Sunday, September 23, 2012

Hike and Bike on Wetherill Mesa


Wetherill Mesa at Mesa Verde has the second largest concentration of Ancestral Pueblo ruins sites in the park, but is usually only open in the summer season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The southwest Colorado National Park held a special Wetherill Mesa Hike and Bike day on September 22, 2012. The Wetherill Mesa Road was open to entry from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM with all visitors leaving by 4:30 PM.


The 5.4 mile paved tram road is open for hiking and biking to the several sites. Visitors park at the information kiosk as usual, and then set out on the tram road or the normal hiking trail. Staying on the tram trail, the first attraction is the 1 mile round trip Nordenskiold Site #16 Trail. 


The Nordenskiold Trail leads to a lookout point of the No. 16 site that features about 50 rooms and 5 or 6 kivas. This site has a round tower on the right side and perhaps a squarish kiva on the left side. There is a site diagram on the interpretive sign at the overlook point.


A small ruins site in visible with binoculars across the scenic Rock Canyon when looking to the west from the same viewpoint.


Long House is a good place to visit on the Hike and Bike days. The hike along the tram trail to the Long House trailhead is about 0.75 miles and takes me about 20 minutes if there are no other stops. Normally, visitors arrive on the tram and hike in groups of up to 60 with no little opportunity to pause along the trail and take in the views or examine the Pinon Pine and Utah Juniper forest.


This is a good opportunity to notice Long House details that might normally be missed. I noticed a doorway on the right side of the large Long House site that seems to have an inside stairway leading down to it.


In the same area I noticed a T-shaped doorway. There is some mystery about this type of doorway. Is it practical or does it have some symbolic meaning.


After visiting Long House, I returned on the tram road and walked back to the busy kiosk. As part of the special day, a hamburger or hot dog and chips lunch was available at the kiosk for $5 or $6. My hike and visit to the Nordenskiold Trail and Long House took 2:30 hours for about 4 miles of walking. It was an 80 F degree late September day and there were dozens of other visitors enjoying the day.


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