There are over 5,000 archaeological sites in Mesa Verde, and while you won’t be able to see them all on Mesa Verde National Park tours, you can certainly get a close look at some of the most complete and well-preserved ones. The vast majority of the historical sites contained within the park were left behind by the Ancestral Pueblo people, who lived there from the 7th century to around the end of the 13th.
Among these sites are about 600 cliff dwellings that the Ancestral Puebloans built in natural alcoves carved into the side of Mesa Verde’s limestone cliffs. The archaeological sites found at Mesa Verde National Park are among the most well-preserved in the United States and are worth seeing if you’re planning a trip to the southwest.
For most of their 600-year history in Mesa Verde, the Ancestral Puebloans lived in stone and adobe mud houses constructed atop the plateaus. Ruins from these houses still cover the park and make up a significant percentage of the historical sites there. During this time, they also built roads to connect their settlements and watchtowers to defend themselves from invaders. The Ancestral Puebloans were also prolific artists, leaving murals and other paintings on the rocks that survive to this day. Mesa Verde National Park also contains older ruins dating back to the Basketmaker people, the forefathers of the Ancestral Puebloans, who first settled in the area around 1000 BCE.
At the end of the 12th century, the Ancestral Puebloans began constructing the cliff dwellings, forming larger and more permanent settlements. These villages are much more architecturally impressive than their earlier pueblo houses and include complex, multi-story homes and administrative buildings. Because they were built in sheltered alcoves, the cliff dwellings have been protected from the elements and are the most well-preserved ruins in the park, with many houses standing more or less intact.
To make the most of your next 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.
