"The Extra Mile" - the Tracks & Trails blog

My first visit to Mesa Verde National Park was a last-minute weekend getaway; not a carefully-researched, thoughtfully planned-out destination.  At the time, I did not realize that a one-day visit would not allow sufficient time to see both the Chapin and Weatherill Mesas, or that I would be drawn by its mystery and want to explore more archaeological sites as a result of that brief visit.  On my next (more extensive) trip, not only Weatherill Mesa, but other archaeological sites in the area beckon to me – Hovenweep, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Canyon de Chelle, and the list goes on.