Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde (Spanish meaning 'green table') National Park is in Colorado, about 30 miles NE of the Four Corners. It is known for its cliff dwelling made by the Anasazi around 1200.  It contains Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America.

Mesa Verde looking east.

Approaching Mesa Verde once you are in the park.

As high as you can get !

View from the top looking east.

There were quite a few of these dead trees all around the park. In the last 10 years fire burned  about 90,000 acres.

Mesa Verde nomad.

Cliff Palace It had 150 rooms and 23 kivas (sunken rooms used in ceremonies).

You can see a tour group standing around one of the kivas.

Approaching Cliff Palace.

Looking back on the way out.

Square Tower House. Named for the tall square structure; at 4 stories, it is the tallest structure in the park.

Another cliff dwelling. Note the burnt trees above.

One of the few above ground dwellings.

A pit house. This one was constructed in 575. The floors were sunk a few feet down. Four corner timbers supported the roof.  The walls and ceiling were made of combination of small sticks, leaves and covered with mud.

A view from one of the plateaus.

Sage brush lizard - minus part of its tail. It was about 6" long.

A short horned lizard.  Look at that face.  Talk about a attitude problem !! It was about 8" long.

White evening primrose. The flower is about 2" across.