US National Parks. Mesa Verde. If you have two full days. Trails in Mesa Verde Park

national park Mesa Verde is named after the plateau of the same name, which rises above the surrounding area. In ancient times there was a plain here, but gradually soft rocks were destroyed by erosion, and only solid crystalline ones remained. They became the basis of the Mesa Verde plateau.
Name national park Mesa Verde is translated from Spanish as a “green table”: this area, rising 600 m above the plains, really looks like a table, all overgrown with forests dominated by conifers - pine and juniper.
The canyon that cut through the plateau was the result of erosion: the waters of the ancient ocean and no less ancient rivers worked on it. As a result, this region has become a transition zone between the desert highlands and the Rocky Mountains.
Nature processed the slopes of the Mesa Verde plateau in such a way that large recesses appeared in the walls, similar to grottoes. They go relatively shallow deep into the rock, and the ancient builders took advantage of this.
They were the Pueblo Indians, often referred to as the Anasazi. In search of shelter from the weather and the enemy, they found this wonderful place and filled the grottoes with buildings, creating real houses, the roof of which was the arch of rocky grottoes.
The Anasazi showed amazing foresight in choosing a place for building houses: in winter the sun went down and its rays warmed up the grottoes with buildings; in the summer the sun rose and the grottoes were gracefully cool.
The total number of archaeological sites in Mesa Verde is about 4.5 thousand, and the stone houses under the rocky cliffs are very large and have a hundred or more separate rooms.
The quality of the houses in Mesa Verde can be traced to the growth of the architectural skill of the Indians: the oldest buildings are one-story primitive huts made of a palisade plastered with clay, and the later ones are multi-story, built of limestone, using beams and mortar.
The Anasazi built houses here between the 5th and 14th centuries. It was a rather peaceful tribe of Indian farmers who preferred not to fight with their neighbors, but to cultivate corn on rare fertile areas of the plain (mesa). Small rodents and turkeys, which were hunted by the men of the tribe, served as an addition to corn.
The reason why the Anasazi ended up in these places remains a mystery: before that they lived north of Mesa Verde. Perhaps because there was enough water here compared to the surrounding arid area: it rained in summer, snow in winter, cold springs were everywhere. Also, the temperature in rock cuts was 10° lower than in open places, and less water was required for corn.
An even greater mystery remains the reason that made them suddenly, overnight, around the 14th century. leave your houses. One can only guess about the reasons, since the Anasazi did not have a written language. Many versions are put forward - from climate change and the invasion of militant neighbors to a sharp increase in population and a drought that lasted almost a quarter of a century.
Many years later, in the second half of the 19th century, the abandoned buildings were discovered by the Ute Indians. Pressed by white settlers, they reached the canyon with Anasazi houses, but did not live in them, believing that these were sacred structures.
They were followed by white settlers who collected many Anasazi artifacts and sold them around the world. This continued until the US government intervened, deciding to preserve the priceless Indian buildings in the new national park.
Mesa Verde National Monument is located in the United States of America, in southwestern Colorado. Nearby is a place called Four Corners: a region of the United States that occupies the territory of the southwest of the state, northwest, northeast Arizona and southeast Utah. The entire territory of the park is occupied by a mountain plateau.
Anasazi rock houses look like toys, they have become a fragile monument to the skill of a person who is able to adapt the wildest places for living.
Mesa Verde National Park was opened in 1906 with the most ardent support of the great archeology enthusiast of US President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919). At the opening of the park, President Roosevelt, out of an abundance of feelings, called for the preservation of these best-preserved buildings in the rocks in the world as "the creation of the hands of mankind."
The buildings of Mesa Verde are divided into nakivu (a ceremonial Indian building where the spirits of one clan “live”), residential towers and dugouts-storerooms. They can only be reached by long ladders or ropes.
None general plan there are no buildings, they just occupy the existing niches in the rocks. Some buildings have received personal names because of their features.
The Cliff Palace, or Rock Palace, is the most famous pre-Columbian building in North America and the largest in Mesa Verde. There are 150 rooms and 75 outdoor terraces, including 21 kivas. The rest had about a hundred people. This is one of the last Anasazi buildings, it shows the peak of their architectural art. The walls of the houses are made of stone, laid with wooden beams separating the floors, and fastened with a mortar of clay, gravel and ash. The Anasazi had a sense of beauty: they covered the walls of the houses with plaster of pink, brown, red, yellow and white. On the top there are paintings in the form of a geometric ornament. The most noticeable fragment of the Rocky Palace is a 4-storey building with a square tower about 8 m high.
Several clans of the tribe lived in the Rock Palace, which can be guessed from the ratio of living quarters and kivu: 9 to 1. It turns out that the Rock Palace was the center of the whole town and smaller clans were under its control.
The Spruce Tree House, or House of the Spruce Tree, consists of 130 rooms and 8 kivus and is built in a rock cavity 66 m wide and 27 m deep.
Balcony House, or House with a Balcony, is the most inaccessible building: it is completely hidden in a rocky niche at a height of 180 m, and getting here is a real challenge.
In 1978, the Mesa Verde National Park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a collection of unique buildings, which have no equal in the world. This is also why Mesa Verde Park is the largest archaeological reserve in the United States.
The closest city to the national park is Cortez, Colorado. The city was founded in 1886, specifically for workers who were building a grandiose irrigation system for the state: water was to go to the waterless Colorado from the Dolores and Montezuma river valleys. This system did not finally solve the problems with water, but the town, which never had more than 10 thousand inhabitants, saved it from complete decline and ruin. geographical position. He was closer than others to the outstanding attractions of these places - Mesa Verde National Park, Four Corners and Monument Valley - and turned into a tourist center.
True, access to most rocky settlements is closed, and they can only be admired from observation platforms on the opposite side of the canyon.

general information

Administrative affiliation: State of Colorado, United States of America.

official status: national park.

