Start Location: Blanding, UT
Ending Location: Cortez, CO
Miles Today: 157
Trip Miles: 1677
States Visited: 4
National Parks Visited: 3
National Monuments Visited: 1
Low temp: 63.9° F
High Temp: 87.8° F
Min Elevation: 6032'
Max Elevation: 8374'
Route Map:
Utah Parks 2026 Day07
Today we visited Mesa Verde National Park. Although we have
been there at least 3 times previously, the last time was 2013 as far
as I can tell. We drove approximately 2-1/2 hours from Blanding to Mesa
Verde. We stopped at the Visitor Center only to find out the power was
out in the entire park. Although toilets would be open and would flush,
there would be no water available in the park, no WiFi, and no videos.
We had plenty of water as well as a lunch so that didn't pose too much
of a problem. We started by driving all the way to the end of the park
to
view Cliff Palace. You can only visit Cliff Palace with a ranger guided
tour which we had not scheduled. Then we went to the overlook for
Spruce
Tree House. There is a path down to the House which we have taken on
previous trips but the path was now closed and you couldn't enter the
House any more. I assume these measures have to with preservation -
just
too many people visiting a fragile area.
After driving the Cliff Palace Loop, we also drove the Mesa Top Loop
and stopped at numerous viewpoints and exhibits.
We
didn't do quite as much this time as we have on previous trips. It was
very hot
and this was our 4th day in a row. When we visited Arches and
Canyonlands we were staying in Moab and didn't have our luggage on the
bike so we could stow out jackets in the trunk and could ride in
T-shirts and just take our helmets on and off at each stop. Since we
were between hotels in Mesa Verde, we had all our luggage so there was
no
place to put our jackets so we had to wear them and take them on and
off every time we stopped. By mid afternoon we were National Parked out.
Fortunately
we have pictures from previous trips that look pretty good. I think the
best were from or 2013 trip and you can see them here. Our first trip was in 2006
and some of those pictures are here. There's actually a picture
of Linda down in one of the Kivas at Spruce Tree House.
