The Square Tower House. Mesa Verde National Park.
One of the fascinating things to observe while traveling is mankind’s inherent ingenuity. Whether it’s the octagon dome at Ely Cathedral or Newgrange’s honeycomb construction, it becomes quickly apparent that humans are a clever, creative species. This fact was once again brought home to me as I toured the ruins in Mesa Verde National Park.
We were looking forward to seeing Mesa Verde. We had heard of the abandoned cities in the mountainsides, and thought they would be fascinating to explore. What we didn’t realize was how cold we would get while exploring. As I mentioned on the October 12th page, it was about 40 degrees, with a wind chill of 17 degrees. These conditions remained fairly constant throughout the day (although the wind did die down). While the weather didn’t really detract from the experience, it certainly slowed us down. Between all the clothing layers and the stiff breeze, we were somewhat restricted in our mobility. Fortunately, access to most of the ruins is very good. So, we simply slowed down and moved as much as our clothes would allow.
We drove east on Highway 160 to the park entrance. We paid our $10 entry fee and started to drive into the park. Our initial thought was that the ruins were near the park entrance. It turned out that the ruins are on the other side of the park, approximately 26 miles from the park entrance. The drive to the ruins was on a steep, winding road. While the vistas along the way were breathtaking, it was a little disconcerting trying to navigate the path in the midst of a strong wind.
After driving for 15 miles, we finally reached the Far View Visitor’s Center. The Visitor’s Center’s parking lot is across the road from the actual center. One goes through a tunnel underneath the road to get to the Center. On most days, this would be a casual walk. However, on this day, the high winds turned the tunnel into a wind chamber of frozen air. We actually had to lean into the wind in order to cross through the tunnel. It will come as no surprise that we spent extra time in the Visitor’s Center warming up.
While many of Mesa Verde’s sights are open with just the cost of park admission, entrance into the Cliff Palace and the Balcony House both cost extra ($2/person/ticket). There are two reasons for the extra admission charge. First, charging extra and requiring a ticket for entry allows the Park Service to control the number of people touring the site at any given time. Second, because these sites can only be visited on a guided tour, the extra charge covers the cost of the ranger guiding the tour. We bought tickets for a morning tour of Balcony House and an afternoon tour of Cliff Palace.
We walked back to our cars (this time, with the wind to our backs) and headed off for the ruin sites. About 10 miles later, we were at the parking lot for the park’s museum. We did a quick tour of the museum to get ourselves familiar with the geography, the people, and the history of the area. Then, we got back in the car and drove over to the Cliff Palace parking lot for our tour.
I was not looking forward to going on this tour. It wasn’t the altitude that concerned me (although we were at about 7,000 feet in elevation). Instead, I was dreading touring the site with the wind whipping around us. However, my fears turned out to be for naught. Once we descended from the mesa’s top and got to the ruin, the wind had dropped dramatically. While the air was still cold, the wind wasn’t aggravating it. It became apparent why the Native Americans had chosen this site. It was perfectly sheltered from the weather.
The first glimpse we got of the Cliff Palace was breathtaking. It was from a lookout point about one hundred yards above the ruins themselves. Immediately, I was struck by the beauty of the site. These feelings only became stronger once we set foot into the complex itself. It was not hard to admire the ingenuity of the site. The Native Americans had carefully constructed the buildings to match the contours of the rock. It actually looked like the ruins were an extension of the rock wall. Yet, the builders did not constrain themselves to the limitations of the rock. They still managed to fit in several round rooms, including a turret, as well as some square towers throughout the complex. The result was a structure that had a synergistic appearance with its surroundings.
Our guide through the Cliff Palace made a strong effort to bring Native American thought into our tour. She frequently quoted conversations she’d had with the local tribes concerning the history and functionality of the structure. While it was a little hokey, it did allow us to view the structure with a different perspective.
After ascending a staircase, we got back into our car and drove off to Balcony House’s parking lot. We waited for about 15 minutes for a Park Ranger to lead us on the tour. When she arrived, she informed us that we would be hiking for about a half-mile, which included climbing up two ladders and crawling through some narrow spaces. I thought it sounded like fun. And, it was.
Balcony House was not as beautiful as the Cliff Palace. However, the fact that it was even built on such a remote location made the site impressive. It was pretty clear from the difficulty to reach the site that Balcony House was intended to house special events and/or special visitors. There were a lot fewer living quarters and kivas at Balcony House. However, the vistas were even more inspiring than they were at the other dwellings.
After our tour, we climbed another ladder to get back to the car. We then took a drive around the park to see the other ruins which are not accessible through a tour. I was very struck by the number of dwellings that populated the mesa’s cliffs. It was easy to make out various buildings in several alcoves throughout the Chapin Mesa. I was also very impressed by the view of the Square Tower House. While one cannot tour this structure, it is easy to appreciate its architecture from the lookout point.
After our drive, we made our way back to the museum. We didn’t go back into the museum, but instead started down the path to the Spruce Tree House. This complex is the most easily accessible of all the ruins in Mesa Verde. However, the wind had almost completely died down by this time. Since I was still wearing a jacket and several layers, I got very hot walking down to Spruce Tree House. Still, the walk was worth it. The ruin contained a reconstructed kiva, into which I descended. While it wasn’t architecturally interesting, it did leave a good impression as to what it must have been like inside this structure during a ceremony.
After our tour around Spruce Tree House, we went back to the museum to buy a couple of souvenir pamphlets. Then, we made the long trek back to Cortez.
I really didn’t get any sense of spiritual significance at Mesa Verde. What I did get was an appreciation for the ingenuity and dedication it must have taken to build these structures. The way that they blend into the surroundings without overpowering them is truly amazing. Also amazing is the fact that these structures have stood for about 800 years. The fact that they have survived despite the harsh conditions is a testament to the genius of the tribes that build them. Seeing evidence of that genius is reason enough to make a stop at Mesa Verde a mandatory part of any Southwest trip.
From a physical point of view, it would be very difficult to see all of Mesa Verde’s sites in less than a day. However, to fully appreciate them, a full day at the park is mandatory. Start early in the morning and anticipate being done in the mid afternoon. Also, wear clothing that’s appropriate for the site. All of the accessible ruins are located at about 7,000 feet in elevation. The altitude and the high desert climate can make for some tricky conditions when touring the sites. Visitors are highly recommended to monitor the weather reports and dress appropriately.
Two other pictures for your enjoyment (round tower at Cliff Palace and the Spruce Tree House):
October 12 Home
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