Spruce Canyon Trail on Chapin Mesa

The Spruce Canyon Trail is one of two 2.4 mile trails, along with the Petroglyph Trail, that start at the Spruce Tree House trail head next to the Chapin Mesa Museum in Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado.

From the trail head paved switchbacks descend into the canyon to Spruce Tree House, one of the major Ancestral Pueblo Ruins sites that can be entered. It is possible to hike the Spruce Canyon Trail without passing by the ruin site, but it is a spectacular site and is worth a look even if you've seen it before.

After splitting from the Petroglyph Trail, the Spruce Canyon Trail descends with switchbacks to the bottom of the Douglas Fir dominated side canyon continues south for a short ways then swings north around a canyon junction into the main part of Spruce Canyon. The trail is smoother walking than the nearby Petroglyph Trail. The elevation at the trailhead is about 7000 feet and the descent on the Spruce Canyon Trail is about 500 feet.

The canyon bottom is dense forest of mostly Gambel Oak with Douglas Firs. There are views of the canyon sides in some places. I scanned the canyon walls for small ruins sites with binoculars but didn't see any. There is a medium sized ruins site along the trail but it isn’t visible from the canyon bottom.

Climbing back to the canyon rim there are signs pointing the way back to the Chapin Mesa Museum, but there are interesting features along the rim.

The picnic ground close to the rim was the original park campground and there are views of where you were just hiking.

Continuing along the rim the trail passes Fewkes Cabin, named for Jesse Walter Fewkes, the pioneer archaeologist who did much of the early work in Mesa Verde. Fewkes was an early proponent of opening the ruins sites to the public as an educational experience. This is the oldest historic building in Mesa Verde. Further on is the original amphitheater. There are still cultural presentations here.

The trail continues past the old amphitheater to the edge of the overflow parking lot where you can scan the cliffs across Spruce Canyon to the west with binoculars. There is a medium sized ruins site just below the rim, over the Spruce Canyon Trail. There isn't a sign pointing this site out and it doesn't appear on the park map. The Park Rangers say that this site is called Thomas House. Thomas House has a T-shaped door visible.

Further on, at the tip of the mesa top, the routes for both the Petroglyph Trail and the Spruce Canyon Trail are visible. My hike took 1:50 hours on an 85 F degree mid August day.

Spruce Tree House Ruins Trail

Spruce Tree House at Mesa Verde is the third largest cliff dweller ruin and is a favorite as it is located near a variety of visitor services including the Chapin Mesa Museum, gift shop, and food service.

There is a paved trail leading down into Spruce Tree Canyon. This trail also is the starting point for the Petroglyph Trail and the Spruce Canyon Trail. Many of the common plants growing in the canyon are also identified along the paved trail. There is a trail guide available that provides interpretation for the site. Many of the plants along the trail are identified with comments on their possible uses.

The first courtyard represents an area where people lived and worked on good weather days. The three story wall fronts about 20 rooms accessed through the rectangular and key hole shaped openings. There is a layer of soot on the cave ceiling and a kiva in the foreground.

Kivas are thought to have been the center of spiritual activity and also as a work area and social gathering place. They are designed to give good ventilation, as opposed to the other rooms. Fresh air was drawn in through a ventilation shaft and deflected around the room. Roof beams were supported by the six pilasters distributed around the circle. There appears to be eight kivas as part of the Spruce Tree House site. Three of the Spruce Tree House kivas have reconstructed roofs and one can be entered.

The section on the right is one of the rare places where some modern reconstruction was done to prevent further collapse. Most of the sites have only had some minor work done for stabilization.

The view that the people had living here while standing in the plaza was pleasant, very green and sheltered, with the tall Douglas Firs looming overhead. A small spring provided water for this site and aided the plant growth.

There are two historic inscriptions to look for at Spruce Tree House. The Nordenskiold No. 1 is found near the left rim of the kiva that is discussed at stop 6 on the self guided tour. Nordenskiold was the first scientist to examine Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings in 1891. The Nordenskiold No. 15 is easy to see at Long House on Wetherill Mesa. One of the short trails on Wetherill Mesa is named the Nordenskiold No. 16 Trail, but the inscription isn’t visible. 

Near the right end of the alcove the John Wetherill initials JW are visible. John Wetherill ranged far in the Four Corners area and left initials in many locations.