| Are
the US National Parks Really Worth Seeing?
In a word.....YES. If you have a
lot of time to travel, whether at one time or over the span
of a year, the National Parks in the United States are
really worth the trip and a bargain if you buy the National
Parks Pass.
The National Parks Pass is available
at any National Park for a $50 fee and is good for one year
from month of purchase. It is accepted for entry into
all the National Parks in the United States - which makes it
a great deal, especially for those traveling to more than
one park.
Mesa
Verde National Park
The
following is a brief synopsis of information
provided by the U.S. National Park Service The
World of the Anasazi
Discovered by cowboys
over a 100 years ago, the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings are
still shrouded in mystery. What little is known is
sketchy because the Anasazi ("the ancient ones" or
"ancient foreigners")
didn't leave an written record of their daily lives.
Although bits and pieces have been put together, we will
probably never know what drove them to the cliffs or what
was important in their lives.
Mesa Verde was home to
the Anasazi for over 700 years (approximately A.D. 550
-1300). Although the cliff dwellings are what we think
of when we hear about Mesa Verde, the Anasazi actually lived
in them for only the last hundred years they were in the
area. It is not known why they abandoned the
cliffs or surrounding areas and moved away, but the
captivating architecture they left behind is intriguing to
explore.
The ruins (cliff
dwellings) seem to indicate the Anasazi were capable
builders who were adept at surviving in a difficult
environment. They built their homes under the cliff
overhangs and used materials at hand to make remarkable
dwellings. Sandstone was shaped into rectangle blocks
and kept in place with mortar (mud and water).
Since they didn't
leave a written record, what has been learned about the
Anasazi was obtained from their garbage. Yes, their
trash. The Anasazi took advantage of their position
high on the cliff walls and threw their trash down into the
valley below. Garbage scraps are what tell us what we
know today about these people. We find out about their
daily life from what we find in their trash! That and
comparing their lives to that of another people, the Pueblo
Indians - who some believe are descendants of the cliff
dwellers of Mesa Verde..
Tools
The tools the Anasazi
used were made from bone, stone, and wood - no metal!
These materials formed tools for cutting, grinding, weaving,
polishing, scraping and puncturing. The stones used
for tools were not generally made from sandstone, but rocks
found in streams. This is because sandstone is a soft
rock that would break more easily than the harder stones
found elsewhere.
Basketry
Early in their
existence at Mesa Verde, the Anasazi made beautiful
intricate weaved baskets. They were able to use them
for many household chores - cooking, storing, and carrying
water. It seems impossible that a basket would be
durable enough to hold water, but the Anasazi waterproofed
their baskets by using pitch. (A sticky substance derived
from coal tar or wood tar.)
Pottery
The Anasazi were also
proficient in pottery: mugs, ladles, jars, canteen, pots and
bowls are among the items they made. It appears that
the design elements on the pottery was localized and
personal, which indicates it was passed down from generation
to generation, slowly evolving over time. Since women
seem to be the potters in the community the designs were
probably passed down from mother to daughter.
The Dwellings of
Mesa Verde
There are many more
places to visit in addition to the three mentioned, but
these are the most visited. Another house was
accessible by a tram ride or a drive on unfinished back
roads.
Balcony
House
This house has a
little of everything for visitors. Ladders to climbs,
tunnels to crawl through and well as walking along the edge
of a cliff 600 feet above the canyon below.
Balcony House is a
mid-sized dwelling that has about 35-40 rooms and was home
to 40-50 Anasazi. It was built starting in the early
A.D. 1200s and was occupied about 75 to 100 years.
Visitors to this house
will climb a 32-foot ladder at the north end, but the
Anasazi had no access at this part of the dwelling.
The ladder was placed there to enable park rangers in giving
tours. A tunnel at the south end of the dwelling was
the Anasazi's main entrance. The tunnel, when they
left, went to a cliff face ledge which turned into a hand
and toe hold trail (very trecherous!). That trail
eventually led them to the mesa top. As is apparent by
their entrance/exit - they couldn't have a fear of heights!
For a more
complete history of the house and it's people, be sure to
pick up the "Balcony House Trail Guide" while at
Mesa Verde!
Cliff
Palace
Cliff Palace is the
largest cliff dwelling in North America and is housed under
a large sandstone alcove. There are very few alcoves
large enough to contain a dwelling the size of Cliff Palace,
at 217 rooms and 23 kivas. Most (approximately 75%)
dwelling within the park contain 1-5 rooms each. The
immense size of the Cliff Palace is obviously unusual and
might have even held special significance for the Anasazi.
The cave that holds the dwelling is 89 feet (27.5 meters)
deep and 59 feet (18.3 meters) high.
For a more
complete history of the house and it's people, be sure to
get the "Cliff Palace" walking guide while at
Mesa Verde!
Spruce
Tree House
The Anasazi didn't use
a comfortable path, like that seen today for visitors.
Instead they used small foot/hand holds to scale the cliff
walls and climbed up and down dirt slopes while going around
or over boulders. This was part of their life
year-round!
Spruce Tree House
inhabitants were more fortunate that most, they had a spring
close to their home which helped the vegetation
grow. It is the third largest (behind Cliff
Palace and Long House) dwelling and contains about 114 rooms
and 8 kivas. The cave housing the dwelling is about
216 feet (66 meters) wide at the widest point and 89 feet
(27 meters) and it's deepest point. It is believed
that around 100 people lived here.
For a more
complete history of the house and it's people, be sure to
get the "Spruce Tree House" walking guide at
Mesa Verde!
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