Mesa Verde National Park Colorado is a site of Ancestral Puebloans and according to everyone I have spoken to so far a “must see” but I am still not prepared for the size of this country. I had parked the night at what is becoming one of my favored night spots “Wal-Mart” M.V. has a camp ground, so my thinking was to have a late start (long day yesterday) get to the visitors centre, find out what is what, get a guide, camp up and start very early in the morning. Sounds like a plan.
However the turn off for M.V was very easy, then after a short drive the gate and pay station for the park, after showing my pass the ranger asked if I was camping, (some times you pay at the gate) I said yes and was told to pay at the store! Which I guessed was at the visitor’s centre 4 miles further on I came to the campsite but not a store 11 miles further on I came to the visitors centre!
The 15 mile drive had been just magnificent I could hardly believe my eyes, the climb took us to the very top of the mesa (tabletop) with the most breathtaking views over the surrounding country and towns but also over the tops/rims of the canyons in which the Native American homes had been built. Within the park there are two main mesa “Chapin Mesa” most of which is open year round and “Wetherill Mesa” which is only open May through to “Labor Day” which is the first Monday in September (I think) Wetherill has also been closed because of road repairs.
Arriving at the visitors centre I could hardly wait to get started, (but because of my late start we are now getting very hot) at the door of the centre there is a queue/line which I joined (could have been going any where) A very nice lady with a lovely sunhat asked me what I wanted to do, see everything I said. I am in the ticket queue/line because 2 of the houses can only be viewed on a tour “Cliff Palace” and “Balcony House” she then told me how hard these tours were, like very strenuous and challenging, climbing up ladders, crawling through small tunnels. I then got to the girl selling tickets, who repeated all the above plus some more on how hard it was. I wanted to do these tours first thing the following 2 days when it is at its coolest, she put me down for both tours that afternoon, No No. said I; Then I was down for 1 today at 5.30 and 1 in the morning at 10am; I wanted 9am but she didn’t believe I would get there in time, I start my day at 6am says I. Anyway I was really bullied into these times, but that’s ok I thought. The lady had written on my tour ticket what time I had to leave the campsite, or what time I had to leave what ever I was doing this afternoon!! I then tried to find the “store” to book the campsite; the “store” is back at the campsite which is 11 miles back down the mountain. I should have stayed with plan A gone back down to the camp site booked in and returned for the 5.30 tour, but instead I went looking at the other sites “Spruce House” which is the best preserved cliff dwelling here you take a self guided tour, there are a couple of rangers keeping watch and answering questions. From here I went to the museum, and watched a introductory film, both museum and film were very interesting, these houses are built in the side of the cliffs underneath what would I think look like scooped out ledges which are natural, made in the sandstone by wind, water and ice. Its late lunch/early afternoon by now and getting very hot. I have my lunch in the AC restaurant - I am beginning to feel the heat, refreshed I continue, but I am really feeling the heat, the words of the 2 lady’s ringing in my head, strenuous, challenging, small tunnels, big ladders and I keep thinking heat! So I decide to miss the 5.30 tour it was only 3$ not worth collapsing for. I head to the campsite a little worried about the tour tomorrow.
Next morning, after a very good cool nights sleep I felt great, left at 7 am to view the rest of the sites before my tour of “Cliff Palace” at 10am this is the largest cliff dwelling and believed to be a ceremonial place. The guide we had was very good, knew his stuff and answered questions very well, It was not a bit strenuous or challenging the ladder at the very end which brings you out of the canyon I had worried about all the time we were walking round was nothing! I was glad I did not have a teenager behind me though. I had a very enjoyable morning going to all the overviews and lookout points I had my lunch when the heat started building, then went back to the visitors centre to book “Long House” which is in/on the Wetherill Mesa, this is the first week it has been open this year. I had the same lady sell me tickets, she asked had I enjoyed the other houses I didn’t tell her she scared me, and so I missed Balcony House. I am saving that because LnM will have to come here. So “Long House” at 10am tomorrow this is the first tour the road to Wetherill doesn’t open until 9am then it’s a 45min drive following a ranger, this part of the park is much more fragile, driving is restricted around the various sites, a little train runs - strangely it is much hotter on this Mesa then on Chapin, also there is very little shade because of a fire that took all the trees. I did “Long House” and “Step House” this took up my whole morning and just about finishes Mesa Verde for me
These sites are very sacred to the modern Native American who come here for their rituals at times they believe that their ancestors are still here and should not be disturbed.