Nearest town: the city of Cortes (Colorado) - 8482 people. (2010).

Currency unit: U.S. dollar.

Numbers

Total number of buildings: 600.

The most high point : Mesa Verde Plateau, Park Point summit (2569 m).

Number of visitors: 600,000 people (2011).

Climate and weather

January average temperature: -3°C.

July average temperature: +22°С.
Average annual rainfall: 470 mm.

Relative humidity: 60%.

Economy

Attractions

Natural: Mesa Verde Plateau

architectural: Cliff Palace (Rock Palace) and House with a square tower, Spruce Tree House (Spruce Tree House), Balcony House (House with a balcony), Anasazi Indian buildings (V-XIV centuries)

Curious facts

On the territory of the Mesa Verde National Park there are also unique objects of the Indian cult, called "culturally modified trees". These are ancient trees, on the trunks of which the marks made by the Indians during religious ceremonies have been preserved.

Recent scientific studies have shown that, in all likelihood, the Anasazi did not disappear anywhere, but migrated south to New Mexico and Arizona, and are now called pueblos.

The Anasazi women were skilled basket weavers, which were so dense that they could carry water and cook food. The men made the finest pottery in western North America. Both that and another in our time has become a collector's item and is highly valued.

In 2006, at the initiative of the administration of the Mesa Verde National Park, the reburial of all the remains of Indians and funerary items discovered during archaeological excavations took place. For this, it was necessary to conduct difficult negotiations with the leaders of 24 tribes that live in the district during the year. Due to the sensitive nature of the event, it was closed to the general public and held at a classified location within the park.

The true name of the tribe that built the houses in Mesa Verde is unknown. The word "Anasazi" appeared at the end of the 19th century, it was proposed by the researcher of Indian culture Richard Weatheril (1858-1910). This word is taken from the language of the Navajo Indians and has several meanings, sometimes contradicting each other: “enemy”, “ancestor”, “old enemy”.

Despite careful protection by the US National Park Service, the area of ​​Mesa Verde National Park suffers greatly from fires. In 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 a significant part of the park was burned out and a major reconstruction was required.

Judging by the size of the living quarters, the height of the Anasazi Indians did not exceed 163 cm.

The House of the Spruce Tree got its name from the real tree that grew in front of the facade and along which the first explorers descended to the buildings.

Building a house in Mesa Verde was extremely difficult: it was necessary to lift stones from a nearby river to a considerable height, as well as clay and gravel to make mortar.

The inhabitants of the rocky town got rid of garbage by throwing it out of the windows onto the slopes of the rocks. Gradually, an impressive cultural layer accumulated at the bottom of the canyon, which became the basis of the rich archaeological collection of the local museum.

mesa verde — US national park in the southwest of the state Colorado. It is known for its well-preserved ruins of settlements ancient Indian culture ancestors of modern Pueblo. The park is located on the plateau of the same name, and its name in Spanish sounds like " green table» due to abundant vegetation at the top of the plateau.

Mesa Verde Park - abundant green vegetation, confirms its name

Ancestors pueblo settled here 1400 years ago in small houses, which were holes in the ground with a wooden roof, on top of a plateau. Then they were nomads, and they got food by hunting with spears. They were also skilled basket-makers. They weaved and beautifully decorated baskets of various shapes and sizes. They were used to store grain, deliver water, and even cook food.

Over time, the ancient Pueblos mastered Agriculture, learned how to create pottery, and replaced the spears with bows and arrows. The population grew and houses began to change too. They became more compact, but grew 2-3 floors and had many rooms. Such houses cannot be built from mud and wooden beams, so masonry has replaced them.

Around 1200, the ancestors of the Pueblo climbed into the rocks. They built entire cities in natural niches formed by water. From 100 to 400 people lived in such dwellings. However, they lived there for less than 100 years. Around 1300 all the inhabitants left these places and Mesa Verde was completely deserted. Until now, the reason for this is unknown. It was possible to establish only that they went south to New Mexico and Arizona.

entrance to the park is located 160 highway between cities Cortes And Durango. 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Cortez and 35 miles (56 km) west of Durango. Please note that the road in the park is narrow, winding and steep.

If you are traveling by bus, you can only get to Durango. You will have to rent a car there, because. public transport does not go to the park itself.

The nearest airports are located in the cities of Cortez, Durango (Colorado) and Farmington (New Mexico). All airports are municipal; serve only domestic flights.

OPENING HOURS OF MESA VERDE PARK

The park is open all year round 24 hours a day, however, the opening hours of the park facilities may vary from season to season. To be sure exactly what and at what time will be available, it is best to check the schedule on official website.

There is only one information center in the park and it is located in front of the entrance to the park. In it you can find out necessary information from rangers, in a small museum to get acquainted with the nature and history of the park, as well as to buy souvenirs, books, maps and guides in a bookstore. Tickets for visiting rock houses are also sold here. Cliff Palace, Balcony House, long house.

Opening hours Visitor Center:

• end of October to mid April from 8:30 to 16:30
• from mid-April to the end of May and September-October - from 8:00 to 17:00
• all summer months from 7:30 to 19:00.

Among other things, the Visitor Center has public toilets and drinking water, which are available around the clock.

