We highly recommend Mesa Verde National Park tours to anyone with an interest in archaeology or history. While the park certainly has its fair share of scenic desert vistas, the real attractions there are the well-preserved archaeological sites left behind by the native people who once lived there. Mesa Verde features over 5,000 historical sites, including about 600 iconic cliff dwellings made by the Ancestral Pueblo people.
Although the Ancestral Puebloans are well-known for their cliff dwellings, they spent most of their history living in pueblo houses on top of the mesas. However, in the 12th century, population growth caused them to move to the canyons to be closer to their water sources. It was during this time that they started building their homes in natural alcoves carved into the sides of cliffs.
Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings held massive, multi-level homes with elaborate designs and decorations. These homes are considered to be some of the greatest architectural marvels in North American history and range in size from single-room storage facilities to villages of up to 100 people. At its peak, the Mesa Verde area had an estimated population of around 22,000 people.
Of the cliff dwellings preserved in Mesa Verde National Park, the most famous is Cliff Palace. Thought to be the largest cliff village in North America, Cliff Palace has over 150 rooms and was once home to over 100 people. The village also contains 23 kivas, large circular rooms used for religious and social ceremonies. The structures in the alcove were made of sandstone blocks shaped and sanded with hard stones collected from the riverbed. The blocks are held together by a mortar made of soil, water, and ash, with small stones wedged in the gaps to improve insulation. Larger buildings also used wooden beams for support.
To make the most of your trip, check out our Mesa Verde Self-Guided Driving Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ and gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
