Mesa Verde National Park

Arrival

We pulled into Mesa Verde RV Park around 2 pm and were greeted by the Mesa, but a ½ mile from the park. This would be the second time I had been there and Ginny’s first. During my 20’s I had headed west to meet up with a friend near Denver. My trip took me through Durango so I thought I would stop to see the Mesa. It was great to be back and share this special place with Ginny. The memories of my first trip came flooding back as the butte stood tall just outside the entrance to the RV park. I was very anxious to show Ginny around the park.

Park Visit

Mesa Verde offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from 550 to 1300. Today, the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. From the many sites located here and in the surrounding Four Corners area, archeologists have compiled one of the most significant chapters in the story of ancient America.

Spring is a lovely time to visit, we arrived in Mid April just as the park was getting up and running. Many opportunities are available to help you experience this fascinating place, but most activities depend on weather and road conditions. You will need to check with a ranger before beginning any of the described activities. Guide booklets are available at the Mesa Verde Visitor Center, Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, and at sites along the Mesa Top Loop Road. Stop at the Visitor Center or Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum to plan your visit.

What we found

We decided to head out to Mesa Verde early in the morning to beat the crowds. Gin and I headed up to the Mesa. Upon arriving at the visitors center we find out that ¾ of the park is closed to visitors due to maintenance or seasonal closings. We had called earlier in the year to see when the park would be open knowing that weather and such could impact the roads etc. The response from the rangers at that time indicated that the weather could impact what was open or not. They did not discuss at that time the maintenance that was going on in many of the dwellings.

They were doing work on the rock roofs above the Cliff Dwellings to reinforce them for safety reasons. I have included a great park video that will give you the basic information you need to get started. You could still drive around and see them from afar but not go down in them such as the Cliff Palace. The Balcony Room was open, but Gin has some fear of the ladders, so we passed on going down in there. As a side note, the ladders may look a bit challenging but don’t let that stop you. They are very doable and the climb down is well worth the time.

The closings of most of the park features was a disappointment but frankly, it cut the crowds down and we got to visit a number of sites with good views of the Dwellings. The wind was howling, it was cold but we still enjoyed the day.

I would put this on your must-see bucket list before the park is totally closed to visiting the dwelling via the ladders and tours. Update – While visiting the web site I did notice that they have permanently closed a couple of the dwelling sites due to falling rock issues. Check with the park before visiting for updates.

Here is a link to the park: Mesa Verde National Park