Went to Mesa Verde today, as I mentioned before, this area in Colorado does not open for season until mid May, this is true for Mesa Verde. Shops, campground, lodge, museum do not open until May 14th. But I could not do a later date, so make the best with what you get. Now instead of 70’s here, it could have been cold and snow, that part I was lucky. Anyway, the people of Mesa Verde were Ancestral Pueblo people just like the people that lived in the Aztec Ruins. The period was 1150 until 1300. What is interesting about the park, it is huge. I was talking to someone and they told me long drive, well I understand now. From the gate to the Cliff Dwellings is 20 miles. You have to go over a mountain, but that is normal in Colorado. One section of the park is closed for the season for construction.
You can still see allot just can’t access the dwellings themselves have to view from a distance. Need to get on a ranger tour, but they don’t start until 14th and are probably sold out anyway. Just remember when you come to the area, plan after May 14th and see if you can schedule a tour 6 months before you travel. Even with things closed, still a wonderful drive and got to see the dwellings from vantage points, just wish the museum was open. The only site, Spruce Tree house you can access without a ranger, but that was closed too. I could have took the 2 mile trail down, but why, I was able to get great pics from above. The people had to be great craftsman and mountain climbers, just look at Cliff palace. In my pics I try to show the far away pics before to closeup to get an idea of how they are molded right into the cliff. As you will also notice, the Kiva’s which was an important aspect in their existence, just like Aztec and Pecos.
