Ansel F. Hall

“ The principal interpretative activity is here overlooking Spruce Tree Ruin, the third largest and, perhaps, the best preserved of the classical pueblo cliff dwellings.
5 PLAN YOUR SIGHTSEEING
In the Museum, at Park Headquarters, ranger-archaeologists are on duty to provide maps and guide leaflets, and to advise how to make the best use of your available time. You could spend a week in Mesa Verde’s spectacular environment, seeing something new every day and absorbing the fascinating story of 2,000 years of pre-history of the Stone Age people who built these cliff cities. ”

“ The main sightseeing drives are normally open from 7:00 a. m. to sundown. There are two 6-mile loops starting from the Spruce Tree Museum Area. Use your own car or join the tour-guided sightseeing bus trips. When following the Ruins Road Drives, park your car and walk to overlooks, viewpoints, and down trails to the major ruins where ranger-archaeologists are stationed to explain all details.
PERSPECTIVE MAP OF “RUINS ROAD” DRIVE
At CLIFF PALACE, archaeologist-guides conduct visitors through the ruin. ”

“ This valley is an important activity center—the MORFIELD CAMPGROUND-VILLAGE complex. Just off the entrance road are 500 individual and group campsites, a 1500 seat amphitheatre, horseback riding and a shopping center. Approximately 10 miles past Morfield the road reaches another important point of activity. The National Park Service has located there the NAVAJO HILL VISITOR CENTER. On the gentle summit above the visitor center is the FAR VIEW MOTOR LODGE. On the road one mile south is Far View Ruin, a large surface pueblo important to the interpretation of Mesa Verde. ”

“ Preserved within its walls is a fascinating story of a primitive people who learned to work, and build, and live together in harmony and mutual interdependence while our own European ancestors were struggling under the harsh yoke of feudalism. ”

“ An ancient medicine man’s pouch with its magic treasures—mummy of a Basketmaker maiden who lived 1,500 years ago—the primitive hunter’s atlatl—might pique your curiosity and lure you to visit the Mesa Verde Museum. ”

“ View of the south section of the CLIFF PALACE from the point where visitors are met by the ranger-archaeologist, who here outlines what is known about the life and culture of the ancient inhabitants.
THE ROUND TOWER is one of the most perfectly built of all the architectural features of Cliff Palace. Individual blocks were curved by chipping with stone axes. ”

“ View into Soda Canyon from the parapet of BALCONY HOUSE RUIN. The balcony in the foreground is more than 700 years old.
18 YOUR TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE “GREEN MESA”
LUNACHUKAI MTS. FROM PARK POINT (EL. 8,572) A VAST PANORAMA OPENS UP TO THE SOUTH AND WEST. THE LOVELY UNBROKEN FOREST-GREEN MESA-TOP, IN THE FOREGROUND, SUPPORTED AND PROTECTED THE CIVILIZED PEOPLE WHO ONCE LIVED HERE.
No trip to Mesa Verde National Park is complete without a visit to Park Point Lookout, 8,572-foot summit on the north rim. ”

“ The resulting elevation—8,500 feet at the north, sloping down to 7,000 feet at the south—encouraged the slight margin of rainfall that invited trees and all manner of plants and animals to form a natural community that welcomed the first hunters and Stone Age settlers when they arrived. ”