Mesa Verde [Colorado] National Park

+Automobiles.+--Secure automobile permit, fee $1 per car. Speed limit 35 miles per hour on entrance highway, 20 miles per hour in headquarters area and on ruin roads. Drive carefully; free wheeling is prohibited within the park.

+Fires.+--Confine fires to designated places. Extinguish completely before leaving camp, even for temporary absences. Do not guess your fire is out--KNOW IT.

+Firewood.+--Use only the wood that is stacked and marked "firewood" near your campsite. By all means do not use your ax on any standing tree or strip bark from the junipers.

+Grounds.+--Burn all combustible rubbish before leaving your camp. Do not throw papers, cans, or other refuse on the ground or over the canyon rim. Use the incinerators which are placed for this purpose.

+Hiking.+--Do not venture away from the headquarters area unless accompanied by a guide or after first having secured permission from a duly authorized park officer.

+Hunting.+--Hunting is prohibited within the park. This area is a sanctuary for all wildlife.

+Noise.+--Be quiet in camp after others have gone to bed. Many people come here for rest.

+Park Rangers.+--The rangers are here to help and advise you as well as to enforce regulations. When in doubt, ask a ranger.

+Ruins and Structures.+--Do not mark, disturb, or injure in any way the ruins or any of the buildings, signs, or other properties within the park.

+Trees, Flowers, and Animals.+--Do not carve initials upon or pull the bark from any logs or trees. Flowers may not be picked unless written permission is obtained from the superintendent or park naturalist. Do not harm or frighten any of the wild animals or birds within the park. We wish to protect them for your enjoyment.

+Visitors.+--Register and secure permit at the park entrance. Between travel seasons, registration and permit are arranged for at park headquarters.

Contents

Page

The Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Spruce Tree House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Cliff Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Balcony House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Square Tower House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Oak Tree House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Sun Set House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Sun Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 New Fire-House Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Cedar Tree Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Far View House, a Mesa Verde Pueblo . . . . . . . . . 21 Earth Lodge A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Unexcavated Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Dates for Mesa Verde Ruins Established by Tree-Ring Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Discoveries of Recent Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Prehistoric Inhabitants of the Mesa Verde . . . . . . . . 28

Fauna and Flora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

How to Reach the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 By Automobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 By Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Motor Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Educational Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Guided Trips to the Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Campfire Talks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Park Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Reference Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Free Public Camp Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Horseback and Hiking Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Hospital and Medical Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Accommodations and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39