COST OF ATTENDING MESA VERDE PARK

TICKETS FOR 7 DAYS:

• Price for a car (and up to 15 passengers) from November to April - $ 15 , from May to October - $20
• Price for a motorcycle from November to April - $ 10 , from May to October - $15
• Price for cyclist and hiker from November to April - $ 7 , from May to October - $10

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

• Subscription to the Mesa Verde National Park (Mesa Verde Annual Pass) - $ 40
• General, applies to all US national parks (Annual Pass) — 80$
• Children up to 15 years — for free

map of mesa verde park

To prepare for your visit Mesa Verde Park convenient to get acquainted with card:

WHAT TO SEE

Mesa Verde Park contains about 5000 well preserved archaeological sites, including 600 rock houses. The most famous among them and the largest is rock palace(Cliff Palace). It consisted of 150 rooms and 23 kivas (rooms used for religious ceremonies). Considering that most of the houses had 1 to 5 rooms, the Rock Palace is an extremely large dwelling, which may have had administrative significance.

Also among the popular rock houses you can see

• House Balcony(Balcony House) - has 40 rooms, is unusual in that it has only one tunnel entrance, and to get to it, you need to go down an almost 10-meter staircase.
• long house(Long House) - the second largest dwelling.
• Spruce tree house(Spruce Tree House) - the third largest dwelling, has 130 rooms and 8 kiwis.
• step house(Step House) - a house to which stone steps lead, you can walk along it on your own, the only house where you do not need to buy a ticket.
• Square Tower House(Square Tower House) - a tall 4-level building.

You can go down to many of them with a guided tour, tickets for which must be purchased at Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. And you can admire for free from the observation decks.

At the top of the plateau, you can see the earlier semi-subterranean houses of the ancestors of the Pueblo, the temple of the sun and other equally interesting objects.

To study in more detail the life and culture of the ancestors of Pueblo, it is also worth visiting Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum(Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum), which is located in the center of the park 20 miles from the entrance. There are prehistoric artifacts, diaramas, cultural chronology and other items that tell about the history of this place.

In addition to the most interesting prehistoric sites and ancient ruins, Mesa Verde Park has stunning scenic landscapes.

WHERE TO STAY IN MESA VERDE PARK

Mesa Verde Park is relatively small and there is everything one campground — Morefield Campground. Despite the fact that it is the only one, its tent part is rarely completely filled. The campground is 4 miles from the entrance to the park. There are 267 places, each of which has a table with benches and a place for a fire with a grill. Tent place for 2 persons $30 , for motorhomes - $40 .

Near the campsite in the village of the same name (Morefield) you can find a cafe, coin-operated laundry, showers, grocery and gift shops.

The campground and village are open from April to October. For more detailed information on the operation of the campsite, see site.

For lovers of comfort, there is a Far Vew Lodge hotel 15 miles from the entrance, and you can also choose suitable accommodation in the cities closest to the park => Booking.com.

As for us, we have chosen the most free option. We spent the night in the car in the parking lot Walmart in the city Cortes. Some Walmart department stores are quite happy to allow travelers in their cars to park overnight in their parking lots.

Whatever travel option you choose - budget, or comfortable and more expensive, in any case, Mesa Verde Park is a very unusual and interesting place and worth your attention.

- This is one of the most famous national parks in the United States, located in the state of Colorado. First of all, it is interesting for the rock dwellings preserved on its territory, in which the Anasazi Indians lived about a thousand years ago. Our guide to Mesa Verde National Park in the USA gives short description park and recommendations for visiting it, as well as detailed maps territories; talks about what the park is, gives it Short story, a story about geology and nature, as well as answers to questions about how to get there, what hikes to go to and what to see in the park, what to do and where to spend the night.

Basic information about the park

Short description

Mesa Verde National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in Montezuma County, Colorado, in the so-called Four Corners region of the southwestern United States, where the four states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah converge. On its territory there are about 600 well-preserved rock dwellings of the Anasazi Indians, who inhabited the area from the 6th to the 13th century. The park was founded by the 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and is the largest archaeological site in the US dedicated to preserving history. American continent. This is one of the only national parks in the United States that primarily protects human-made objects, unlike all other parks (as, for example, in Arizona), which preserve wild nature and geology.

Attractions around the four corners

Territory and size of the park, opening hours

The entire territory of Mesa Verde Park, whose area is 212 km 2 (this is not the most big park, but rather modest, in comparison, for example, with the nearby Canyonlands park, whose area is 6 times larger - 1366 km 2), is located in highlands. The park is open all year round, but its entire territory is completely open to the public around the clock seven months a year (from April to October). During the cold season, some areas of the park are closed due to the large amount of snow falling here in winter, as the road passing through the mountain ranges at an altitude of more than 2500 meters becomes completely impassable due to snow cover and the danger of avalanches, but its most popular attractions can be seen in winter.

Mountains covered with forests

Anasazi Indians

The inhabitants of Mesa Verde - the Anasazi Indians - were engaged in hunting, fishing, collecting gifts of nature and partly agriculture. By the 12th century, their culture flourished and they began to build multi-storey residential buildings in the rocks, thanks to which the park is now known throughout the world. Around 1285, after a period of social tension caused by environmental upheavals accompanied by a series of prolonged droughts, the Anasazi left the area and traveled south to Arizona and New Mexico, to the Rio Chama region and Santa Fe. ). You can get acquainted with their culture and way of life in the visitor center and the archaeological museum of the Mesa Verde National Park, as well as visiting their partially restored dwellings. So-called ( Cliff Palace) is the largest residential building V North America built on rocks.

