Spring Break Trip Day 2 - Part 1

After breakfast at the Ranch, we drove about 30 minutes to Mesa Verde. This is the new visitors center near the entrance of the park. They had wax Native Americans inside and models of the park grounds.  Due to the cold winter, I was unsure how much of the trail system and roads would be open inside of the park, but we were pleasantly surprised that most of it was open.  Unfortunately, from the entrance gates, it is another almost 30 minute drive back through a windy road to the first portion where you start to see some of the ruins of Mesa Verde.

However, it is worth the drive!  How cool is this with Gavin and Gage in front of the Spruce Tree House ruins.  Tara and I remember being able to go on a tour that takes you into the Cliff Dwelling, but it seems as though this is more of a summer endeavor rather than a late winter/early spring activity.

Here is everyone from a different angle looking across at the same ruins.

A few minutes up the road is this place called the Pit House.  It was one of the earliest ruins that was built somewhere around 5-600 A.D.  It is more or less a round pit dug a few feet into the earth that would have had a wood roof covering it.  In the center, there was a small fire pit that helped to date the landmark.

A few more minutes down the road is Square Tour House.  We parked and this is about a five minute walk down a wiggly path.  This structure is almost 95% original, with a bit of it restored and has the tallest structure that was built at almost 85 feet or four stories tall.