Mesa Verde Travel Guide
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Mesa Verde Travel Guide
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Hotels
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Find: Mesa Verde Hotels, Camping, Hiking, Maps, Photos, Activities & Visitor Information
By 1901 the area was widely recognized as a national treasure, and the first bill was introduced in Congress to make Mesa Verde into a National Park. That designation would be delayed until 1906. Taking its name from the Spanish for "green table," Mesa Verde today is one of America's most beloved National Parks; it was the first National Park created to protect man-made structures. There are over 5,000 ruins inside the park, including Cliff Palace, pictured at the here -- the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Mesa Verde offers visitors the opportunity to explore ruins spanning 1300 years of Native American pre-history, and learn about the ancestral pueblo culture -- sometimes referred to as the Anasazi or "Ancient Ones." The ancestral pueblos were excellent craftsmen, and many of the artifacts they left behind can be viewed at the museum inside the park, or at the Anasazi Heritage Center near Dolores. Combine your visit to Mesa Verde with other major sites nearby (Ute Mountain Tribal Park, Hovenweap, Aztec, Chimney Rock, Chaco Canyon, or Canyon de Chelly) and you will begin to understand how extensive and advanced the Anasazi culture was at its zenith. It is estimated that as many as 50,000-60,000 people may have lived in Montezuma County during the peak period of occupation, making it the archaeological epicenter of the United States. New evidence from recent archaeological studies at Mesa Verde is changing long established theories about what caused Pueblo villages in the Four Corners to be abondoned. Recent forest fires in the region have uncovered thousands of previously unknown sites, pushing the population estimate for the Anasazi upward. Museum exhibits at the various sites in the region have yet to catch up with the new understanding. It is an exciting time to visit, as interpretive signs and displays are being updated. Access to Mesa Verde is from Hwy. 160 just east of Cortez. Once inside the park, visitors can explore by taking two scenic drives: one to Chapin Mesa and the other to Wetherill Mesa. Mesa Verde National Park also offers visitors many modern conveniences. There is a hotel in Mesa Verde National Park, several restaurants, and a well kept campground with hot showers and a coin laundry. We recommend you allow at least one full day at Mesa Verde.
05/15/06 |
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NOTICE! |
Though Mesa Verde had been visited previously by several
government sponsored expeditions, and by miners exploring the Southwest
for gold and silver, the accidental "discovery" of Cliff Palace in the
winter of 1888, by two cowboys searching for stray cows, touched off
extensive archaeological exploration throughout the Four Corners region. 