Geology

Mesa Verde Park sits on a ridge of gently sloping sedimentary rock that has been carved by long, deep canyons separating numerous narrow, parallel mesas in the transition zone between arid southern and temperate (alpine) northern part in the north.

Plants

The main plant communities in Mesa Verde Park include pine and juniper forests, semi-desert grasslands, and oak and spruce groves.

Animals

Mesa Verde National Park is home to:

• 74 species of mammals;
• 5 types of amphibians;
• 16 species of reptiles;
• 200 species of birds;
• 5 types of fish;
• Several hundred species of invertebrates.

The grazing of domestic animals in the territory of the par was banned for more than 60 years, as a result of which many rare and endangered species of animals and plants have restored their populations.

About Mesa Verde Park

Mesa Verde Park on the USA map

How to get to Mesa Verde Park

By car: The territory of Mesa Verde Park is located next to the large city of Cortes ( Cortez). Before turning towards the park, take Highway 160 westbound. The distance from Cortes to the entrance to the park is only about 16 km, and to the most visited part of the park - Chapin Mesa, which contains the most important sights, including the Palace on the Rock and the Archaeological Museum, it takes about 1 hour to drive. From another big city— Durango Durango) drive for about an hour and a half along the same highway 160, only in eastbound, and the distance to the entrance to the park is 53 kilometers.

Recommendation:
It is better to book a car for traveling around the USA in advance on rentalcars.com →

By plane: The nearest airports to the park are located in the cities of Cortes ( Cortez) and Durango ( Durango) in Colorado and Farmington ( farmington) in New Mexico.

By bus: The nearest bus station is located in the city of Durango ( Durango). Arriving there by bus, you will need to rent a car to drive to the park or buy a seat on an organized tour from one of the tour companies. There is no public transportation to Mesa Verde National Park.

Mesa Verde National Park on USA map

Distance from Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado) to:

• National Park (Utah) - 206 km, 2.5 hours;
• National Park (Utah) - 194 km, 2 hours;
• National Monument (Colorado) - 372 km, 4 hours;
• National Monument (New Mexico) - 320 km, 3.5 hours;
• National Park (Arizona) - 343 km, 4 hours;
• National Park (Arizona) - 450 km, 5 hours;
• National Monument (Arizona) - 415 km, 4.5 hours;
• National Monument (Arizona) - 420 km, 4.5 hours;
• National Monument (Arizona) - 442 km, 4.5 hours.

Park map

Location of Mesa Verde Park in Colorado on the map

Where to stay

Hotels, hotels and lodges

If you are going to visit the Mesa Verde Park for several days and even one day, then it will be most convenient to spend the night in hotels and hotels in Cortes. For example, in the excellent Hampton Inn Mesa Verde/Cortez

Within the Mesa Verde National Park is Far View Lodge, which operates from mid-April to the end of October. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that from the balcony of each room offers a panoramic view of the territory of three states at once. The rooms are ascetic, but comfortable, there are no TVs or other means of entertainment. Everything is done so that nothing breaks the silence for good rest from noisy cities. having lived here for one day, you can feel the atmosphere of the life of the Anasazi Indians, which developed many centuries ago. The lodge is non-smoking.

Camping in Mesa Verde Park

The only campsite in Mesa Verde Park - Morefield Campground located 6.5 kilometers from the entrance. It is quite large - 250 seats, 15 of which are fully connected ( Full hook-up). Camping works on the principle of first-come-first-served. The campsite has a shower, toilet, self-service laundry, gas station, a place for draining used water. Each place is equipped with a table with benches and a barbecue area. There are no other campsites in the park, and the nearest ones can be found in the cities of Cortes ( Cortez) and Mancos ( Mancos).

Where to eat

Mesa Verde Park has several cafes and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat. They can be found in every part of the park.

• Cafe Knife Edge Cafe located in the area Morefield Campground. Here from the end of April to September you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Opening hours: from 7:00 to 19:00.
• Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe located in historic building near Archaeological Museum And Spruce Tree House. Here you can have lunch or dinner every day both inside the building and on the outdoor terrace in the fresh air.
• Metate Room Restaurant at the lodge Far View Lodge offers expensive and gourmet meals for breakfast (from 7:00 to 9:30) and for dinner (from 17:00 to 21:30) from the end of April to the end of October.
• Far View Terrace Restaurant near Far View Area located half a kilometer from the lodge. Here from 7 am to 8 pm breakfasts, lunches and dinners are served from early May to early October. There is a coffee bar.
• Camping within the park, and in picnic areas(Picnic area) you can cook food on your gas burner or on coals. Products can be purchased in the nearby town of Cortes. It has large supermarkets, we ourselves bought groceries in Walmart Supercenter at 1835 E Main St, Cortez, GPS coordinates: 37.3414089,-108.581279.

Cafes, restaurants, shops, campsites and lodges in Mesa Verde National Park

Things to do in Mesa Verde Park

We will not bring full program of all the activities and entertainment that you can do in the park, and we will tell you about the five most interesting ones.

1. Immersion in the ancient culture of the Anasazi Indians. The visitor center and the Archaeological Museum present a lot of interesting information, revealing the way of life and culture of the people of the Heavenly City ( Ancestral Pueblo), as the Anasazi are officially known. Interactive stands and dioramas serve as a good and interesting addition.

   

   Diorama in the Archaeological Museum

2. Visiting rock dwellings- in the composition organized tour or on your own. In addition to single and complex buildings on flat terrain, Mesa Verde Park also has entire palaces in the rocks, the path to some of them can be much more interesting and more impressive than the high-rise buildings of the Indians.

