Mesa Verde National Park: Ancient Cliff Dwellings, Pueblo History & Our One-Day Visit

There are some historical places where it’s difficult to fully comprehend just how many generations of people came before us.

Mesa Verde National Park was one of those places.

We love history, so standing in an area where Ancestral Pueblo people lived centuries ago was an incredible experience.

The cliff dwellings may be what Mesa Verde is famous for, but we quickly discovered there was much more to see.

There were mesa-top communities, kivas, towers and evidence of an entire way of life spread across this beautiful corner of southwestern Colorado.

We only had one day to explore the area, so naturally we tried to squeeze in as much as possible.

And because this is us, getting there involved a wrong turn up a one-lane dirt road, a planned free campsite that didn’t exactly work out, and eventually an unexpected snowstorm.

Just another Over the Hills travel adventure!

Here’s what we discovered at Mesa Verde National Park and nearby Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.

Our Drive From Moab to Cortez

Our travel day began in Moab, Utah, where we’d spent time exploring Arches, Canyonlands and the surrounding red-rock country.

We were heading toward Cortez, Colorado.

As we left Moab, we had wonderful views of the La Sal Mountains.

The drive itself gave us plenty to look at.

About 15 miles south of Moab, we saw a message painted on the side of a mountain near a rest area. Naturally, curiosity got the better of us and we stopped to see if we could figure out what it was about.

We didn’t find our answer at the rest area.

Then, just after we’d gotten back on the highway and up to speed with the trailer, we discovered the Hole N’ The Rock roadside attraction on the other side of the mountain.

Unfortunately, we weren’t in a position to stop safely with the trailer.

So I did what any determined travel photographer would do.

I took pictures out the back window.

Sometimes that’s as good as it gets on a travel day!

And Then We Took the Wrong Road

Things became a little more interesting as we approached our planned camping area.

The directions weren’t exactly wrong.

The problem was that two roads were incredibly close together — within about 50 feet of one another.

We chose the wrong one.

Before we knew it, we were heading up a mountain on a one-lane dirt road.

With the trailer.

We even surprised a road worker at the top who seemed rather confused about what we were doing up there.

Frankly, so were we.

Fortunately, we managed to get ourselves turned around, came back down and eventually found the road we’d actually intended to take.

Problem solved.

Or so we thought.

When Free Camping Doesn’t Work Out

We’d planned to stay at a free camping area.

When we finally found it, we discovered that the area was also part of a target shooting range.

Nope.

That wasn’t going to work for us, since General doesn’t like gun shots.

So we went back down the hill and stayed at Bradfield Campground instead.

This was a perfect example of something we learned repeatedly while full-time RVing:

Always have a Plan B.

We love free camping and boondocking, but sometimes the site you find online simply isn’t going to work when you arrive.

Road conditions may be different.

The area may be full.

You may discover something that wasn’t obvious during your research.

Or you may simply get there and decide you don’t feel comfortable staying.

That’s okay.

Move on.

A free campsite isn’t worth staying somewhere that doesn’t work for you.

Off to Mesa Verde National Park

Once we had our camping situation sorted out, it was time for what we’d really come to see.

Mesa Verde National Park.

We only had one day available, so we knew we weren’t going to see everything.

But we were certainly going to try.

One of the things that made Mesa Verde especially interesting to us was that we weren’t simply looking at isolated ruins.

We were seeing evidence of communities.

Homes.

Gathering places.

Water systems.

Structures built and rebuilt over generations.

The more we learned, the more impressive the entire landscape became.

How Did People Get Water at Mesa Verde?

One of the things we learned during our visit was how important the geology of Mesa Verde was to the people who lived there.

The mountains contain alternating layers of sandstone and shale.

Water from rain and melting snow can seep through porous sandstone.

But when that water reaches a nonporous layer of shale, it can’t continue downward.

Instead, it moves sideways and emerges along the face of the mountain.

These areas are known as seep springs.

For the Ancestral Pueblo communities living in an area without convenient rivers or lakes, these springs provided an important source of water.

Understanding that helped us see the landscape differently.

People didn’t simply build these communities in random places.

They understood their environment and knew how to use the resources available to them.

