Mesa Verde – Wow!

We arrived at the Farview Lodge where we enjoyed a casual lunch, some relaxation time followed by dinner and cocktails.

We walked to the outdoor seating area to catch a rainbow.

Back at our room we sat on the balcony planning our next day and watched an incredible thunderstorm roll by.

Dramatic dark storm clouds gathering above a vast landscape, with a view of a distant plateau and faint rain falling in the background.

We had two tours planned for the next day: Mug House in the morning, and Balcony House on the other side of the park in the afternoon.

Mug House

Mug house is named for three mugs tied together with yucca rope found hanging inside one of its rooms. It’s over 1,000 years old and offers amazing insights to how these people lived.

Given that it was a rainy day, I opted to leave my camera tucked in a dry location and used just my phone for the pictures.

This cliff house is a very well protected place, to the extent that we were instructed to walk along the highway and when told to do so by the guide, disperse separately down the hill as to not create a trail, and meet up below.

The trail to Mug House was fun and interesting…

A narrow dirt path winding through dense greenery and bushes in a wooded area.
A wooden pathway winding through a natural rock formation, surrounded by greenery and shrubs.
A group of hikers walking along a rocky path under a large overhanging cliff, surrounded by vegetation.

…and Mug House was amazing.

A group of hikers exploring ancient cliff dwellings nestled under a rocky overhang, surrounded by lush greenery and sandy pathways.
Ancient cliff dwelling ruins with stone walls, partially covered by rock, featuring a wooden ladder and vegetation in the foreground.
Ancient stone dwellings built into a cliffside, surrounded by greenery and sand

Balcony House

Balcony house is also a guide-only tour but not quite as hidden as Mug House. Balcony house is named after the balcony that is part of the architecture of the structure which is believed to be a stepping area for getting into the second floor rooms of the structure.

There were some fun spots along our tour including a 32-foot tall ladder, and a squeeze through a tunnel to get to an adjoining chamber.

Cliffside dwelling with a wooden ladder leading to the entrance, surrounded by rocky terrain and greenery.
A person climbing a metal ladder on a rocky terrain, surrounded by lush greenery in the background.
Narrow passageway between two large rock formations with a person sitting at the entrance, surrounded by gravel and a wooden railing.
A wooden ladder leads up to a cliffside dwelling nestled in a rocky canyon, with steep stone walls and a cloudy sky above.

Balcony House was a multi-community facility which is why there was an adjoining chamber and multiple kivas.

Interior view of an ancient stone ruin set against a mountainous landscape, featuring circular structures and rocky walls.
Interior view of ancient stone ruins built into a cliffside, featuring layered walls, uneven floors, and remnants of structures with a natural landscape visible in the background.
A group of visitors stands along a cliffside walkway near ancient stone dwellings, overlooking a deep canyon with greenery below.
An ancient cliff dwelling with stone walls and remnants of structures under a rocky overhang, surrounded by natural vegetation.
An ancient cliff dwelling structure with stone walls, located under a rock overhang, with visitors exploring the site amid greenery.

A Final Drive Around

After Balcony House, we decided to drive around that part of the park to see what else we might see. It seems as though there is a lot of other sites to visit.

Ancient cliff dwellings nestled beneath a rocky overhang, surrounded by greenery, with a small group of people in the foreground.
Ancient cliff dwellings built into a rocky hillside, showcasing rows of stone structures with windows and doorways.
Close-up view of a rocky cliffside with shrubs and trees, featuring ancient stone structures carved into the rock face.
An ancient stone structure partially hidden under an overhanging cliff, surrounded by shrubs and trees.
A rugged cliff side with a large overhang, featuring textured rock formations and patches of greenery at the base. Above, a landscape of charred trees interspersed with shrubs and grasses under a cloudy sky.

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