   

   One of the houses of the Indians on the rocks and a kiva in front of it

3. Driving around the park along Mesa Top Loop Road or Chapin Mesa Loop Road, as well as by mountain roads The park will give an impression of the area in which the Anasazi Indians lived for many centuries.

   

   Road in Mesa Verde Park

4. Walking, hiking or cycling on trails in Mesa Verde Park will be interesting from an educational point of view. You will be able to explore wildlife, enjoy the silence and just see little-visited sights and archaeological sites.

   

   Small hike to the highest point in Mesa Verde Park

5. Participation in the evening photo tour V Cliff Palace or in evening program V Morefield Campground where to listen interesting stories both about nature and about the history of the development of the culture of the Anasazi Indians.

   

Information tickets and paid tours in Mesa Verde

An entrance ticket to the territory of the Mesa Verde National Park gives the right to freely move around its territory and observation platforms, as well as visit two not very large Anasazi multi-room houses without buying a separate tour:

• (Spruce Tree House) at Chapin Mesa;
• step house (step house) in Wetherill Mesa.

If you want to see the most popular sights - the huge multi-room houses of the Anasazi Indians, located on the rocks, you will have to buy tickets for tours with a ranger:

• Tour in ( Cliff Palace), located on the Cliff Palace Loop in Chapin Mesa;
• Tour in House with a balcony (Balcony House), also in Chapin Mesa;
• Tour in long house (long house), located in the back of the park - Wetherill Mesa.

Each tour is paid separately. Tour ticket price is $4 per person.

Note: In the summer season, when in the park the largest number visitors are not allowed to take tours to Cliff Palace and Balcony House on the same day, as the number of places on tours is limited.

In addition, you can participate in special tours places in which you need to reserve in advance:

• Twilight Photography Tour- participation in an evening one and a half hour excursion to Cliff Palace in a small group makes it possible to take good pictures of the Palace on the rock in good light at sunset. The tour runs daily from the end of May to the beginning of September, the cost is $25 per person.
• spring house- the largest unexcavated dwelling on a cliff in Mesa Verde Park. Its ruins are extremely fragile, so you can’t walk along them, but you can only see them from a special platform on south end villages. To see the Spring House, you need to purchase a ticket for an 8-hour walking tour along a circular rather difficult trail 13 kilometers long with a vertical drop of about 500 meters. The tour runs on Wednesdays and Sundays in May, September and October, starts at 8:00 am, costs $40 per person.
• Oak Tree House- The 60-room dwelling is built on two ledges in the rocks. Here you can see well-preserved plastered walls up close, as well as see the differences in architectural styles. There are good views along the way. Cliff Canyon, Cliff Palace, And Sun Temple. The length of a not very difficult trail is about one and a half kilometers. The tour does not run every day, starts at 8:00, cost $25 per person.
• Mug house- built in the XII century, served as a home for about 100 people. Along the way, you can see ancient ruins, including Adobe Cave. The duration of the tour is 2 hours, the length of a fairly simple trail is 5 kilometers. Held from June to mid-October on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 9:30. The cost is $25 per person.
• Balcony House Sunrise Tour— a special tour for photographers to the house with a balcony at dawn. It is organized several times a year, the schedule must be checked on the Mesa Verde National Park website or at the visitor center. The cost is $15 per person.
• Wetherill Mesa Bike & Hike Adventure- Group bike ride with a ranger on the 15 km Wetherill Mesa trail (summer only) - Wednesdays and Sundays at 9:30, cost $18 per person.

Tickets for paid tours can be purchased at the following locations:

• Visitor and Research Center
• morefield ranger station
• Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum
• Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez

Weather and climate

The climate in Mesa Verde is characteristic of the high-mountainous Colorado Plateau, with some allowance for mountainous terrain and altitude. It is cooler and windier here, with sudden rainfall.

spring the average temperature is from +5 to +21 °C, snowfalls are possible until the end of May.

Summer it is quite comfortable in Mesa Verde, the temperature stays in the range of +18..+32 °C In July and August in the afternoon there are often intermittent rains with thunderstorms. At this time of the year, when visiting the cliff houses, special care must be taken to drink enough water and avoid dehydration.

autumn usually the air temperature is kept in the range of +10..+25°C, but sometimes even in early October it can suddenly get colder and a snowstorm begins.

Winter in Mesa Verde it is quite comfortable and not very cold, the temperature is about 0 ° C, and because of this, icing often occurs on the roads. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to come here in a four-wheel drive car with winter tires, as well as take food, water and extra warm clothes with you.

The official website of Mesa Verde Park has recommendations on what to see in the park if you have a certain amount of time to visit (from a few hours to a couple of days). We briefly summarize these recommendations here.

If you have half a day

• First of all, before entering the park, visit the visitor center. Here, in addition to viewing the exhibition and stands, you can find out the latest information about the weather and the state of roads in the park, as well as get ranger recommendations for your visit program.
• Then head to the Archaeological Museum, located 34 kilometers from the visitor center. Here you can learn about the culture of the Anasazi Indians, watch beautiful and informative dioramas with scenes from their life, as well as a 25-minute film about Mesa Verde Park.
• Right from the museum you can walk to the third largest rock house in the park Spruce Tree House where the most well-preserved dwellings of the Indians are located. Here you can climb into the underground house on a wooden ladder, and the rangers here will be happy to answer your questions and help you learn more about.
• Instead of visiting the rock house, you can go by car along the 10 km scenic road Mesa Top Loop Road, where you can see different types of houses on your own from observation platforms, or by going on a small hike.

