Even if the road made me a bit nervous, this is one of the best places we’ve visited. Mesa Verde is a park high up on a plateau where there are entire villages built underneath cliffs. They were built from 1200 to 1300 AD and then abandoned. It seems that the residents had to move further south.
Winter turned out to be a good time – we still go to tour one of the cliff dwellings and we saw many others from the lookouts. There were almost no other tourists there so we had a great tour and got to take lots of pictures. We also got to climb down into a Kiva, an underground ceremonial space. Kivas are circle-shaped and have an entrance plus a ventilation chute.
Our tour guide, Linda, was amazing and let us stay and take lots of pictures. She also swore Morgane in as a junior ranger.
Afterwards we had just enough time to drive the 6 mile mesa drive and see other dwellings from various lookouts and the sun temple.
I didn’t love the drive down either, but it was worth it!
Very interesing sunset photo…almost abstract…what a privilege to see this spot, very spiritual. Thanks for sharing it. Yea Morgane, the Junior Ranger badge girl!!!
Mesa Verde is a very special place where you can almost feel the history, we love it there but from your photos winter looks like a wonderful time to visit; we have always been there in the spring or fall . . . lots of people!
Nancy
Impressive.
G.