 architectural sites are in the park, many can be visited via short trails, and some can only be seen if you are with a ranger or guide. Most are off limits and there is no hiking (other than a 2.5 mile loop) in the park. Again, we are talking Anasazi (Pueblo) Indians. Again, they were abandoned around 1300 AD. Again, no one knows why - for sure.

The drought continues to be the number-one topic in the park. You are only allowed to smoke in your car with the windows rolled UP! (My, that must be fun.) No campfires, no charcoal fires - only gas grills are allowed. Fire crews are standing-by all over the park. Mesa Verde has been hard-hit by forest fire in the past - as recently as two years ago - and they will run out of water in just a few weeks.

First we visited Spruce Tree House and hiked down to the cliff-dwellings there. (You know, all these cliff dwellings kinda look alike.)

Spruce Tree House


DT at Spruce Tree House

Later, we joined the organized tour of Cliff Palace. Our aptly-named guide, Cliff, was 65 years old and very knowledgeable about the park and especially about the Indians. To get down to the ruins we had to go through the narrowest of passages between giant boulders. We also had to climb up tall ladders made from tree branches, and climb up and down steps 2 feet high! It was WORK getting to Cliff Palace, but it was worth it. This is the largest cliff-dwelling in Mesa Verde. Probably only 100 people lived here full-time, mostly to take care of the property - it was used for meetings and there were many Kivas here - I think it must have been an Anasazi Convention Center.

Cliff Palace


Cliff Palace


Cliff Palace

I mean, seriously, can you even imagine what it would have been like living here? The sandstone above the dwelling held water from rain and snow melt. It seeped down until it hit solid rock, then came out in several places along the mesa as a spring. They farmed on the top of the mesa - corn, beans and squash - hunted and gathered the rest. And, don't forget trade! They were so civilized by the time they learned farming - from the Indians in Mexico - that they could spend more time on religion and arts - they nearly stopped making baskets when they learned how to make pottery. The art on the pots is beautiful. They have recovered thousands and thousands of pots - many intact and filled with corn, etc.!

Next on our tour was Balcony House Lookout - it was quite a hike and it was 90 degrees, so please keep that in mind when you view this lovely photo of me at the lookout.

Balcony House


Balcony House Lookout - tired, hot, hiker

We had a picnic lunch at about 2:00 pm. We had been in the park since just after nine o'clock - and I can tell you we were pooped! Our shoes were covered in red dust and it was caked onto our legs up to our knees. We would have looked ridiculous, if everyone else didn't look exactly the same! We were drinking water by the quart! Today in the park we saw two deer and a "flock" (four) of wild turkeys! The turkeys were the largest I have ever seen, easily twice the size of a wild turkey in Oregon.

The rest of the afternoon - 3 more hours folks - was spent on the Wetherhill Mesa, where we visited Badger House, Long House and Kodak House (named when a scientist dropped his camera over the cliff). I leave you with more photos from this mesa.

Wetherhill Mesa ruins


Wetherhill Mesa ruins

On the Wetherhill Mesa there was a terrible fire two years ago - three hundred year old trees were killed. Wildflowers are now growing like crazy though. Here is a photo of the burn, with the Missionary Ridge Fire in the distance.

 
Old fire and new and wild Penstamen

Of course, after returning to Goldie, at 6 pm - DT had to go for a run. I scrubbed all the filth off my legs and typed my journal. We will stay "in" again tonight, as there is no town to visit and no restaurants to try!

RV Park: A & A Campground