Mesa Verde – Amazing
A quick breakfast at the hotel in Durango and then off to Mesa Verde National Park. And, wow, what a great park. I did absolutely no planning and still had a great time. The park is large and packed with cultural sites. And, while busy, it wasn’t too crowded.
It is quite a distance from the park entrance to the cultural sites but it’s a great ride with some fantastic views of the surrounding area. Plus, I managed to nab another new bird (Green-tailed Towee) as well as some wild horses on the way in.
The main cultural sites are primarily divided into two main areas – the Wetherill Mesa area and the Mesa Top loop. I started my visit on the Wetherill Mesa. The principle sites in this area are the Long House and the Step House. The Step House doesn’t require a reservation and was where I went first. The site is accessed by roughly a 0.5 mile in and back (1.0 miles total). There is a bit of elevation gain as you drop down from the mesa top to access the site. The site showcases two separate styles of construction associated with two separate time periods of habitation – 500-600 bce and 1200 bce. Something that I found interesting was that the stonework was less well refined than what I noted at the Chaco Canyon and Aztec Ruins sites.
My second stop on the Wetherill Mesa was the Long House overlook. It was about a 2.7 mile road trip but with minimal elevation gain/loss. I had not made reservations for actually accessing the site so taking photos from the overlook is all I’ve got to offer. One overview photo and then three zoomed in a little. I’m not sure how they accessed those upper rooms.
Leaving the Wetherill Mesa area and heading over to the Mesa Top Loop area. There was a plethora of sites in this area and I’m afraid I lost track of many of the names. The most impressive site was the Cliff Palace site. Photos of several are below.
Be sure to check the schedule for guided tours – they are only available certain days of the week. And you do need a reservation. For anybody considering a visit to Mesa Verde, I would suggest two full days and to take a guided tour of both Cliff Palace and Long House.
The weather was once again beautiful but hot (mid-90’s). Conversations with a few other visitors confirmed that it is as hot or hotter in Arizona where I had planned to go next. So, back north it is.