In an underground room

If you have all day

• You will be able to participate in all the activities recommended for visiting during the half day and described above.
• Plus, join paid tour in rock dwellings Balcony House or Cliff Palace, tickets for which you must purchase in advance.
• You can also visit the dwellings of the Indians in Far View Sites located 6.5 kilometers north of the Archaeological Museum. IN independent walk inspection included Far View House and the ruins of four other settlements, as well as a dried-up reservoir. all of these attractions are located along the 1.2 km dirt trail.

The dwellings of the Anasazi Indians on the rock

If you have two full days

• On the first day, participate in the activities described above.
• On the second day, take the road Wetherill Mesa Road to the furthest part of the park Wetherill Mesa. Here you can go on a hike on foot or ride a bike to the trail Badger House Community Trail or on the 8 km circular route Long House Loop, which has observation platforms for viewing the dwellings of the Indians on the rocks.
• Take part in a paid 2-hour tour of the Long House, tickets for which you must purchase in advance. The ranger will lead the tour group on foot along the 3.6 km trail, on the way he will tell in detail about the life of the Anasazi Indians and show the Long House.
• Visit the Stepped House ( step house), where you can see two architectural styles at the same time - Modified Basket Maker(from 550 to 750 AD) and Classic Pueblo(from 1100 to 1300 AD). The 1.5km circular trail starts at the information center and includes a 30m descent and ascent.

The territory of the park and the main attractions

Panoramic views and houses on the rocks

Mesa Verde National Park has many forests and mountains. Viewpoints on the peaks offer panoramic views for dozens of miles around. IN good weather visible mountains on the horizon. And although beautiful views mountain scenery they cannot leave anyone indifferent, but they may seem exciting to some, and they may disappoint someone, especially if you go to Mesa Verde after visiting other US national parks. Therefore, people go to Mesa Verde Park primarily to look at the various houses on the rocks that were built by the Anasazi Indians who lived here more than a thousand years ago.

This is the main attraction of Mesa Verde National Park. - this is the largest complex of dwellings, consisting of 150 rooms built in different architectural styles. Among them there are several multi-storey towers, and big houses. Kiva (a place for general meetings and ceremonies and rituals) in the amount of 23 elements is surrounded by residential buildings. The palace on the rock is clearly visible from the road. located on the opposite side of the canyon. Before starting the descent to the Palace on the rock, the ranger explains in detail that people with poor health are at risk of it, since in order to inspect the house they have to go down, and then up the steep steps. You can't bring food to the house, only water. Water will be a salvation, as it is very dry and hot there, and climbing stairs is tiring. And then the ranger collects tickets, opens the gate, lets the tourists through and closes the gate. That's it, the tour went on a journey through time in the hope of resurrecting the Anasazi.

Spruce Tree House

One of the best-preserved residential complexes of the Anasazi Indians is clearly visible from the road near the Archaeological Museum. consisted of 114 separate rooms built in a huge recess in the canyon wall Spruce Tree Canyon. A small trail leads to it, right from the exit of the museum. You need to go down the steps into the canyon and go through a small spruce grove, immediately beyond which opens access to the ruins. It is now the most visited house in the entire park due to its proximity to the museum and no problem buying tickets for group tours as it is self-guided and free to visit.

House in the rocks behind the trees

Balcony House

Third largest in territory Chapin Mesa mesa verde park, House with a balcony clearly visible from the road Cliff Palace Loop Road. Here, too, different types of buildings are presented - living rooms, towers and kiva. The hike to this house includes climbing up a wooden ladder to a rock about 11 meters high, which adds to the experience of visiting these ruins. The building here is quite compact and well thought out. About 40 living rooms and a set of architectural features - kiva. T-shaped doorways, rounded walls, towers of various types and shapes. The cabins are shaded most of the day and are located in a rocky cave 17 meters below the top of the canyon.

How to inspect the territory of Mesa Verde Park?

The territory of Mesa Verde Park can be conditionally divided into several parts:

• morefield village
• North Rim
• Wetherill Mesa Road
• Wetherill Mesa
• Chapin Mesa
• Mesa Top Loop
• Cliff Palace Loop

Scheme of the territory of the Mesa Verde National Park (clickable - click to enlarge)

morefield village

This part of the territory from the entrance to the park to the tunnel. It includes:

• Visitor Center
• observation platform Mancos Valley Overlook
• Camping Morefield Campground
• Amphitheater
• Several trails of varying length and difficulty

North Rim

Part of the mountain road from the tunnel to Far View Area, consisting of:

• Roads on mountain ranges
• observation platform Montezuma Valley Overlook+ picnic area
• observation platform Park Point Overlook– the highest point in the park (2613 m) + picnic area

Wetherill Mesa Road

Mountain road with sharp turns and dangerous ascents/descents (open only during the warm season - from the end of May to the end of September) from Far View Area to houses in Wetherill Mesa. There are several viewpoints on it:

• observation deck Window to the Past+ picnic area
• observation deck Fire Recovery Viewpoint
• observation deck McElmo Canyon View
• observation deck Rock Canyon Tower View

Wetherill Mesa

Here are the rock houses of the Anasazi Indians, as well as several trails for walking tours and tour bus trips. here you can see:

• Information Center
• house in the rock step house
• house in the rock long house– requires the purchase of a special ticket, inspection in the composition excursion tour
• excursion route Tram route with stops at attractions
• Archaeological site Nordenskiold #16

Chapin Mesa

Territory from Far View Area to the Archaeological Museum, which has several viewpoints and hiking trails:

