A Pictorial Guide to Mesa Verde National Park

by Ansel F. Hall

You may want to relax in the sightseeing bus with the guide driving while you look at the Ruins.

You may hike to Far View Ruin ¾ mile south.

You will watch a breathtaking sunset over 4 states.

★ ★ ★

THE EVENING CAMPFIRE. Nightly, at the Campfire Circle, informal talks are given by members of the archaeological staff. The subjects: modern Indians, food plants, archaeology, etc., vary each night during the week. Frequently the Navajo Indians, who work in the Park, present tribal dances and chants (their beliefs prohibit photographs).

HIKING along the rim rocks and into the canyons leads to spectacular views and ruins that cannot be seen from the roads. Most trail trips require strenuous exertion, and because of the danger of getting lost, hikers must obtain maps and a permit before leaving the Headquarters Area.

SPRUCE TREE RUIN, one of the best preserved of the larger cliff dwellings, is a 5-minute walk from the Museum. For full enjoyment of this one-hour experience, get a guide leaflet before you start. Archaeologists are stationed here to show and explain some of the 114 living rooms and 12 kivas.