In the Footsteps of the Anasazi

Spruce Tree House, so named for a large tree growing in front of the ruins when they were first discovered in 1888, is the third largest of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. The head of the 1/2 mile trail down to STH is conveniently located right next to the museum, so after perusing said museum for a couple of hours, I was anxious to see the ruins up close. My sister and I set off down the trail with cameras in hand.

View of Spruce Tree House from the lookout point above the trail

 

Looking back up at the lookout point (and my dad) from a little ways down the trail

 

It was a bright, sunny day, and I took a bunch of overexposed photos of cacti and flowers that I won't subject you to. (Suffice it to say though, there are lots of neat cacti in Colorado.) The trail descends about 100 vertical feet down into the canyon, and the last few switchbacks were shady. Even though it was in the 90s in the sun, it was quite pleasantly cool under the rim of the canyon once we reached Spruce Tree House.

 

 

 

Manos and metates for grinding corn

 A kiva (sans roof)

Inside a restored kiva

 

 

Spruce Tree House is the start of the Petroglyph Trail, a 2.5 mile loop that ends up back at the STH lookout point. My sister and I thought we could make the hike in an hour or so since it was short trail, but we didn't factor in the incredible scenery that we had to stop and photograph quite often nor the rather challenging terrain of the trail itself. 

Down the stairs...

 

Photo op stop

 

A narrow passage

 

Coming out the other side

 

Looking down a steep, narrow flight of stairs

After about 45 minutes, we realized we didn't have enough time to walk the whole trail and see Cliff Palace if we were going to get into Cortez that night in time for dinner, so we turned back. (We also hadn't brought any water...) Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any petroglyphs, but the part of the trail we did hike was hugely fun, and I can't wait to go back and see the whole thing someday soon.

After hiking back to Spruce Tree House and then back up to the rim of the canyon, we were very grateful for the water fountain by the museum. (Lesson learned.) We then drove over to Cliff Palace, the largest and most famous of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. We didn't have tickets to make the climb down for the guided tour, but there's an excellent vantage point above the ruins.

 

 

 

Looking south down Cliff Canyon with the green tables that give Mesa Verde its name on either side

Noted archaeologist Richard Woodbury once wrote that "everyone's first visit to the southwestern United States is an occasion for enthusiasm, often for love at first sight and lifelong infatuation." Truer words have never been written. A few short days meandering through Colorado and New Mexico had me utterly and completely enthralled. If my family had made this trip while I was still in high school, I suspect that southwestern archaeology would have been my college major rather than Classical history.