From Mesa Verde I am heading towards the green on my map and some cooler weather (I hope) Colorado has a maze of scenic and historic byways I have already traveled the “Tail of the Ancients” connecting Utah near Hovenweep, Four Corners through Cortez I am now going from Cortez on the “San Juan skyway” which connects Telluride, Ridgeway, Ouray, Silverton and Durango. I hope to find some nice parking along the way to arrive in Durango on Monday as I have booked the Durango to Silverton Narrow gauge railway for Tuesday. This is mining country I also hope to find a gold mine to visit. Also I would like to find some where to watch an Independence Day parade.
The drive is lovely mountains trees beautiful views with many rest stops with amazing overviews. I found a very nice campsite and parked by the river I stayed 2 sleeps and had lots of company, most of the people on this site live here, it was just a few miles outside Ouray which looked a very interesting old mining town but I was to early everything was still closed when I drove through, my journey took me over Silverton Mountain, (there is a song there and it is driving me mad I have the tune in my head but not the words) the rocks in the rivers and streams here are orange, this is from the waste dumps from the old mines which have a lot of minerals in them. I stop at the old mining town of Silverton; there is a good visitor’s centre - I find out about Independence Day; also a Gold mine I can visit. Going to the gold mine I get lost take the wrong road, which proves to be incredibly beautiful so I go as far as I can, turn back and find the correct road. The mine is called “OLD HUNDRED” we are taken down into the mine on a small train our guide worked in the mine until it closed, he made the tour very interesting some of the machinery still works and he had lots of stories to tell. You could pan for gold if you wanted to; there were little tiny specks to be found also tiny pieces of silver, other then that no free samples! I also visited the Mayflower mine/mill this was a self guided tour, it was here that the minerals from surrounding mines were treated. Both of these tours were very interesting another good day.
I have to pick my rail tickets up today from the railway station in Durango, which was another amazing ride down this wonderful mountain passing green forest, red rock, and an assortment of mining. Durango is hot. I find the station, only got lost once, get my tickets and sort myself out for parking etc. tomorrow, they even have Thomas here but he’s not real! Just a copy! Now to find a campsite. I had noticed a few on the way in, so retracing my tracks I stop at the first campsite, they have a small space for me. Also it is on the tram route so I will not have to move the truck AND they have an Independence Day Parade. So I’m sorted. I also make some very nice friends Philip and Marcia they had their son, his girlfriend and her 3 little girls - I had a hug, lovely. I also had Angel dust cake with raspberries and cream YUM.
I had picked the Silver Vista class on the train this has a glass roof and comfortable seats with free drinks and goodies also wonderful views all round but also very hot as the sun shone through the glass roof! The trip was awesome the scenery amazing we also had a steward in our coach who talked about the scenery, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed on this route using the train, one of the houses and the rocks and river. A scene from Around the World in 80 days was also filmed at a spot where the rock walls are very close they almost touch the train. I enjoyed the train journey, I love trains. I had a walk around Silverton, we had 2.5 hours to spend there I also had a very nice steak for my lunch. I had chosen to go back to Durango by bus, it was a good choice I slept most of the way, the bus driver gave a running commentary which was good but I did miss most of it!!!
I stayed for the Independence Day Parade. I am unsure of what I expected but the parade was nothing like I had anticipated, but I guess the size of the town has some bearing on this, Everything and everyone was red, white and blue; people had brought their deckchairs which were placed at the side of the road; there was a beach party atmosphere, but there was NO music in the parade, no bands the only one was a Scottish band playing “Scotts Porridge Oats” and that was only for a little while, then it was just quiet I was disappointed. But glad I was able to be there, there was a wonderful atmosphere amongst the crowd and I experienced the same wonderful warmth and friendship which is becoming such a big part of this solo trip
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