Mini summer vacation to canyon country

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I've been dreaming of Mesa Verde for the last six months or so, dreaming of taking part in one of the tours that leads tourists throughout the cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people. I was fortunate enough to have the time to participate in two tours; Balcony House and Cliff Palace and was so happy I did. I have had a bit of a different summer than I had planned, so it was good to get out on a little adventure before I get back into the habit of school. After visiting the cliff dwellings and viewing the mesa loop (most of locals were farmers, and the mesa was conducive to farming). If you are anywhere, not in the neighborhood, stop in and take a tour, its worth it.

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Photos

A fire raced through ten years ago...
And with the NPS policy of "hands off", the dead junipers greet out-of-towners like me.

Interpretative ranger
On the Balcony House tour.

Ladders in and out of Balcony house
Are not for the weak at heart! Phew, quite an exercise to get in and out.

Cliff Palace
The biggest and best preserved of the cliff dwellings.

More typical mesa home
Not all homes were in the cliffs, living on the table top mesa area was common.

Yucca
This was a major soap and food source for the local people.

Comments

[Carrie]

yay!
Yay! This looked like so much fun! I've been wanting to check thsee out myself! Glad you got the chance to! !

[Elisa]

The Navajo still use the yucca. Love that you are in my old stomping grounds!