Mesa Verde National Park



Next on the road was Mesa Verde National Park, located in the Southwest corner of Colorado. To access this park you must drive up 2000 ft. to the top of the various Mesa's in this park. This park contains the most complete Pueblo cliff dwellings in the world  where Puebloans lived and thrived about 800 to 1000 years ago.  The dwellings are built into the surrounding cliffs of the Mesa's. To get up close the park service gives guided tours into some of the dwellings. To get up close you must either climb down steep stairs built into the crevices of the cliff or climb down ladders attached the sides of the cliffs. Jack was thrilled by this opportunity for adventure.
                                                                                        

Cliff Palace


It is hard to believe how these people survived in such a harsh climate and how their homes have survived for 800 to 1000 years. Our home will not last that long. Their basic food was corn grown on top of the Mesa's and water was collected from the infrequent rains and snow. Cliff Palace contained 150 rooms. Balcony House was much smaller, but the adventure was high because of the climb up and down ladders attached to cliff walls to gain access to this dwelling. also, a crawl through a tiny tunnel increased the adventure.

Inside Kiva

Jack was fascinated by the Kiva's which were round family rooms covered by a roof. The Kiva was vented to allow for fires inside. The ranger manning the dwelling allowed Jack to climb down inside a Kiva.

Cliff Wall Ladder

Jack also joined the Junior Ranger progrm. He had to complete a book of exercises where he had to find the answers on signs and at the museums around the park.



 

Jack entering tunnel





Junior Ranger Oath