• Terrace Far View Terrace
• Ruins of dwellings Far View Sites
• Trail to agricultural terraces Farming Terrace trail
• Trail to the canyon Spruce Canyon Trail
• Trail to petroglyphs petroglyph point trail
• Terrace Spruce Tree Terrace
• Archaeological Museum Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum
• Dwellings in the rock Spruce Tree House- you can watch it for free and on your own
• Amphitheater

Mesa Top Loop

A 10 km circular trail passing by various Anasazi Indian houses and a ceremonial center. Here you can see:

• House in a hole Pit House
• observation deck Navajo Canyon Viewpoint
• multistory tower Square Tower House
• underground dwellings Pit Houses and Villages
• observation deck sun point view
• Venue for ceremonies Sun Temple

Cliff Palace Loop

A 10 km circular route (closed for the winter) passing by two of the main attractions of Mesa Verde Park - huge residential complexes in the rocks, which require the purchase of a special ticket to visit, and the inspection takes place as part of a sightseeing tour led by a ranger:

Cliff Palace
• House with a balcony Balcony House
• observation deck Soda Canyon Overlook

Trails in Mesa Verde Park

1. In the territory Chapin Mesa
   — Farming Terraces– 0.8 km
   — Petroglyph Point & Spruce Canyon Loop Trails– 3.9 km
   — Soda Canyon Overlook Trail– 1.9 km
2. In the territory Wetherill Mesa
   — Badger House Community Trail– 3.6 km
   — Nordenskiöld Site No. 16 Trail– 3.2 km
3. In the territory Morefield Campground
   —Point Lookout Trail– 3.5 km
   — Knife Edge Trail– 3.2 km
   — Prater Ridge Trail– 12.6 km

Mesa Verde Visitor Information

Tickets for excursions. Mesa Verde National Park seemed to us the most commercialized of all that we visited during our independent travel across the US by car. Everything here is built to make money on visitors, and not to give them the opportunity to have fun in the first place. Immediately at the entrance to the park, you need to purchase tickets for tours to the most interesting houses. If you do not, you will have to run after them later, and the visiting time can be very inconvenient for you. So plan your visit in advance.

Treat the exhibits of the park with care. While visiting the park, do not break off or pick anything from the ruins of the Anasazi Indian dwellings. This is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. The fine for causing damage can be up to one hundred thousand dollars or imprisonment for up to 20 years!

Follow traffic rules. On the territory of Mesa Verde Park, speeding and parking violations on the roads are very strictly monitored. Obey the traffic signs and never exceed the speed limit, even if the road looks completely clear and there are no obstructions along it. We were pulled over and fined by a ranger for slightly exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph on an empty road for a "token" $100. As a result, we lost a lot of time on checking, filing a violation and subsequent payment of a fine. So don't rush and don't break the rules in Mesa Verde Park, it's not worth it, take care of your nerves and money.

Drinking water you should always have enough with you when you drive around the park by car, and when you go on a hike. Free to dial drinking water is possible in every part of the park, including Cliff Palace, visitor center, museum, camping and information kiosk on site Wetherill Mesa.

Mobile communications in Mesa Verde practically absent. You can use the telephone only near the shop in the camping area Morefield Campground.

Wi-Fi and Internet in Mesa Verde can be found in the following locations:

• Morefield Campground
• Far View Lodge
• Far View Terrace
• Spruce Tree Terrace

Warm clothes needed when visiting the park. Since its territory is located on the crests of mountains at an altitude of about two thousand meters above sea level and above, it is possible here strong winds and cooler than the plains.

Transport to visit the park, you must have your own (car, motorcycle, bicycle), or buy a tour on a bus tour.

Fuel refueling in the park located in the camping area Morefield Campground.

Wild animals They live in Mesa Verde National Park. Keep your eyes on the road when you are driving and also keep your eyes on the trails.

Drones and other unmanned aircrafts prohibited from use in Mesa Verde National Park.

One of the arches in the rocky wall of the canyon serves as a shelter for the dwellings of the Anasazi Indians.

Our review of Mesa Verde Park

Mesa Verde National Park made a huge impression on us in general. After all, to see with your own eyes the dwellings of people who are built under sheer rocks and cliffs, and the bottom of the canyons disappears below - this is to be convinced of the uniqueness of the Anasazi culture. Many cultures preferred to settle on high cliffs, but many built their houses in such a way that abysses hid behind windows or sidewalks. Perhaps this is in principle inherent in American culture in the broadest sense. We also met similar Indian houses in the Walnut Canyon, and we should not forget about the whole Inca city built on top of a cliff.

The Mesa Verde Park painstakingly collected everything related to the disappeared culture of the Anasazi Indians. And if there is a special interest in the history of the American continent, then visiting here is a mandatory item on the traveler's program.

However, the uniqueness also lies in the lack of one of the main attractions of the state of Colorado - Mesa Verde Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not all houses can be approached and visited - some excursions must be booked in advance and paid separately. Yes, and parts of the park are remote from each other and between them you have to move along mountain roads. And we didn’t quite like the organization of visiting this park: if you want to come and see everything quickly, then such a trick won’t work with Mesa Verde. And if natural disadvantages - mountains and long roads cannot be eliminated, then the human factor in the organization, in principle, could be improved. But for now, you have to choose. Or stay for a long time. But it's worth it, in our humble opinion.

For anyone familiar with the Spanish language, it will not be difficult to translate the expression “mesa verde” as “green table”. But it's still a literal translation. In fact, this refers to the “green plateau” - this is how the Spaniards in the 18th century called the vast highlands on the territory of the modern state of Colorado, discovered during the search for an overland route to Pacific Ocean. As you know, the southwestern United States is famous for its red-orange hues in the landscape, so it is not surprising that the green coniferous forest that suddenly appeared before the eyes of Europeans immediately attracted attention.

