MESA VERDE

WEDNESDAY, 25th MAY.

We had a late start this morning.  Mesa Verde is only 10 miles from Cortez so after dropping off a load of washing at the laundry, it didn't take long to drive there.  The entrance is just off Highway 160 (another 'free' entry into the park ) and then a 20 mile winding drive through the mountains with viewpoints along the way.  Mesa Verde National Park was created in 1906 to preserve the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people, both atop the mesas and in the cliff dwellings below.  The first Ancestral Pueblo people settled in Mesa Verde (Spanish for green table) about 550 AD and by about 1300 Mesa Verde was deserted.  To see some of the dwellings, it is necessary to join a tour but as these last 4 hours and cost a lot, we once again took the self drive option and spent a fascinating few hours marvelling at the ingenuity of these people.
On our return to Cortez and after collecting our clean laundry, we walked down Main Street to a nearby micro brewery where we just had to test a couple of their selection of beers, an excellent conclusion to an excellent day.