Mesa Verde offers grand vistas of Southwestern Colorado's sweeping mesa plateaus, along with the spectacular ancient cliff dwellings for which it is most famous. From the modern Far View Lodge (and the usual visitor center, restaurant, and gift shop), you can see far beyond jagged and giganitic Ship Rock, almost 50 miles south. The motor hotel's restaurant is reputed to be among the finest in the state, featuring dishes with a Spanish flair, although my wife and I did not visit. We took a half day bus tour by the Aramark Company, with an excellent guide, but I think it was greatly overpriced, and we had experiences of equal or better quality on the one or two hour, $2 U.S. park ranger-led excursions. The ancient sites are amazing! One in particular stays with me: Long House. It includes a large level dance floor centered in the sunshine, in front the immense alcove of curving, overhanging rock, which shelters the actual house. It's several hundred feet long and built on many levels. The brick work has been beautifully restored. The trail is not strenuous, but our ranger reminded us this is a remote place, and treatment for a heart attack would be many hours away at best. In fact, as we began the trek, he said, "If you suffer a heart attack down there, you're dead." The trail is not too steep, though, and is asphalt all the way.

The ranger also told us he and another man camped at Long House one night, but left quickly several hours before sunrise, because he heard what he thought was a woman either screaming or singing on the cliff top above. You get the feeling you are violating sacred ground at Mesa Verde, and indeed, you are! Native Americans did not venture into the area for 700 years after the last ancient people suddenly left. They left after working so hard to build these mystical cities over a period of 100 years. The mystery is what keeps people coming, along with spectacular wind swept desert canyons filled with large and small ancient dwellings. Many of them are high on seemingly inaccessible ledges. The ancients were truly master climbers as well as brick artisans. We came away from Mesa Verde with renewed, refreshed spirits. I know many Americans, on hurried vacations with limited time, spend only a day here. We spent three, and came away without seeing everything! Taking the time to sit and enjoy the huge vistas, take leisurely walks on the trails, and read about the ancient culture, can be truly fulfilling. Note: cliff dwelling tours are not for those with trouble walking, or for small children who tend to wander near potentially deadly drops, but if you are of average physical ability, you will come away from this park with a new perspective, and new respect for people of many centuries ago. I suspect that's what the World Heritage Sites are all about, after all, isn't it?! I rate Mesa Verde a 10 on a 10 scale.