Mesa Verde National Park

Since Vegas, aside from bridges and dams our focus was very much on natural features. Today we went to mesa Verde, which  certainly has natural beauty, but its stars are the remains of Native American pueblos, mostly abandoned in what would be termed late medieval period in Europe.

Anyway, starting point was the very well appointed visitors centre. We needed to stop here to buy tickets for one of the afternoon tours to the most spectacular pueblo sites. More later.

A Mesa is basically a flat topped hill. Mesa Verde is actually a Cuesta, ie not flat but gently sloping. In this case tilted towards the sun. Important as it just gives more sun for crop growing.

Next to the scenic parts...

 Snow capped mountains in the distance

 Then onto a self-guided tour of various Indian remains. Some are views to houses created in overhangs in the valley walls, some to just the foundations of houses.

 This appears to have been a temple, possibly not finished when the natives abandoned the area, probably due to climate change. (Not a new phenomenon.)

 Now as I said you need to get tickets for guided tours of some of the buildings inserted into the valley walls. A park ranger was our guide, and he gave us plenty warning about how hard these were to reach and that we needed top traverse ladders. However he was such a portly chap, imagine a boy scout that had been inflated by a bicycle pump, that no one was in any doubt they would make it more easily than he could.

The village was spectacular and well worth the effort, although I have certainly had more knowledgeable guides. They also took just too many people. But then again I would have been miffed if there hadn't been space for us on the tour, so shouldn't complain.

The houses (and food stores) didn't have doors. You descended into them by ladders. They were clearly well defended from enemy raiders - quite hard to get to. And if you tried quite easy to be picked off one by one.

This place is called the Cliff Palace, although not a palace.

Our ranger guide is on the right above. See what I meant when I said inflated boy scout?

Note the hearth below in the middle of this building with the upright stone slab in front. The opening behind is to let in air, and the slab protects the fire from excessive draughts.

And then a fair old drive to the Rustic Inn in Moab, home for my last three nights in the US.

Dinner at the Desert Bistro. High class American Fare.