Day Four: Mesa Verde NP

Another bright and early start to the day I awoke at 6:30AM to run 6 miles on a trail near our campsite. It went up and up and up but I was rewarded at the top with views of the canyon below.

Maggie was up when I got back and had already packed up the tent so we could go down to the visitor's center and purchase tickets to the ancient houses built into the walls of rocks. Arrived an hour after they opened and the tours were already sold out! Disappointed, we went back to the campgrounds to take advantage of the opportunity to shower and decided we'd just head on to Arches.

The miracles of showering! Spirits revived we were no longer daunted by the idea of driving the 1.25 hours to do a self-guided tour and go to a look out point for one of the most popular of the dwellings in Mesa Verde. The drive was wound through rocks and trees without leaves, looking more dead than alive, leaving you to wonder how anyone could survive out here. But at the top we were given directions to two different dwellings where groups of people had once survived (around 1200 AD). Because of the heat and lack of vegetation they made their homes either in cliffs or dug into the earth and put a roof on top that was near ground level. Genius! Though it was hot, the walks to both sites were short and we were really happy we went out to see it.


We then headed out of the park and immediately to a Mexican restaurant in the nearby town. With ourselves and our car fueled up, we headed to Arches NP. Due to construction in the park, camping there wasn't an option but Maggie got us the last campsite at a spot ten minutes from the entrance (with wifi!). We arrived 2 hours later, set up the tent, enjoyed a little wifi, and went to bed in preparation of another early morning.

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