🏜️ Mesa Verde: Millennia Perched on the Cliffs (Part 1) 🌄

Nestled among the plateaus and canyons of southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park stands as one of North America’s most treasured Indigenous cultural sites. Here, cliffs, rock walls, and canyons guard the wisdom and stories of the ancient Pueblo people. First discovered by a U.S. geographical survey team in 1874, Mesa Verde was established as a national park in 1906 to protect these fragile ruins. Spanning over 20,000 hectares, the park contains around 4,000 documented archaeological sites. This was my daughter’s dream destination. Only 4 sites are open to the public, each requiring advance reservations. She set an alarm back in Pittsburgh to book tickets – only to realize she’d forgotten the time difference! 😅 Luckily, she still scored spots and proudly posted: “I got tickets to Square Tower House – only 10 people allowed per day!” 🎉 🌅 Morning at Square Tower House We started at Square Tower House at 8:45 AM – arriving before dawn to avoid missing our slot. The winding mountain road led us to the park’s entrance, once accessible only by a 25-mile hike. Today, modern roads replace ancient trails, but the sense of history remains profound. After some confusion, we found the meeting point near the sign: *“Square Tower House Overlook A.D. 1200-1300”*. Our guide was a passionate former history teacher 👨🏫. He explained that Square Tower House is famous for its: 27-foot (8-meter) four-story tower – the tallest structure in Mesa Verde Intact kiva roofs Original plaster and painted designs 🎨 Well-preserved geometric patterns in red and white To enter, we climbed a narrow wooden ladder hanging from the cliff 🪜 – one person at a time. The tower stood like a small fortress, contrasting with nearby collapsed structures. Sunlight poured from the cliff top, warming the ancient stones. You could almost hear echoes of past lives in the silence. #MesaVerde #NationalPark #AncientHistory #PuebloCulture #Colorado #TravelUSA #Archaeology