Mesa Verde
Two thousand years ago, a nomadic tribe of Indians
lived on the mesas of southern Colorado, establishing
farms and developing crafts such as woven baskets. They
later made pottery and established crude homes in the
recesses of cliffs. The Basket Makers emerged as a Pueblo
culture around 750 AD. and they are called the
Anasazi.
As their culture advanced they built homes
on top of the mesas -- of stone and masonry. Underground
rooms (kivas) were used for ceremonial and social
occasions. They began to weave cotton cloth and they
became proficient in pottery manufacturing.
Over a period of time, the Anasazi sought
protection for their homes under overhanging cliffs. By
1200 AD, some lived in masonry homes which were built
into the cliffs while others lived on top of the mesas.
By the time the Anasazi had completely disappeared (1300
AD), their pottery making had developed to a very
sophisticated stage. And then, they disappeared. Some
archeologists believe that the Anasazi vanished from the
Four Corners area because of a long drought. In any
event, the mesas and cliff dwellings were deserted and it
took two more centuries for the Utes to move into this
area of the Southwest.
This astounding national park, located southeast
of the town of Cortez, provides the most notable display
of Anasazi ruins and artifacts in the Four Corners
region. Here are left the huge housing developments which
contain up to 200 rooms, some of them four stories high.
The Cliff Palace, one of the largest of the
dwellings, was found by ranchers Richard Wetherill and
Charlie Mason in 1888 on their search for stray cattle.
In the following decade, many people came to the area to
collect artifacts. As a result, the U.S. Congress created
the national park in 1906, to protect this superb
archeological reminder of the Anasazi for all of us to
share.
Today, the park is also a UNESCO-designated World
Heritage Site with a museum which is open year round. The
park is separated into two major areas: Far
View/Wetherill Mesa, and Chapin Mesa. Each has
its own road and its own special ruins and other
attractions.
Morefield Village, the name for the group of
facilities in the north end of the park, is four miles
from the park entrance. It includes a gas station, cafe
and picnic areas. Morefield Campground is located here
and evening programs are held in the campground
amphitheater. The visitor center is open during summer
months.
South of Morefield Village, the park road leads
through a tunnel before reaching the Montezuma Valley
Overlook, and then Park Point which both
provide spectacular views of the valley below. The road
then approaches the Far View Visitor Center where
there is a full range of information on the park
including trail maps and the interpretive activities
conducted by park rangers. There is also a gas station,
and a cafe, in the Far View area.
The Wetherill Mesa is seen by driving along a road
which begins just west of the Farview Visitor Center. The
road runs across the mesa for 12 miles, taking you to
Step House, Long House and Badger
House, the three major ruins in this portion of the
park The Park Point Nature Trail provides
wonderful views of the Four Corners region from a fire
outlook. The Far View Ruins are viewed by taking a
self guided tour across the mesa. This part of the park
is open during summer months only.
The Archeological Museum is located on Chapin
Mesa which is reached by driving south along an access
road which begins at the Farview Visitor Center. In the
museum, dioramas show the living conditions of the
Anasazi.
Also on Chapin Mesa, a 1/2 mile self-guided tour will
take you around the Cliff Palace ruins. This site is a 10
minute drive from the museum. Other attractions of this
area include the Spruce Tree House (again with a
self guided tour) and Balcony House which features a
guided ranger tour of one hour.
Two hiking trails lead into Spruce Canyon. The
Petroglyph Point Trail is a three mile loop taking
between two and three hours to complete. The trail will
introduce you to mesa plant species and it passes a
remarkable panel of petroglyphs (carvings) in the
sandstone. The geological makeup of the mesa is also
apparent from this trail. The Spruce Canyon Trail
provides a 2.1 mile round trip which climbs from 6,440
feet to the 7,000 foot level. The walk takes between one
and two hours. Both of the canyon trails begin along the
Spruce Tree House Trail.
Cyclists may wish to ride on the park roads, except
for the Wetherill Mesa Road where bicycles are not
permitted.
How to Get There
The park lies south of Highway 160, ten miles east of
the town of Cortez. The park entrance is 36 miles west of
Durango. There are good motel and hotel accommodations in
both towns. A signed road leads south from Hwy. 160 into
the park and the Morefield Campground is four miles south
of the park entrance. This is the only campground in the
park and it is open from mid April through October. The
campground is suitable for trailers and RVs. Some partial
hookups are available and there is a dump station.