Exploring Far View Community

The first major ruin site we explored was Far View Community.

We started at Far View House.

This was particularly interesting because it gave us a chance to see the mesa-top communities that were part of Mesa Verde’s history rather than immediately jumping to the famous cliff dwellings.

During our visit, we learned about the development of these settlements over time, from earlier single-story structures to more complex multi-story buildings.

Nearby was Pipe Shrine House.

We learned that this relatively small area once contained numerous communities.

When you’re standing among the remaining walls today, it’s fascinating to imagine what this landscape must have looked like when all those communities were occupied.

Coyote Village

A short walk took us to another structure known as Coyote Village.

That’s one of the advantages of slowing down enough to explore places such as Far View.

At first you may see stone walls and foundations.

But as you begin learning what each structure represented and how close the communities were to one another, the individual ruins begin forming a much larger picture.

This wasn’t an isolated house in the wilderness.

People were living together in established communities.

Cedar Tree Tower

Farther along our exploration, we visited Cedar Tree Tower.

This site included a tower and a kiva.

What made it especially interesting was learning that the two were connected by a tunnel.

Mesa Verde is filled with details like this.

Every time we thought we understood what we were looking at, we’d learn something else about how the structures were connected or used.

And then we reached the place we’d been especially looking forward to seeing.

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace is extraordinary.

It’s the largest cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde, and seeing it tucked beneath the enormous rock overhang is one of those experiences that photographs can’t completely capture.

When we visited, we learned that Cliff Palace contained approximately 150 rooms and may have housed around 100 people.

To put its size into perspective, many of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings were much smaller.

That made Cliff Palace a particularly significant structure.

Looking across the canyon made the experience even more impressive because there were additional cliff dwellings visible on the opposite side.

Suddenly Cliff Palace wasn’t just a remarkable building.

It was part of an entire landscape filled with communities.

The Scale of Mesa Verde Is Hard to Comprehend

One of the things that struck us was just how many archaeological sites exist within Mesa Verde.

You can look at a photograph of Cliff Palace and think, “That’s Mesa Verde.”

But it isn’t.

It’s one spectacular piece of Mesa Verde.

The park encompasses hundreds of cliff dwellings along with thousands of other archaeological sites associated with generations of Ancestral Pueblo people.

That’s why one day really isn’t enough to understand the place.

We saw a great deal.

But we barely scratched the surface.

From Mesa Verde to Canyon of the Ancients

After leaving Mesa Verde, we weren’t quite finished with ancient Pueblo history.

We headed to Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.

This turned out to be a wonderful addition to our day.

We visited another Pueblo site where part of the structure was protected beneath a canopy.

And this time we were able to walk inside part of the archaeological area.

That gave us a completely different perspective.

Standing Inside an Ancient Kiva

One of the most memorable experiences of the entire day was standing inside an ancient kiva.

Seeing a kiva from above is one thing.

Actually entering one gave us a much better sense of its construction.

These structures were built partially or completely underground, which helped moderate the temperature.

That made them cooler during warm weather and provided protection during colder conditions.

We were amazed by the engineering.

And we learned that while kivas shared certain characteristics, they weren’t all identical.

Each had its own differences.

Exploring a Giant Kiva

We also had an opportunity to see a giant kiva, a much larger structure that served as a community gathering place.

Standing there, it wasn’t difficult to imagine people gathered around the perimeter.

We could see evidence of the post holes that once supported the roof.

That’s when archaeological ruins become much more than stone walls.

You begin mentally rebuilding the structure.

You imagine the roof overhead.

You picture people entering.

You think about families and communities gathering there.

And suddenly the distance between their world and ours feels just a little bit smaller.

Mesa Verde Was Humbling

That may be the word that best describes our experience.

Humbling.

We’re fascinated by historic places in general.

But there’s something different about standing in a place where people lived their everyday lives hundreds of years ago.

They raised families.

They prepared food.

They gathered together.

They built remarkably sophisticated structures with the materials available to them.

They found water in a difficult environment.

And centuries later, we were standing there trying to understand a small piece of their world.

That’s a pretty remarkable experience.

Could You See Mesa Verde in One Day?

We did.

