Mesa Verde

Call me ignorant. Somehow it had never clicked with me that the name 'Mesa Verda' (green table) meant that the cliff dwellings of the Pueblo were actually on a mesa.

I started to get an inkling yesterday when we visited the Hovenweep buildings (on a mesa), and then today we drove 6 km from the valley before we got to the park entrance station and then 18 km up to the top of the mesa, and then 13 km to the 'Step House' (free), then 13 km back to the intersection and then 8 km down another road to the 'Spruce Tree House' (free). We didn't pay extra to join a tour to any of the other buildings because we didn't have time and we'd already seen the free options which were very interesting anyway.

At Mesa Verde, in contrast to the quiet atmosphere of yesterday's visit to Hovenweep, we joined the throng of tourists. But the cliff dwellings were still very impressive.

Step House

Spruce Tree House ( and below)

And we were pretty impressed when we went to the post office on the mesa and got talking to the PO lady who, it turned out, bred kelpies and knew they originated in Casterton!