Colorado Day Trip: See Inside Beautiful ‘Mesa Verde’ National Park

There's nothing like driving across the state line from any direction and heading into Colorado. The scenery and all the fun things to do outdoors have always been able to recharge my batteries and I hear the same from a lot of people who love living here.

Returning to the Western Slope

It's great to be back in the Grand Valley and I'm so glad to be able to spend my weekday mornings helping you start your day in Grand Junction. The last time I came through Colorado I got caught in a crazy blizzard going over the Continental Divide on Highway 50. I'll never forget that ride. In 2021, with mudslides happening pretty frequently I decided to come up to Colorado from Texas through New Mexico. Instead of going over the mountains, I came up to Grand Junction through Utah. This gave me the chance to stop at Mesa Verde National Park, a place that has long been on my National Park bucket list.

You Can't Do It All In One Day

While I had an amazing time spending about 5 hours inside the park before having to hit the road, I really could have spent a week. You can visit as part of a guided tour, ride in on horseback to get really close to some of the cliff dwellings, or you can drive around the top of the park on a guided audio tour. Whichever one you choose, you'll probably want to go back and check out the places you did not get a chance to explore.

When the Sun Goes Down

Mesa Verde has been certified the world's 100th international Dark Sky Park. The area near the park features a high elevation, small population, and low pollution which means clear skies. This makes the elevations inside Mesa Verde an ideal place to stargaze. The park features star party events throughout the year and is another reason to consider camping inside the park or staying in the lodge.