Far View Sites, Mesa Verde Park, CO
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 37° 14.267 W 108° 30.385
12S E 721195 N 4124164
Quick Description: Mesa Top ruins such as the Far View Sites, range in date from 750 AD, earlier than the reknown cliff dwellings in the area, but just as impressive. Meas Verde National Park offers visitors a trip into the past...
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 5/1/2009 6:54:01 PM
Waymark Code: WM6AA6
Views: 3
Long Description:In Mesa Verde National Park, on the east side of Chapin Mesa, the
Far View sites includes five villages and an impressive, mesa-top
reservoir. This is a self-guided tour of a one of the most densely
populated areas of the mesa, showing inhabitation from AD 750 to
1300. Within a half mile of this site, nearly 50 villages have been
identified.
Unlike the cliff dwellings, these structures were open pueblos,
some even standing two stories! The elevation here, 7,700 feet is
higher than the other areas, which would have affected the growing
season, but increased the moisture available to support
agriculture.
The first sites you'll see are the Far View House, boasting 40
rooms and Pipe Shrine House, with 20 rooms...both show signs of
remodeling and additions over the years. The larger size of the Far
View Site may reveal that is was a multi-community gathering
place...
Take the short path to Coyote Village, one of the earliest
structures here, with 30 ground-floor rooms, five kivas and a
tower. A pithouse from even earlier occupants is beneath the
tower...