Knife Edge Trail and Spring Wildflowers

The Knife Edge Trail at Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado is one of two or three interpretive trails in the park that emphasize the plants found in the area, and their use by the Ancestral Pueblo people that lived here.

The Trail Head is in the Morefield campground area near the part entrance and the hike is a 2.0 mile round trip. There are three hiking trails starting in the Morefield campground area, but none of them pass by any of the famous ruins sites.

There are 32 stops on the self guided trail. In spring, not all of the plants mentioned in the trail guide are in flower, but some are. The first stops on the trail are Gambel Oak and Pinon Pine, two of the most common trees, and also sources of acorns and pine nuts that were edible. Also mentioned are Black Sagebrush and Big Sagebrush, two common shrubs. Big Sagebrush is an indicator of good soil for farming.

In the vicinity of the marker that discussed the blue Spurred Lupine there was a blue flower in bloom, but I think in late May is was Larkspur.

There are some wildflowers along the trail that aren't mentioned in the trail guide. I think this is Clematis in the buttercup family. Clematis is one of the plants identified on the paved trail leading down to Spruce Tree House on Chapin Mesa.

Another flower that was conspicuous in May but not mentioned in the trail guide was this showy white flower that I think is Cliff Fendler Bush. The views from the Knife Edge Trail are from the North Rim of Mesa Verde toward the Montezuma Valley.

Snowberry is a low growing bush with pale pink bell shaped flowers. The Trail Guide says that there was no known Ancestral Pueblo use for Snowberry. Another berry on the trail is Utah Serviceberry, the most common bush in Mesa Verde and probably a source of food. There is also an Elderberry Bush on the trail, the only one that has been found in the park.

The Trail Guide mentions that this bush was so striking that the Knife Edge road was detoured slightly to preserve it. The Knife Edge Road was built in 1914 and served as an entrance to the park until the tunnel between Prater and Morefield canyons was built in 1957.

The Wild Rose has bright pink flowers and red oval shaped berries called "hips." These hips are rich in vitamin C and some have been found in Ancestral Pueblo remains. These roses grow in moist side canyons in dense patches.

A few small Douglas Firs are found along the trail and there are large ones high above against the north facing cliffs. Douglas Firs are also found in the moist canyons such as near Spruce Tree House. The Trail Guide mentions that the most colorful flower along the trail is the bright red Indian Paint Brush, but in late may none were in bloom yet.