Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is located in southwestern Colorado. The name, Mesa Verde, is Spanish for "green table." The park is best known for its archeological sites, which contain over 600 cliff dwellings. A park regulation requires that a Park Ranger accompany all visitors who wish to enter one of the dwellings.

		Congress passed the Preservation of American Antiquities Act in 1906, which made it a Federal crime to collect or destroy any historic or prehistoric object or building on federally owned land. Then President Theodore Roosevelt signed a Congressional bill to make Mesa Verde a national park in June, 1906.


	A variety of activities is available within the park. Bird watching, hiking trails, nature walks, wildlife viewing, geology stops, plant viewing, and stargazing are some of the more popular things to do. Ranger-guided tours are available in the summer. Camping is available with over 435 campsites. Additionally, the park contains 15 recreational vehicle sites with hookups.


	Park Service Information Office: Mesa Verde National Park P.O. Box 8 Mesa Verde, CO 81330 E-mail: mese@parks.gov