Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1915-08-30
A TRIP THROUGH THE
MESA VERDE PARK


Starting from the beautiful little
city of Mancos, between the hours
of and in the morning, going west
two miles, then south ascending the
mesa under the point Of Point Look
out and after detour of miles, to
avoid very narrow portion Of the old
road, came back to the ledge of Mesa.
Such wonderful and beautiful views
one sees going through the park.
An eight per cent grade from one
telephone station to the other The
highest point on the mesa is 1914
feet above sea level, the gradual slope
IS south and from the highest point,
looking over the beautiful Montezuma
valley is 1000 feet. Looking north
can be seen the Rico mountains with
the Montezuma valley, first below
the observer, covered with fertile
fields. To the west are the La Sale
and Blue mountains in Utah, with
the mountains in the immediate fore
ground in Colorado, To the south
can be seen the Tunitohe range in
Arizona and Shiprock in New Mexico
and can be seen the canyon of the
Mancos river and where the La Plata
enters the San Juan. Looking through
the different canyons can be seen
miles of lodges Of sand stone in which
were built the homes OF the Ancient
Cliff Dwelers, that is something
wonderful.
Starting down Michigan avenue, a
road cut through five miles of cedars
looks as 4 it might have been the
farming land and leads down to the
Spruce Tree house which is located
in Spruce Tree canyon. The first we
came to and we were glad to get there
for we were hungry set of sight
seeing people by the way. We were
late on the account of an accident
but we sure did justice to the boun-
tiful, well cooked dinner that was
waiting US at the little tent town,
kept by Mrs. Peep, a pleasant lady to
meet.
The tents are placed right on the
ledge of Spruce Tree house. You goI
down under ledge of sand stone and
winding your way under the hill of
stone, one comes to pump, which
pumps water to the camp. Go back
under the wall, you come to the most
beautiful spring, OH such good, cold
clear water, / will never forget it.
And to think it is where those peo-
pie of the past got their water to
drink, so many years ago. Then we
went up to the ruins, just little
walk from the spring.
One enters from the left rooms,
some of which are largo and some
small. One room after another, most
all in good preservation and the ceal-
ing is of cedar and is perfect, there
are Kivas, the council chambers.
place of worship are built round sup
posed to have been 1876 rooms built
in between cliff lodges of small stones
chinked with morton and broken pot
terry supposed to have housed $50 i'm
habitants from Spruce house TO Bal
cony house, we did not go through
this house but stopped on big table
rock from which the view was per-
feet. The sun shown so we could see
in the ruins, the location was safe
and grand, time was limited, from
there went to the Cliff Palace house
located about two miles from Spruce
house. Cliff Palace is built just
about half way from the top to the
bottom of the ledge, bottom of the
canyon go down ladder 10 feet but
200 feet around one goes up another
ladder you first enter the court in
10 rooms back from the rooms ia
another beautiful spring the view
right strait across is one mile.
Four hundred feet from bottom of
canyon.
Other houses are to be seen, and one
to see them surely viii never for
gotten.
This trip was given me by Arthur
McLeran, my son.
MpC I " pEDNrADn