We didn’t plan on hitting two national parks in one day, but the road (and some great timing) had other ideas. From cliff dwellings in Colorado to canyon road drops in Utah, this day delivered big!
Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
We started the day exploring Mesa Verde National Park, marveling at the cliff dwellings and imagining the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans who built them centuries ago. We arrived early to beat the heat and the crowds—and it was worth it. We’ve quickly learned that sunrise visits to National Parks are the only way to go and because Mesa Verde is so vast, it takes almost an hour to navigate to the cliff dwelling locations. We ran through the NPS museum quickly, noting that the park rangers leave all card hoods propped up to deter pack rats taking up residence.
As we drove deeper into the park, we took advantage of our early arrival to explore additional sites.
Pit House [AD 600] and Pueblos [AD 700-900]
Sun Point View [AD 1200-1300]
Square Tower House [AD 1200 -1300]
Views of Cliff Palace
Exploring these various sites provided an interesting glimpse into the evolution of Ancestral Puebloan life on top of the cuestas.
For more information, check out the link below:
The Geology of Mesa Verde – Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service
Balcony House Tour: Ladders, Ledges, and Legends
Then came the Balcony House Tour—an unforgettable, up-close look at one of Mesa Verde’s most famous cliff dwellings. Climbing the 32-foot entrance ladder was a breeze for Marc (he could’ve done it blindfolded). Caitlin, on the other hand, might still be recovering from the adrenaline 😆. Once inside, we had the chance to explore the cliffside dwellings up close, with a phenomenal park ranger leading the way. It was a fairly physical tour—with tight passages and steep climbs.
Truck Charcuterie and Changing Landscapes
We wrapped the tour around lunchtime and treated ourselves to one of our favorites: truck charcuterie.
From there, we headed west as the landscape shifted dramatically, leaving Colorado’s mesas behind for the red sandstone of Moab, Utah.
Bonus Stop: Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
We were making great time and since daylight was still on our side, we made a spontaneous decision to dip into Canyonlands National Park—and wow, are we glad we did.
The scale of this place was unreal – towering cliffs and deep canyons with bottomed in basement rock. We’re already planning a return visit to properly explore. Our second 4×4 adventure of the trip took us 1,000 feet down a canyon wall on a rugged, switch backing descent. Marc stayed cool under pressure, handling the 4×4 like a pro. Caitlin stayed… glued to the passenger door handle, which may never be the same again 😂.
Final Thoughts: From Ladders to Canyons
Today’s ancient ladder climbs to white-knuckle canyon descents brought history and jaw-dropping views. Safe to say we earned our rest—more adventures planned for the morning.