But we wouldn’t claim that we saw Mesa Verde in one day.

There’s a difference.

We only had one day available, so we packed in as much as we possibly could.

If one day is all you have, don’t let that stop you from visiting. You can still have an incredible experience.

But if your schedule allows more time, we’d certainly recommend it.

Mesa Verde is a place where learning more makes everything you’re seeing more meaningful.

The ruins aren’t simply things to photograph.

Their stories are what bring them to life.

Don’t Forget Canyon of the Ancients

If you’re interested in the archaeology and history of the region, consider allowing time for Canyon of the Ancients as well.

For us, the two destinations complemented one another beautifully.

Mesa Verde gave us those spectacular cliff dwellings and large archaeological communities.

Our experience at Canyon of the Ancients gave us a chance to get physically closer to some of the structures and better understand features such as the kivas.

If you’re already staying around Cortez, it’s worth researching both.

Tips for Visiting Mesa Verde National Park

If we were planning another visit, there are a few things we’d keep in mind.

Give yourself plenty of time. We managed a lot in one day, but there’s much more to see.

Learn as you go. The geology, architecture and history make the ruins far more meaningful.

Don’t focus only on Cliff Palace. It’s spectacular, but Far View Community, Cedar Tree Tower and the other sites help tell the larger story.

Check current park information. Roads, tours, archaeological-site access and seasonal services can change.

Bring water. You’re exploring a high-desert environment, and some sites require walking.

Allow for elevation and weather changes. Southwestern Colorado weather can surprise you.

And speaking of that…

We Woke Up to Snow

After squeezing everything we possibly could into our day, we returned to camp knowing that the weather was about to change.

And it did.

We woke up to snow.

General seemed considerably happier about that development than we were.

He liked his snow.

We were freezing.

It was quite a contrast from the red rocks and desert scenery we’d recently left behind in Moab.

That’s RV travel for you.

One day you’re exploring Utah desert.

A short time later you’re looking out the trailer window at snow in Colorado.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mesa Verde

Is Mesa Verde National Park worth visiting?

Absolutely. We thought it was one of the most fascinating historical places we’d visited. The combination of archaeology, architecture, landscape and Ancestral Pueblo history makes it much more than a scenic national park.

What is the most famous cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde?

Cliff Palace is the park’s largest and most famous cliff dwelling. Its size and location beneath the cliff overhang make it an extraordinary sight.

Can you visit Mesa Verde in one day?

Yes, and that’s what we did. However, you’ll have to be selective. If you enjoy history and archaeology, more than one day would give you time to explore at a much more relaxed pace.

Is there more to see than the cliff dwellings?

Definitely. We particularly enjoyed Far View Community and Cedar Tree Tower. Seeing mesa-top settlements helped us understand that the history of Mesa Verde extends far beyond the famous cliff dwellings.

What is a kiva?

Kivas are structures associated with Ancestral Pueblo communities. During our visit, we were able to see several and enter an excavated example at Canyon of the Ancients. Seeing the construction up close was one of the highlights of our trip.

Should you visit Canyon of the Ancients too?

If you have time and you’re interested in the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people, we think it’s an excellent addition to a Mesa Verde trip. We enjoyed being able to experience archaeological sites there from a different perspective.

Where can you stay near Mesa Verde?

There are camping and lodging possibilities in the surrounding area. We originally planned to use a free camping area but decided it wasn’t appropriate once we arrived, so we stayed at Bradfield Campground instead. Research current camping options before your trip and always have a backup plan.

Would We Visit Mesa Verde Again?

Absolutely.

In fact, knowing what we know now, we’d probably want more time.

There was so much history concentrated in this landscape that one day could only give us a glimpse.

But what a glimpse it was.

Far View Community.

Cedar Tree Tower.

Cliff Palace.

Ancient kivas.

Canyon of the Ancients.

And the chance to stand in places built and occupied by people centuries before us.

We left with more questions than we’d had when we arrived.

And perhaps that’s one of the signs of a truly worthwhile historical destination.

Mesa Verde didn’t simply give us things to see.

It made us want to learn more.

Continue the Journey

If you’d like thoughtful road wisdom, practical RV tips, and reflections from life on the road, join our email list.