Mesa Verde
Phone: Headquarters 970-529-4465
Visitor Information 970-529-4465
Mesa Verde, Spanish for "green table", offers an unparalleled opportunity to see and experience a unique cultural and physical landscape. The culture represented at Mesa Verde reflects more than 700 years of history. From approximately A.D. 600 through A.D. 1300 people lived and flourished in communities throughout the area, eventually building elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. Today most people call these sheltered villages "cliff dwellings". The cliff dwellings represent the last 75 to 100 years of occupation at Mesa Verde. In the late 1200s within the span of one or two generations, they left their homes and moved away.
The archeological sites found in Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Mesa Verde National Park offers visitors a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Scientists study the ancient dwellings of Mesa Verde, in part, by making comparisons between the Ancestral Pueblo people and their contemporary indigenous descendants who still live in the Southwest today. Twenty-four Native American tribes in the southwest have an ancestral affiliation with the sites at Mesa Verde.
To fully enjoy Mesa Verde National Park, plan to spend a day or two exploring its world-class archeological sites as well as its beautiful landscape. The entrance to the park is 9 miles east of Cortez and 35 miles west of Durango in Southwestern Colorado on US Highway 160.
Directions
Plane - The nearest airports are Cortez, Colorado, Durango, Colorado, and Farmington, New Mexico.
Car - Mesa Verde National Park is in Southwestern Colorado. The Mesa Verde Headquarters is a one-hour drive from Cortez, Colorado, heading east on Highway 160 to the park turnoff, and a 1.5 hour drive from Durango, Colorado, heading west on Highway 160 to the park turnoff.
Public Transportation - The closest bus terminal is located in Durango, Colorado. Car rental is needed to get from the bus terminal to the park. The entrance to Mesa Verde is 35 miles from Durango.
More info at http://www.nps.gov/meve
- $86: 4-star Albuquerque hotel + Includes parking and WiFi, Sep 5 to Sep 6
- $142: 3-star The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers + Save 20% on your stay, Book Anytime
- $149: 4-star Omni Parker House + Stay 2 Nights & Save 10% Off!, Book by 12/31/2008
- $69: 3-star Parkway International + SAVE 30%, Book by 09/08/2008
- $141: 4-star Waikiki Parc Hotel + Includes Daily Free Parking, Book by 12/20/2008
- $423: 4-star ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Tower + Free Parking! 2 For 1 Luau, Kids Eat Free!, Book by 01/01/2009
- $79: 3-star Park Shore Waikiki + Stay 5 Nights Receive 20% Off Offer Ends Nov 24, Book by 11/24/2008
United States National Parks
Monopoly: National Parks Edition
The Monopoly Brand salutes the United States National Parks and features photography of America's best-known parks. Custom, collectible pewter game tokens including a ranger hat, dome tent, canoe, bear and hiking boot replace traditional Monopoly tokens.
Merchant: Online Sports
Volcanoes in Americas National Parks
Sale Price: $17.06*
Retail: $24.95 (32% off!)
(Overstock Books)
Erupting volcanoes like Kilauea in Hawaii, and sleeping volcanoes like Mount Rainier in Washington State are the core features of 31 of the National Parks and Monuments in the United States. In addition, ancient fires that once fed a chain of volc...
Merchant: Overstock Books
Bicycling America's National Parks
Sale Price: $11.60*
Retail: $17.95 (35% off!)
(Overstock Books)
A complete adventure guide to California's astonishing array of national parks features 92 road and mountain bike rides through the state's most spectacular natural areas. From the snowcapped peaks of the Sierras to the towering coastal redwoods o...
Merchant: Overstock Books
National Geographic Guide to the State Parks of the United States
Price: $24.95*
(National Geographic)
Highlights 200 of the best state parks across the country.
Merchant: National Geographic