Leaving Mesa Verde
3 / 3
Before leaving Mesa Verde National Park, we stopped at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center, which we had somehow completely missed on the way in. Out front, we were greeted by a sculpture of a Puebloan woman holding a bowl of corn. Corn was central to life here, and the statue paid homage to the people who lived on these mesas long ago.
Mesa Verde Visitor Center
1 / 8
Inside, the exhibits balanced archaeology with living culture. We saw beautifully woven baskets, pottery, carved figures, and small artifacts that reflected both craftsmanship and everyday practicality. The life-size dioramas were especially impressive. Full-scale scenes of pottery making, stone masonry, and cliff climbing conveyed a physically demanding lifestyle. It is one thing to admire cliff dwellings from an overlook. It is another to imagine hauling materials up and down those walls.
There was also an archive room we could not enter, but we were able to peek inside. Rows of compact shelving and labeled boxes held artifacts and research materials carefully stored away. It showcased how much of the park’s history is still being studied and preserved behind the scenes.
After that, we officially exited the park and headed toward Durango. That night we stayed at Durango HTR Campground. Full hookups. Finally. We had not plugged in since April 17 at Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground near Sedona. After three weeks of conserving water and power, running everything without thinking about it felt like a small luxury.
There was also an archive room we could not enter, but we were able to peek inside. Rows of compact shelving and labeled boxes held artifacts and research materials carefully stored away. It showcased how much of the park’s history is still being studied and preserved behind the scenes.
After that, we officially exited the park and headed toward Durango. That night we stayed at Durango HTR Campground. Full hookups. Finally. We had not plugged in since April 17 at Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground near Sedona. After three weeks of conserving water and power, running everything without thinking about it felt like a small luxury.