The Wandering Wheelchair: National Park Series Mesa Verde National Park
Erin Buchanan
12.22.20
Welcome back my travel fans! As you know, my family and I have made it our mission to visit a few of our country’s amazing national parks. This past summer we took our second trip out west, socially distancing along the way of course! We couldn’t wait to see Mesa Verde National Park. It’s located in Montezuma County, in southwestern Colorado. The entrance fee is $30 for a car here. Don’t forget if you have a disability you can apply for the National Park’s Disability Access Pass and this allows you to enter all the parks for free! I received mine a few years ago and it has saved us a lot of these fees. Our first stop after coming through the gate and taking a picture with the park sign was stopping off at the Visitor & Research Center. Due to Covid-19, a virtual Ranger Station had been set up outside. There you can scan codes using your cell phone or other mobile device and learn about the self-guided tours. There is Wi-Fi at the center but once you pass it, there is very limited to no cell service.
The history of the park is centered around the group of nomadic Paleo-Indians that inhabited the area Starting c. 7500 BC. They established semi-permanent shelters of rock in and around the mesa. In the generations that followed, pueblos were replaced by the massive cliff dwellings the park is known for today. These dwellings were built beneath the overhanging cliffs using sandstone and adobe. The mixture made beautiful, swirled designs in the walls. They ranged in size from one-room to villages of more than 150 rooms. They built them up high to be sheltered from animals and elements. They built ladders and used trees to access the dwellings. The people continued farming the mesa tops above. This park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States. The two main loop roads are Mesa Top Loop road and Cliff Palace Loop road. The first of the cliff dwellings to be seen once you come through the park entrance is 21 miles in. We stopped off at Spruce Tree House Overlook as well as Cliff Place Overlooks. Most of the actual cliff dwellings were closed when we visited, but there was still so much to see from afar. One of the most unique stops was the Step House. Here there are alcoves or pit houses as they were called. Archeologist found evidence of two separate occupations – basket makers and masons. This helped build the timelines of the early civilizations.
This park has accessibility limitations for people with vision, mobility, or hearing impairments. The rugged terrain, steep cliffs, and deep canyons are a major hazard to visitors. The elevation also fluctuates dramatically causing those with heart and respiratory problems a lot more concern. The trails are mostly shale rock and gravel, so wheelchairs with wider rims are recommended. Service animals are allowed on the trails and in the dwellings at the park. Just make sure you visit the park’s webpage and do your homework prior to the visit as some of the trails are narrow, with drop offs and some of the dwellings have ladders which are not accessible for service animals or wheelchairs.
We visited the park for a few hours. We saw wild horses grazing in the fields, and we saw mule deer up at the visitor center. We also went through a tunnel in a mountain!
My best advice for this park is to plan ahead! Make sure to have a tank full of gas and snacks or meals packed. Know which of the cliff dwellings you can access and which you may need to skip if you have any mobility issues. They do have lodging available here at the Far View Lodge. There is also camping at Morefield Campground. They have several dining options in this park as well.
Please visit www.nps.gov for more information on the phased re-opening of Mesa Verde National Park as well as many other park locations. It’s an amazing website and a must-visit tool when planning your vacations!
I would love to help you with your next vacation!
Erin Buchanan 601 832-1561 or erin@wishesfamilytravel.com