First though let me tell you about our evening last night. We had an amazing campfire, great music and a spectacular session of star gazing. Who can say they saw not one, not two but THREE falling stars in one evening. Oh and the milky way was jaw dropping.
The campground is just four miles into this national park. We started out getting up super early to take a short drive to one of the many lookouts. This one looked back east toward Mancos. They are having a small hot air balloon fiesta this weekend. Our purpose was to watch some of the early morning launches from this elevation. It was fun. However we have no pictures. Due to the distance (miles) and the rising of the blaring sun.
Afterwards we drove another twenty-one miles back into the park to explore SOME of the ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings.
Our adventure took us through Spruce Tree House, Balcony House and Cliff Palace. All are moderately PLUS strenuous. The first dwelling is a self guided tour. The other tours require ticket purchase and you must go with a Ranger as your guide.
Each had steep elevation changes. One with a 32' ladder and an 18"x12' tunnel to crawl through. Plus numerous other ladders and obstacles to maneuver. One hundred foot elevation changes.
Again so many pictures to choose from and too much information to process and to be able to explain in this blog.
The Ancestral Pueblo people grew crops of corn, beans and squash. They also hunted game here. About AD 550 some of the people living in the Four Corners area moved to Mesa Verde. They flourished here for over 700 years. In the late 1200's they left their homes and moved away. Local ranchers first reported the cliff dwellings in the 1800's. We are ending our day with barely scratching the surface of exploring this massive and amazing National Park!
ELEVATIONS: 7,500' to 8,572'
TEMPERATURE: 78*
MILES DRIVEN: 46
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