Mesa Verde

Yesterday we visited the fabulous Mesa Verde Park in southern Colorado.  This has been on my bucket list for awhile, and the park didn't disappoint!  Our first stop was a tour of Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America.  Built between 1190 and 1260, the dwelling was home to about 150 people.

It was fascinating to learn about the ancient Puebloan people who built numerous cliff dwellings throughout the surrounding area. We had fun speculating on the surprised reactions of early explorers who were just riding/walking through the mountains (like the ones below) to find these spectacular ruins nestled in the cliffs and overhangs. 

Our park ranger was a top notch tour guide.  In addition to his extensive knowledge of the park and Puebloan Indian culture, he had numerous anecdotal stories of his years at the park.  One included a special tour with Charlie Daniels (of "Devil Went Down to Georgia" fame), who sat right in the spot where Annabel was seated.  Annabel thought this was pretty cool, especially since she does want to learn to play the fiddle.

Evidence of the everyday life of the cliff dwellers is abundant.  You can even see where the Puebloans placed their hands to steady themselves as they walked up and down steep stairs to get to/from their homes.  There are even finger imprints in some (see the bottom circle in the photo below).

The Puebloans had two types of pets:  dogs and turkeys.  Turkeys were utilitarian pets, as the Indians used their feathers to weave into other fibrous plants to make material for clothing.

There are numerous other types of dwellings - both cliff and ground - to explore in the park.  Mesa Verde also boasts some beautiful scenic vistas.

On our way back to the campground we made a detour to see the 4 corners monument.  Here's Thane standing where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah all meet.