Activities - Mesa Verde

"WOW, Mesa Verde is cool! See my park ranger shirt?"  -- OK, the truth - he didn't see Mesa Verde: I just couldn't resist the picture (actually from PhotoShow).  But really, Mesa Verde, is recognized as one of the premier historic destinations in the world and is worth at least a full day of your trip. The park consists of a series of mesa tops & finger canyons covering about 55,000 acres with over 6,000 ruins of various sizes. It is huge! The four largest, Spruce Tree House, Cliff Palace, Balcony House & Long House, are cliff dwellings from the 1200s that you can tour.

Ranger guided tours throughout the summer are quite good for all ages. Spruce Tree is open all year. Experience the ancient village condominiums of 1250AD, tucked into magnificent sandstone alcoves. Photographers: visit this site to get hints on when to photograph various sites at Mesa Verde. Want to do some hiking? Then include the Hovenweep -Anasazi sites in your plans.

Mesa Verde Country day trips! You won't believe how much there is to do in the area.

Other Western Fun

2009 Activities
Spring - Mancos Mush
Evenings all summer - Indian Dances
August - Wine and Art Festival
Aug 28th - Grand Summer Nights - Mancos celebration
Labor Day - 4 Corners Motorcycle Rally
September - Balloon Festival

Congratulations! You are adding spice to your time on earth. A holiday in SW Colorado is good for body, soul, and happiness! Welcome. You'll love creating your own special memories!

We thought you would like to see historic downtown Mancos. This is a town where: you park in front of the business you plan to visit -- with NO parking meters. You can get a custom made hat.  You can stop and talk to a friend in the middle of the street! No one looks surprised when horses are ridden through town, pushing cattle from winter to summer pastures.  Slow down and enjoy life more in Mancos – where the west still lives.

Durango is well known for the narrow gauge Durango-Silverton steam train and is now home to a railroad museum. You need reservations in the summer for the train, and ask about taking the bus or jeep one way. Most use the return train ride for a nap. Note: the train is about 3.5 to 4 hours each way. When you've seen the scenery from the train one way, we recommend the bus or jeep for the other way to give you another experience and to shorten the day.