Mesa Verde National Park

I have been living at Mesa Verde National Park this season. It is a beautiful park to visit, I highly recommend it in late spring early fall. It is a way to go back in time and see some amazing ruins of the Pueblo tribe. There is nowhere else in the world or USA like this area. When I mean area I mean 4 corners and NM. After hiking all of the trails in the park here are my recommendations:

Petroglyph trail is amazing. It is very strenuous. And when I say strenuous there are lost of steps made out of stone, crevices to crawl through and a little bouldering. There is only one Petroglyph on the trail once you reach it you are at the 1/2 way point. The trail is 2.4 miles long. Don't turn back once you reach the Petroglyph it gets easier. You have to boulder and then another set of stairs but once you reach the top it is a flat walk all the way back. The view is spectacular. You are actually walking on top of the Spruce Tree House. The picture taking phenomenal. I took this hike at 3:30 pm. Make sure you take plenty of water and sun screen. My friend and I did not finish until 6:00pm. It is one of my favorite trails to hike, but you should be in good shape, if you have a heart conditions or serious knee problems, fear of heights, or don't like squeezing into small crevices then I don't recommend it.

Spruce Tree House: Is the only ruin other then Far View Sites that you can visit without a tour. It is worth the hike. Well shaded at the bottom and you get a great experience seeing the ruins up close and walking among them.There is a Kiva there to go into to get an idea of how it was. A ranger is posted at Spruce Tree House to answer any questions you may have. There is a site map you can pick up from the ranger or at the box located at the beginning of the trail. There is a fee to use the trail map. This is my second favorite site in the park for ruins.

Spruce Tree Canyon: This hike is also 2.4 miles. It is step descent into the canyon. There is shade on this trail which is very nice. When you get down to the creek bed make sure you have plenty of bug spray the mosquitoes are in full force in the early summer. Take lots of sun screen because once you get out of the base of the canyon it is all sun and all up hill for almost a mile. I found this to be much more of a workout then Petroglyph. There is no gradual ascent it is all up hill in the heat. I was not very fond of this trail. I would not hike it again. But for those of you looking for a place to get good exercise or shade it is a good spot.

Far View Sites: Meandering through the ruins at Far View is about a 1 mile hike if you visit all of the ruins. The Coyote ruins are one of the few in the park that you can walk among and actually be in the ruins. I think it is best to hike this area towards evening as it is cooling down the photos are better. Mummy Lake is the reservoir. It is tricky my friend and I followed the sign for Mummy Lake and never found it. Turns out that the dried up reservoir that the natives used is actually "Mummy Lake" go figure. I recommend this trail to those who are interested in the history of the Pueblos as well as looking for a gradual walk that doesn't feel like you are hiking.

Balcony House: Awesome! On this tour you get to crawl through two tunnels very short, and go up a ladder that feels like you are in the air. I love that! If you are not one for heights or small places I don't recommend this tour. However, you can also view the Balcony House from Soda Canyon trail.

Soda Canyon: I wouldn't waste my time there are far better hikes to be hiked. It is a brief walk to three overlooks. One looks out towards Balcony House the other two into the canyon. It is a similar view from the one you might get from Long House, or anywhere else in the park.

Cliff Palace: A favorite and I can see why. It is a great tour of the largest city of ruins in the area. Amazing. You have to go on a Ranger tour to get into this area, but you can view it from the overlook. There are some steep steps going down and the only way out is to take three ladders up. If you have heart condition, bad knees, or any serious health problems I do not recommend this tour. Make sure you have lots of water. I took this tour in the evening and the temperature was just right. I would not recommend it in the afternoon with the sun beating against the ruins. If you only have time for one tour take this one.

Long House: The Wetherill Mesa to me is one of the most impressive parts of the park. Not many tourists come out here, but they should. There are several different trails to hike. The long house is a very nice tour. You can get your tickets at the Visitor Center before you head out. It is a hour drive from the visitor center to Long House so give yourself plenty of time. There is only one ladder to climb on this tour and you have the opportunity to sit up inside the ruins whereas on the other tours this is not the case. It is a steep decent but there are no steps involved and there is a altitude change. For those of you coming from lower elevations be sure to bring lots and lots of water to avoid altitude sickness.

Step House: Don't waste your time unless you just want to take a hike. It is about a mile. I was not overly impressed with this site. The hike is pretty, but if you only have a day in the park I would choose another site to visit. There are very few ruins to look at and they are not as intact as Long House, Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree, or Far View Sites.

Prater Ridge Loop Trail: If you are up for some serious hiking this is the trail to take at Mesa Verde. It is 6 miles long if you do the complete loop which I did. It is located at Moorfield Campground. There is an area to park you car. The beginning of the trail is switch backs which lead you up to the top of the mesa. The rest of the hike is mostly level. The views are spectacular. You can see for miles. On a clear day like the one I hiked on you could see the Rockies in the distance. Just beautiful. Make sure you take plenty of water and some snacks. It took me about 4.5 hours to hike. I started on the trail around 8:30. So if you are looking for a great day hike, I would highly recommend this trail.

Point Lookout hike: Awesome, best hike in the park. It is only 2 miles round trip of steep switch backs, but once you reach the top it will blow your mind. The view is just amazing. Not only that but you are standing on the very edge of the top of the Mesa you see as you enter into the park. Hiking poles are recommended for those of you who have week knees like mine. A snack is a good idea. This trail is located near the campground. If you are up for a short and steep hike, it is very rewarding.

Knife Edge Trail: This trail is a nice easy hike 2 miles round trip great views, I would recommend it for anyone who likes to walk. It is short and easy. I would take young kids on this hike.