It’s so crazy how random things bring us to unexpected places. A long weekend was coming up and I was inviting a friend to spend it with me. He’s from Minnesota and I’m from California, so I suggested we meet halfway geographically. I googled the midpoint between his city and mine, and a city in Colorado showed up. I googled what to do in Colorado and saw Mesa Verde, and that’s how I ended up visiting my 15th US National Park.
My friend flaked but I decided to still go and do another solo trip. My last solo trip was to Utah a couple years back so it was about time anyway. I’ve never been to Colorado so this is my first impression of the state and I have to say Mesa Verde and Durango did a good job.
Mesa Verde became a National Park in 1906 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. This is also the first national park in the US preserved for its cultural importance, and with over 600 cliff dwellings in the area, you understand why.
Far View Lodge
If you’re planning to spend multiple days exploring the park, I suggest you stay within the park because the drive from the park entrance to the actual sites takes about 30 minutes. There are a lot of campsites within the park but if you love your modern conveniences like I do, the Far View Lodge is your only option, and it’s actually a good stay.
I got the Kiva Deluxe Room because it was advertised to have unobstructed views for stargazing and wildlife watching and it did not disappoint! At night, I enjoyed watching stars, and in the morning I had my coffee with endless nature views and a cameo of a couple wild horses. It’s experiencing nature in the comfort of your own balcony.
The Far View Lounge is upstairs from the hotel lobby offering refreshments with outdoor dining offering the same endless nature views. If you’re feeling a little fancier, Metate Room is the lodge’s reservation-only restaurant for dinners. The restaurant has the same views as the lounge but indoors with floor to ceiling windows.
I went to the lounge for dinner and was handed the Metate Room menu by mistake. The waiter was confused when I ordered an actual meal and said since he gave me the menu, he’ll just honor it. So I ended up enjoying my Coffee Braised Short Ribs and Mango Sorbet at the lounge and it’s so good.
Far View Terrace, half a mile from the lodge, has a gift shop and serves buffet breakfast for only $14. It includes sausages, eggs, waffles, coffee and juice, enough to give you energy for a day of hiking.
Tours and Hikes
The most popular cliff dwellings in the park are Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Long House, Spruce Tree House, and Square Tower. These are allowed only through a ticketed ranger-guided tour, and the tickets sell out fast! The Square Tower Tour is only offered once a day with 10 persons max per tour. I tried to get tickets for it, setting an alarm when tickets get available and they are gone in minutes! I got lucky and got tickets for Cliff Palace and Balcony House and I’m so happy I did because it’s an amazing experience. If you don’t get tickets though, you can still see these sites from the overlooks around the park.
If you’re more into self-led hikes, the top ones are Petroglyph Point, Spruce Canyon, Prater Ridge, and Knife Edge. I did a sunset hike on the Knife Edge trail because it’s a shorter, relatively flatter trail and it faces west. I highly recommend a sunset hike because the view of wildflowers bathed in sunlight is so beautiful.
I also did the Petroglyph Point but that’s a longer, more strenuous hike that deserves its own post. Spoiler though, I totally missed the petroglyphs and just saw them when I reviewed my videos. I was in too much in a hurry to get back because I was getting hungry. Food is prohibited on the trails because crumbs may attract bugs that might damage the cliff dwellings.
Also when hiking in Mesa Verde, remember that it is at 7,000 to 8,400 feet above sea level so if you’re not used to this elevation, make sure you give yourself time to get used of the altitude before you go, especially if you’re doing it alone. On this trip, I carried a can of Boost Oxygen with my “solo hike essentials” just in case I get dizzy. I always like to be prepared.
There are so many activities you can do in the park. They have a museum and even have some performances and late night lectures at the ampitheater. So whether you’re interested in history and culture, unique landscapes, starlit night skies, or hiking, Mesa Verde National Park is a good place to visit.
If you’re planning to go, check out this 4-day itinerary which includes detailed information on accommodations, car rental, and activities in Mesa Verde and the surrounding towns.
Share your Mesa Verde experience, send me questions, or simply follow my Mesa Verde trip and other adventures on Instagram. See you there!
Angel
dress up & go 