Pagosa Springs
As we drove north from Santa Fe we noticed the landscape begin to change into lush greenery just as we crossed the Colorado border. Our stopover for the night was in Pagosa Springs – a quaint yet bustling ski and hot springs town. At this point it had rained every day of our trip so far, so we weren’t surprised that the clouds rolled in when we got out of the car for a late lunch. It started to sprinkle shortly afterward so we popped into Riff-Raff Brewing for a drink and some food.
Our stomachs were full so we walked around the small town of Pagosa Springs for a little while and then headed off to find a place to camp for the night. There was a national forest not far up the road so we headed in that direction to check it out. We got a short distance up the dirt road and found ourselves a perfect spot to set up the tent. We set up camp and hung out for a little while before calling it a night.
Mesa Verde National Park
The next morning we broke down our campsite and drove to Mesa Verde National Park. For me, this national park was the one you saw on the front of your high school history book. The small cave-like town that looked like it was carved into the side of a mountain. As soon as we saw that it was on our route we knew we had to go! It was only a couple of hours from Pagosa Springs so we got there around noon. We soon found out that in order to get to the cave dwellings themselves you had to drive at least an hour inside the park! If anyone is thinking of going to Mesa Verde just keep in mind it will still take a while once you get to the visitor center.
On the hour long drive though the mountains to get to the cave dwellings we had time to speculate on how the pueblo natives got up to this area. It is very steep, rocky terrain with many cliffs and trees. We went to Chapin Mesa since we only had a few hours. There are two mesa’s, Chapin Mesa and Wetherill Mesa. We decided on the Chapin Mesa road because it is shorter. Chapin Mesa also allows for viewing of the dwellings with less hiking.
Once we reached the top we first drove the Cliff Palace Loop route. From this loop you can get to the largest cliff dwelling, the Cliff Palace. On this loop you cannot actually see the Cliff Palace and need a guided tour to get down to it. However, if you drive further down the road there is a 1.2 mile trail that will give you fantastic views of the Balcony house.
Cliff Palace is, of course, one of the main draws of Mesa Verde National Park. Since we had come all this we had to see it. We finished the Cliff Palace route and made our way over to Mesa Top Loop. Mesa Top Loop is on the way out of Cliff Palace Loop and has a viewing center for Cliff Palace. As we drove along the loop we stopped at some of the pit houses and other primitive structures they have set up for viewing. At the far end of the road you can finally see the famous Cliff Palace, and what a sight it is! Although it takes a while to actually get to a place where you can see the cliff dwellings, it is absolutely worth the time.
Tip: Bring binoculars!
Four Corners Monument
After our day exploring we drove back down the mountain, grabbed a quick lunch in town and continued the journey to see the Four Corners Monument before sunset. Four corners is where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona meet. While looking at the map we figured out that the monument is actually located within a Native American reservation. Since it’s on reservation land, the monument is run by the Native Americans. The land is untouched and goes on for miles so there isn’t much out there as you drive towards the monument. We also noticed that AT&T cellular data does not work in that area.
We got to the monument shortly before sunset. There is a $5 per person fee to get in and be aware that they have odd hours. From what we had found it said the monument closed at 5PM. We got there a little after 5 and the sign out front had been changed to 7:45. Hours may differ depending on the season. Native American vendors set up each day around the monument but they were mostly packed up when we arrived since it was nearing the end of the day. The monument itself is pretty small and there isn’t much else around that area so we didn’t stay too long. There’s not much to it but it is a must do!
Fun Fact: You can camp in most national forests free wherever there are designated sites.
