National Park Evaluation Journal, Essay Example

Park Home

Mesa Verde is Spanish for green table. The park is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in the county of Montezuma, state of Colorado, USA. It is hailed as the biggest and best archaeological sites in USA, protecting nearly five thousand notable archaeological sites that include six hundred cliff dwellings. The park occupies 211km² (81.4 square miles) close to the Four Corners, which is the only place in the U.S. where four states converge.

History and Culture

President Theodore Roosevelt can be credited for the creation of Mesa Verde National Park on June 29, 1906. It serves the purpose of preserving man’s works. The National Park System set it aside as a cultural park and heritage in the U.S. The park has a rich history of being associated with the lives of the Ancient Pueblo people otherwise known as the Anasazi. They inhabited it for more than seven hundred years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. This is evidenced by several ruins of their villages and homes. Archaeologists have documented that largely, the Anasazi were subsistence farmers who grew crops such as corn and beans on nearby mesas. The park’s natural and cultural resources continue to be preserved up to date by the resource and management staff.

Attractions

The major attractions of the park are cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people. These structures are built within caves as well as under outcroppings in cliffs. The Cliff Palace is the largest among the cliff dwellings found in the park. These archaeological sites form spectacular sites for visitors to behold.

The park is also a place of cultural heritage preserving the history of Native Americans. This makes it a place of learning for interested visitors and a cultural site for the nation. The park has museum collections of the tools used by the Anasazi to hunt as part of supplementing their diet. The other collections include artifacts like baskets and pottery made by their women.

Nature and science also form part of the attractions to the national park. The park has eight thousand five hundred acres of federally designated wilderness. It boasts of the highest ranking under the Clean Air Act set by Congress as a Class 1 air shed. Those who study ecosystems are attracted to the Research Natural Area in the southeastern section of the park. This area is designated for monitoring ecological changes. Geological features include cuestas, mesas, and canyons. Park Point is the highest elevation at about 8,572 feet and other notable geologic features are the Mesa Verde Group. This comprises the Cliff House, the Point Lookout, and the Menefee. The park is home to wildlife such as, the spotted owl, the mule deer, bobcat, coyote, and the prairie rattlesnake.

The park has a private camping site and a fully open village at the Morefield Campground. There are lodging services at the Far View Lodge with quite affordable rates. These facilities are in serene environments and are rated as top class.

Planning a Visit

The park has a website where all the activities and schedules are outlined. Tickets are sold at the main entrance and in various points across Colorado. Transportation is by bus, car, or plane. They offer various holiday packages at affordable rates. Overall, it is a place of great exploration and fun for individuals and the whole family, for study or leisure.