hr: traveller

Photo Credit: K _ Thomas
The Mesa Verde National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the southwestern corner of Colorado and is renowned for wonderfully-preserved cliff dwellings. This is said to be one of the most interesting sights in America. The name literally means “green table” in Spanish, referring to the verdantly green plateaus.

The are was covered by a shallow sea about a hundred million years ago, and as the sea receded, uplift in the area created the high plateau that is Mesa Verde. You can come into the park at Montezuma Valley where elevation is a steep climb to the mesa top. Park elevation ranges from 6,100 to 8,400 feet above sea level.

One of the best places to see is the Far View Visitor Center where you can sign up for guided tours of Cliff Palace, the Balcony House and the Long House. Or you can go on one of the many scenic views of the park where you can bask in the beauty of nature. There’s the Montezuma Valley Overlook, the Park Point Overlook and the Geologic Overlook. Most of the old service buildings can be found in the Historic District which you can visit. The Spruce Tree Terrance restaurant is quite a place to see.

Another must visit is the Wetherill Mesa, open seasonally from 9 AM to 4:30 PM from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can walk the Badger House Trail or look at the Step House where the trail descends a hundred feet from the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk.

Lots of walking but incredibly beautiful. It’s going to be worth it, trust me.

For more information, visit the official site of the Mesa Verde National Park.

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