Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde was the home of the Ancestral Pueblo people for over 700 years from AD600 to 1300.  They built their homes in the alcoves formed in the rocks and there are 600 cliff dwellings in the park today.  The building you can see here is Spruce Tree House which is the park's third largest cliff dwelling.  It is currently closed to visitors as there have been rock falls which are still being investigated.

It feels like a great privilege to be able to just go and see such sights from a distance.  There are other buildings it is possible to get closer to, but they all involve strenuous walks which we certainly would not want to do in the heat we are experiencing here.  98 degrees fahrenheit today.

Staying in Durango tonight - what an attractive little town.