The plan was to meet at the Balcony House stop on the Cliff Palace Loop drive (turn left past the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum). Because we were early, we stopped to snap pictures of an area ravaged by fires in 2000.
We saw Cliff Palace (the largest cliff dwelling in North America) from the other side of the canyon yesterday, but an overlook along the Loop drive provides a more close-up view of the alcove and structures. Imagine climbing down (and up) the cliff wall to access your home!
It was too early in the season for ranger-led tours of Cliff Palace. Stabilization work (with original building methods and materials) has been underway this spring by the National Park Service to preserve this national treasure.
The Cliff Canyon Overlook affords fantastic views of another canyon at Mesa Verda where many cliff dwellings have been found.
Just look for large (and even small) alcoves to find them.
The House of Many Windows is built on a 10’ ledge (about 10 rooms) and the openings are actually doors (that were covered with stone slabs or animal hides). A toehold trail leads to the upper alcove (where remains of a kiva can be found) and then continues up to the mesa.
Mary Tileston Hemenway funded the first excavation of this cliff dwelling in 1907. It was named the Hemenway House to memorialize her contributions and support of preserving Mesa Verde.
We parked at the Balcony House lot, and waited in the designated area for our ranger to arrive to lead our tour. Tickets are purchased at the Visitor Center, so be sure to have them with you!
We were part of a very large group (too many tickets sold due to a computer glitch) at Balcony House, but it was still an awesome experience. Entry to the site is at the north end down steps (added by the National Park Service), along a rock ledge, to a double ladder installed in the 1930s. Yes, it is a very sturdy ladder!
And this is our first view inside one of the cliff dwellings!
Multiple two-story structures were built at Balcony House, including this two-story one used for storage. The juniper wood used for the balcony (and other roof beams) enables archaeologists to determine dates of construction (by the growth rings of the wood).
There were a total of 38 rooms, 2 kivas, and 3 plazas/courtyard at Balcony House. Many artifacts were found here; some can be seen in the Chapin Mesa Museum. These were assumed to be living quarters. Note the smoke residue on the ceiling of the alcove.
The twin kivas in the alcove were very deep and originally had a roof with access via a ladder.
Our ranger provided lots of interesting information about the construction of the dwelling, its features, and the day-to-day life of the hardy people that lived here. We were able to peak into the living quarters and saw some rock art on the walls...so cool.
I found it fascinating how the architects and stone masons incorporated the natural rock structures of the alcove to the design of their villages.
A natural spring at the rear of the alcove provided fresh water to the community.
This is the view inhabitants of Balcony House had of Soda Canyon from their home. They were farmers who grew crops on the mesa and raised turkeys. Corn, beans, and squashed were stored for the harsh winters. Eleven other villages were very nearby and Cliff Palace is only .5 mile away.
The juniper wood in the cliff dwellings provide the primary clue as to why the Ancestral Puebloans left this area. The growth rings show a long drought in the late AD 1200s. By AD 1300, the people had moved on to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
At the end of the tour, we exited from the original entry to the Balcony House through a 12’ tunnel. Hand-and-toe hold trails were notched into the cliff to provide access from the mesa to the alcove. Then visitors had to pass through the tunnel providing security for the community. The first photo is of the top part of the tunnel as seen from Balcony House. And the second is of me crawling though the tunnel (while trying to protect my camera!)
We climbed another ladder to the mesa above. What a fabulous experience! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this one-hour tour. If you are fortunate enough to visit Mesa Verde National Park, be sure to take at least one of the tours offered during the time of year you are there.
For additional information about Mesa Verde National Park, in general; and, details about cliff dwelling tours, go to www.nps.gov/meve.
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