Although in our case, it would be more correct to call the place “mesa blanca” (“white plateau”), since everything around was covered with fresh Christmas snow. At the entrance to the park they paid $10, and having received, as usual, a map of the area (there was already a collection, however!), slowly crawled into the mountains on a trailer, strongly swaying under the gusts of side wind.

For the sake of Mesa Verde, we made a small detour, leaving the New Mexico route, and all in order to look at the unusual, “rocky” housing of the ancient Indians. Cities in the rock were discovered in the 19th century by local cowboys, while searching for stray cows. Exploring the territory for several months, they found a total of 182 settlements in the rocks. Cowboys sold the found household items to museums and private collectors.

Despite extensive excavations, scientists have not been able to learn much about the people who lived in these cities. It is known that they settled here in the 6th century, and lived and lived for 700 years, after which they suddenly left the territory (presumably due to drought). Archaeologists have named the people "Anasazi", which in the Navajo language means "ancestors".

The Anasazi were stuck in the Stone Age, metal was unfamiliar to them. In the summer, they lit a fire only for cooking, and in the winter the fires burned around the clock. Until now, the walls and ceilings covered with soot are reminiscent of the cold weather in which people lived for half a year.

Everything unnecessary - leftovers, cast-offs, junk - was simply thrown out of the windows onto the slopes of the rocks. Gradually, an abundant cultural layer accumulated at the bottom of the canyon, from which, basically, the richest archaeological collection of the local museum was collected. So to say, “one person’s trash is another treasure” is a saying in action. The next time you throw away holey socks, imagine that in 500 years they can show off under glass in a place of honor in the collection of some enthusiast-researcher of the “ancient” 21st century :)

The Anasazi left no written evidence of their stay, so ideas about their way of life are compared with similar settlements of the same time. Niches in the rocks gave protection from the weather: in summer it was cool there, and in winter it was not as cold as on the highlands open to all winds. On wooden stairs hanging over the abyss, the Indians got out of the houses on the plateau, to the gardens and corn fields.

The inhabitants did their homework mainly on the street, in small courtyards enclosed by a stone wall adjoining the rooms. Women wove baskets and sandals, spun, sewed patterned blankets, and made pottery. In earthenware jugs, corn, beans, smoked meat, berries, nuts, acorns and dried flowers were harvested for the winter, which served as spices. And men made various tools from stone and bone - knives, axes, awls, scrapers. Hunters beat deer, wild turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, whose skins, feathers and fur were used for winter clothes.

But this is, so to speak, the “old”, initial version. According to modern ideas, based on more detailed excavations, it is believed that the Indians lived on the plateau itself in dugouts, and in niches under the rocks they had food stores and round ceremonial buildings (kivas) for religious rites.
The walls of Anasazi buildings were made from local gray-yellow sandstone, from which blocks the size of modern bricks were cut, after which they were fastened with clay soaked in water.

On this moment, many “rock palaces” can only be admired from afar, from the opposite edge of the canyon. But there are also those where it is allowed to go down with a guide or even on your own. And if in the peak season you have to sign up for a hike with a guide ahead of time, then in December there were no problems with places in the group, and we were happy to walk to the “Spruce tree house” in the company of a cheerful and knowledgeable ranger.

The interior of the reconstructed kiva.

In the National Park Mesa Verde National Park a large number of Indian dwellings of the Anasazi tribe (ancestors of modern Pueblos), built in the period from the 6th to the 12th centuries AD, are concentrated.

Mesa Verde is located in the southwest of the state Colorado at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level (the highest point is 2620 m). There are about 600 stone dwellings here, including the famous high-rise building, the Cliff Palace rock palace, the Balcony house and the square Hovenweep tower, built of sandstone and mud mortar. In addition, on the territory of Mesa Verde, archaeologists have discovered more than 4,100 dwellings.

Indian buildings were divided into entire villages, which were located on top of the mesas. In some stone buildings there were more than 100 rooms.

Representatives of the Anasazi tribe lived in these places for about nine hundred years, from 450 to 1300 AD. The archaeological site of Mesa Verde clearly testifies to the ancient cultural traditions of the Indian tribes, representing the connection between the past and the present way of life of the representatives of the ancient tribe.

Among the American Indians, the Anasazi lived in a rather harsh environment. southwestern part Colorado is mostly populated by mesas and deep canyons. The climate is semi-arid, characterized by uneven rainfall and large temperature differences between day and night.

The Anasazi began to inhabit this land starting from 450 AD. They built their dwellings in an L- or U-shape. Most of the houses were built under overhanging rocks that protected the inhabitants from the scorching sun and strong winds.

The Anasazi civilization peaked between the 12th and 13th centuries, after which the tribe suddenly disappeared. Among the buildings in Mesa Verde, the most impressive are multi-story structures, the most famous of which are the Cliff Palace and the Long House, which houses 181 rooms. All dwellings in Mesa Verde are located very compactly, which indicates the competent use of space under sheer cliffs.

A whole network of reservoirs and dams was built in the valley, with the help of which the inhabitants of Mesa Verde irrigated their cultural plantings. Archaeological excavations showed that the Anasazi were very good artisans, the wickerwork and ceramics found are striking in their quality.

The first European to see Mesa Verde was John Moss in 1873. A year later, the ancient village was looted, and the remaining pottery was sold to collectors in 1889.

In 1906, the ruins of Mesa Verde were given the status of a US national park, since that time the site has been under federal protection.

Since 1978, Mesa Verde has been on the UNESCO National Heritage List.