Mesa Verde Country ~ Anasazi Heritage and Canyons of the Ancients
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I remember reading Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire in high school and imagining the Great Southwest to be 
a vast land of rock and caves where the ancient Anasazi Indians made their lives as cliff dwellers going in and out of our world through their time machines known as kivas.
Ten years ago I, personally, made the move from out east to Colorado and have since thoroughly enjoyed exploring Colorado’s southwest corner and Utah’s canyonland areas where Mr. Abby spent some time learning and writing about that rugged and ancient terrain.
Just outside of Dolores, Colorado you will find The Anasazi Heritage Center where guests can see, touch and learn about the Four Corners “prehistory” era. There are roughly 3 million records and artifacts that make up the Center’s attractions.
The Anasazi Heritage Center also represents the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Here you will find a pre-Puebloan culture that dates back to at least 10,000 years. Evidence of their villages still remains for visitors to see. The Canyons of the Ancients is a vast land protected by the BLM and is open for exploration but one must be very careful and respect these ancestral ruins. Leave no trace as they say and “they” (Bureau of Land Management) mean it.
Mesa Verde country consists of just about every type of terrain so that all kinds of recreation can exist. Everything that can be done outdoors, even skiing, can be done in Mesa Verde country. To me, the best way to 
experience and explore this country is on foot and since we are talking about the desert that means lots of sun and heat in the summer. Use common sense and hike during the morning or dusk hours and not during the middle of the day when the sun is at its’ highest. One can find camping in designated areas to really get the feel of day turning into night.
So, if you ever find yourself traveling from Denver going west and if you have a couple of days to spare consider the Mesa Verde Country in southwest Colorado. Experience a beautiful and ancient land which is home of the modern day Pueblo People, descendants of the Ancient Anasazi Indians.
Mesa Verde Overlook by Mulsanne
Mesa Verde Kiva by norrisbaby
Mesa Verde by neuroticcamel
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