Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado is cited by National Geographic as one of the top cultural spots in the United States. And there’s a reason. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, is home to one of the largest and best preserved Ancestral Puebloan or Anasazi ruins in the United States. Cliff dwellings, elaborate stone communities built in sheltered alcoves, are the main attraction. But they aren’t the only. The path from pithouse to pueblo made by this ancient culture from roughly 550 to 1300 A.D. weaves a story and speaks to a life both above and below the mesa top. So why take the kids? Mystery, ladders and intrigue.
Spread over 52,000 acres, Mesa Verde protects 4,000 known archaeological sites including 600 cliff dwellings. Yet a trip to this U.S. national park need not be overwhelming. The vast majority of sites are concentrated in two distinct areas: Chapin Mesa and Wetherill Mesa. If you plan your visit with care you’ll avoid driving from end to end repeatedly.
The Far View Visitor Center offers more than an update on park weather and roads. Unless you are staying at Morefield Campground, it is the only place to purchase tickets for ranger-guided cliff dwelling tours and learn about other programs and special events. Don’t forget to pick up a Junior Ranger activity sheet, geared to kids aged 4 to 12, and engage the kids from start to finish.
The Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum and self-guided Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling are a great place to begin an adventure with kids. Not only do they provide an introduction to Anasazi life, they allow families to tour at their own pace. When planning the remainder of your visit consider the availability of ranger-guided tours as well as the age and interest of the tots, tweens and teens.
Cliff Palace and Balcony House are the most popular ranger-guided cliff dwelling tours at Mesa Verde. Both are situated on Chapin Mesa and both require a good deal of climbing. The self-drive Mesa Top Loop Road, also on Chapin Mesa, follows the Anasazi from pithouse to pueblo.
Wetherill Mesa is Mesa Verde in a nutshell. In addition to Long House, Mesa Verde’s second largest cliff dwelling, this corner of the park boasts mesa top sites of note. And apart from getting there and getting away you don’t need the car to get around.
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History & Culture
The Ancestral Puebloans or Anasazi didn't always live in cliff dwellings. For the first 600 of their 700-year history at Mesa Verde, the Anasazi built their homes on the mesa tops. These homes, called pithouses, were the precursor to kivas, the round subterranean rooms used for social, administrative and ceremonial purposes. But the Anasazi are noted for the more than just their architectural style. They were known traders and excellent potters. And because they didn't leave a written word the motive for their migration remains a mystery. Draught, overpopulation and pressure from the Numic-speaking peoples are the most commonly cited causes of their departure around 1300 A.D.
Maps
Online maps are a great travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Plot your route to Mesa Verde and find your way when you arrive. Map Mesa Verde hiking trails. Map the sites of the Anasazi in the U.S. and follow their trail south to present day Arizona and New Mexico.
Books
Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. There are several age appropriate books about Mesa Verde and the Anasazi that are ideal for kids. Find recommended reading lists for adults and kids and learn more about Colorado through guidebooks, novels and historical fiction.
Mesa Verde Reading List
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Music is a great way to introduce children to a local culture and embark on a journey through sound. Listen to Native American music, from hip-hop to pow wow, and storytelling. Discover the songs of the Anasazi descendants, Hopi and Rio Grande Pueblo Indians, before you depart on a trip with kids.
News
Read Colorado newspapers online and brush up on Colorado current events from around the state. Get Colorado news and discover what the locals are reading. Find out what's happening from Fort Collins to Cortez and what the state's Hispanic and Native American communities are saying.
Kids' stuff
Online resources make learning about the Ancestral Puebloans fun. Learn about Anasazi life both above and below the mesa top. Discover which crops they cultivated and how they reached the cliff dwellings built in protective alcoves of canyon walls. Take a tour of a kiva and discover its ceremonial importance.
Organizations
Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as a means to get involved. Learn more about a few of the entities working to involve the public in the study of Archaeology and Native American cultures.
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