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.