Mesa Verde Wilderness, Archaeological site in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States.
Mesa Verde Wilderness contains over 4,700 archaeological sites across terrain ranging from 6,000 to 8,572 feet in elevation within dense pinon and juniper forests.
The first archaeological documentation occurred in 1874 when photographer W. H. Jackson discovered small cliff dwellings in Mancos River Canyon.
Archaeological research at Mesa Verde reveals multiple cultural phases from Basketmaker to Pueblo III, demonstrating changes in agriculture, architecture, and pottery production.
The archaeological site conservation program maintains and documents new discoveries through specialized research projects and collaboration with various scientific partners.
Tree ring analysis indicates that severe drought conditions between 1276 and 1299 led to complete abandonment of settlements by Ancestral Puebloan communities.
Location: Montezuma County
Inception: 1976
GPS coordinates: 37.26440,-108.38100
Latest update: March 21, 2025 20:17
Mesa Verde National Park
10.1 km
Mesa Verde Administrative District
13 km
Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum
13 km
Wrightsman House
12.1 km
Balcony House
13.6 km
Mancos Theatre
12.1 km
Bauer Bank Block
12.1 km
Mancos High School
12 km
Spruce Tree House
13 km
Sun Temple
13.9 km
Hemenway House
13.5 km
Far View Reservoir
11.3 km
Sunset House
13.9 km
Megalithic House
11.2 km
Knife Edge Trail
6.4 km
Far View House
11.3 km
Coyote Village
11.5 km
Far View Sites Complex
11.5 km
Pipe Shrine House
11.3 km
Far View Tower
11.3 km
Far View Visitor Center
10.4 km
Park Point Lookout
7.4 km
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
8.3 km
Mesa Verde Community Building
13.1 km
Mesa Verde Superintendent's Residence
13.1 km
Montezuma Valley Overlook
6.5 km
Spruce Tree Canyon
13.1 km
Cliff Palace Overlook
13.6 kmReviews
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