Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Rest of Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde National Park contains over 4,500 archeological sites, of which 600 are cliff dwellings. Cliff Palace, shown here, is the largest cliff dwelling in North America.


It originally contained 150 rooms, and 23 round kivas.


The tour to Cliff Palace also involves stairs and ladders, but is not nearly as difficult as the trip to Balcony House.


You can take a self-guided tour to Spruce Tree House, the park's best-preserved and third largest cliff dwelling.


Built in the thirteenth century, as were all of these cliff dwellings, it contains 130 rooms and 8 kivas.


One of the kivas has been recovered, and you can go down and see how you like it.


I would have loved to go on the tour of the tallest structure in the park, Square Tower House, just to see the "Crow's Nest," a unique feature you can't see from the overlook. Built high in a crevice on the cliff face, it was probably used for protection.


The dwellings in the park are constantly being preserved, but not rebuilt. Here some volunteers work on Far View Ruins.


Several fires in recent years have destroyed most of the trees in the park. Since there is so little rain here, it takes a long time for the vegetation to recover.


On the way to Mesa Verde is Four Corners, the only place where you can be in 4 states - Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado - at the same time.

Back in 2009, the Associated Press ran a story stating that the true Four Corners is really 2.5 miles away. But it turns out they were wrong (mostly). The true Four Corners is actually 1807 feet west of here. Wow! I want my money back!

11 comments:

  1. You are just too funny. If we had tried to lay down at Four Corners neither one of us could have gotten up again.

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  2. WOW! How did they mess that one up so bad?? LOL! Let me get my map and see what state you're really in...hmm! Either way it looks nice, you're still in shorts. Cheers! ~M

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  3. That site has long been on my list. Glad to see you enjoying it to the fullest!

    P.S. Are you getting YOUNGER? This is like "The Blog of Dorian Gray"!

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  4. How did it feel to be quartered like that :-))))) Thanks for sharing the rest of Mesa Verde.

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  5. Dorian Gray? God, I hope not... But one thing I have learned in blogging is to only post pictures of yourself where you look good!

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  6. I think you look lovely in every picture you post. I get a kick out of where and what you're doing next.

    Too bad they missed the mark on the real four corners, do they have a corrected version? I agree, you should get your money back, but who do you complain to? You're liable to get someone from customer service in India... ;c)

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  7. Love Mesa Verdi, but still haven't been to Four Corners. I'll wait until they fix the location.

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  8. Mesa Verde is one of my favorite places; oh how I miss being in the west :-(

    Love your Blog! Miss you! Hi to Phil!

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  9. DONT you love the Ancient Dwellings? I sure do!! They lived with nature in every way!! Great blog and that last shot is a great one...

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  10. Thank goodness, no more of those scary high rock homes. Love the concept of four corners and plan to fly in a circle someday soon from state to state..
    You'll have to share your secret for reverse aging as you ARE looking younger!

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  11. I love the pictures! The one of you coming up the ladder is very cute. :)

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I love comments!