If you love learning about ancient archeological history and culture in the United States deserts, you will love this national treasure!
Mesa Verde National Park is located in southwest Colorado. The cliff palaces, tools, pottery, farming practices, family life, and topography will amaze you. I guarantee it will spark your curiosity to discover more!
Follow Yvonne’s insider tips to get the most out of your visit.
Exploring the Park:
- Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Research Center is so interesting! It has exhibits, a bookstore, and an introductory movie about the culture of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Park rangers are enthusiastic about helping you plan your visit.
- Take a Guided Park Ranger Tour to Learn About Impressive Ancient Dwellings. Visit the cliff dwellings, Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House. It is believed that 100-120 early Puebloans lived at Cliff Palace.
- Visit Step House on Wetherill Mesa, a 12-mile road leading to overlooks and fascinating archeological sites.
- Spruce Tree House is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings and the park’s third-largest.
- Drive the Mesa Top Loop Road. Short paved walking trails lead to captivating architecture, featuring Pithouses and Early Pueblo Villages dating back as early as A.D. 700-950 and Sun Point View A.D. 1200-1300.
- Petroglyph Point and Spruce Canyon Trail – This loop trail leads to a petroglyph panel through scenic wildlife habitat.
- Far View Sites – Take this self-guided tour with interpretive signs illustrating mesa-top farming communities with a reservoir.
- Nordenskiold – This is another self-guided trail to a cliff-dwelling overlook.
Enjoy your experience at Mesa Verde and share your photos with us on Instagram @one_planet_life.
Check out Yvonne’s Insider Tips for exploring these other national parks:
Written by Yvonne Dwyer
Master Naturalist and OPL Content Contributor
“It is truly an honor for me to be a contributor to One Planet Life. By sharing my experiences and lifetime of learning, I hope to inspire conservation, sustainability, stewardship, and awareness of enjoying the natural wonders of the world for the wellbeing of people and the planet.”
