Mesa Verde History
First, a little history. Mesa Verde National Park protects more than 4,000 archaeological sites, including pueblos, cliff dwellings, and pit houses. Some date back to 550 A.D., and the Ancient Puebloans called this area home for more than 700 years. Then, for reasons still unknown, they left the region in the mid-to-late 1200s.
One theory suggests that severe drought made it impossible to grow enough crops to feed themselves and their animals, so they packed up and left. The Spanish didn’t arrive until the 1500s, so they couldn’t have played a role in the disappearance.
By comparison, we have lived here for only a little over 400 years, since the Pilgrims arrived in 1620. Will we still live here 300 years from now? Overpopulation, drought, massive wildfires, and climate change make me wonder if we will.
The Ancestral Pueblo people did not simply disappear from Mesa Verde; their descendants still live throughout the Southwest today.
If you’re interested in learning more about the fascinating history of this amazing park, visit the National Park Service’s Mesa Verde website.
Wetherill Mesa
Wetherill Mesa: The drive through the park splits into two distinct roads, both heading south across separate mesas. We took the westernmost road first, winding our way to the top of the mesa, where we could see breathtaking views stretching across the vast southern Colorado plateau.
It was a 27-mile drive to the end of the road and the Step House Trail. Step House stands as the only ruin you can explore without a guide. The 1-mile loop took us down into the cliff dwelling and through its ancient rooms.
Places like this always humble me, and I feel privileged to walk in the footsteps of the ancients. I try to imagine their lives—what they felt, what they thought, and how they managed to thrive in such a challenging environment. Their craftsmanship amazes me, and the fact that they thrived here for 700 years makes their story even more incredible.
Chapin Mesa
Chapin Mesa: We drove 12 miles back up Wetherill Mesa to Chapin Mesa Road, then headed 11 miles south to the Mesa Top Loop. The cliff dwellings along this road require a guided tour, but the park wasn’t offering tours the day we visited. Fortunately, we could still glimpse several remarkable cliff dwellings from the road or reach them by taking short hikes. Each glimpse offered a fascinating window into the ingenuity and enduring legacy of the ancient people who once called these rugged mesas home.
The first one we came to was Spruce Tree Terrace, which the park calls the best-preserved cliff dwelling. Tucked deep inside a narrow canyon, the dwelling hid among towering pines. A short but very steep hike along a paved path brought us to the only open viewing area, where we could finally see this remarkable ancient home.
Pit Houses
Our next stop took us to the ancient pit houses scattered across the top of the mesa. These surprisingly simple homes centered around a fireplace that provided both warmth and a place to cook. The builders crafted the walls from sturdy logs and layered natural materials over the roof and sides to create a sheltered, weather-resistant home. Standing there, it was fascinating to imagine families gathering around the fire and going about their daily lives more than a thousand years ago.
Cliff Palace and Sun Temple
Continuing around the Mesa Top Loop, we came to the Cliff Palace overlook and the Sun Temple. The massive Sun Temple immediately caught our attention. Ancient Puebloans used this impressive structure for ceremonial rituals and as a gathering place for the community. Standing there, I couldn’t help but wonder about the ceremonies, conversations, and daily life that once filled this remarkable space.
Getting a good picture proved surprisingly difficult. The trail hugs the side of the temple, and we had no high ground to give us a better look over or into the structure. We tried our best, but this was about as good as we could get.
From here, we could also see the Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Construction crews had closed the road to the Cliff Palace during our visit, so this viewpoint brought us as close as we could get. Archaeologists estimate that the Ancient Puebloans built this remarkable dwelling between 1190 and 1280. It contains more than 150 rooms and 20 kivas—round rooms the inhabitants used for religious and social rituals. The dwelling’s enormous size and dramatic location made it incredibly difficult to capture the entire structure in one photograph, but this view gave us a glimpse of its sheer scale and grandeur.
Remarkable Legacy
This was a day well spent, and we highly recommend a trip to this beautiful place. Mesa Verde reminds us that people lived here long before us and left behind a remarkable legacy that still inspires awe today. It also makes you wonder what future generations will think when they look back at the world we leave behind.
Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time – Much love,
Romin, Pete, & Lori
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