Welcome to "Verde Views," the e-newsletter for Mesa Verde Association members and friends. This periodic publication will keep you informed about Association news and events, park happenings, new products and special sales.

Director Jon Jarvis announced that the National Park Service will waive entrance fees 17 days in 2011 to encourage all Americans to visit their national parks.

 

"These fee-free weekends provide an opportunity for individuals and families alike to take an affordable vacation or to explore a nearby park they have never visited before," said Jarvis. "I encourage everyone to take advantage of the free admission to visit not only our greatest natural wonders but also our nation's historic and cultural icons."

 

There are 392 national park units located across the country in 49 states, 147 of them charge entry fees ranging from $3 to $25. There are an additional 245 parks that do not have entrance fees so you can plan a free visit year-round. Mesa Verde National Park's $10 (winter) to $15 (summer) entry fee will be waived on the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 15-17), National Park Week (April 16-24), the first day of summer (June 21), National Public Lands Day (September 24), and the weekend of Veterans Day (November 11-13).

 

The fee-free waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors-such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions. The National Park Service website provides information to help the public plan their park adventures at www.nps.gov

 

During these fee-free days, the Mesa Verde Museum Association will feature special offers in its stores. For the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, shoppers will receive a free Treasures of the Past DVD with a purchase of $30 or more on January 15-17 at our Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum store in the park (open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), and our Colorado Welcome Center store at 928 East Main Street in Cortez (open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

Mesa Verde National Park offers a variety of winter activities. The winter schedule of programs will be in effect through March 5, 2011.

 

The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The only cliff dwelling open during the winter season, Spruce Tree House, can be visited on a ranger-guided walking tour offered daily at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. These one-hour tours are free and do not require a ticket. Interested visitors should meet the ranger in the lobby of the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum just before tour time.

 

The Mesa Top Loop Road will remain open throughout the winter from 8:00 a.m. to sunset, weather permitting. Heavy snowfall or icy road conditions may close the road temporarily. The main park road will remain open throughout the winter, subject to road closures after heavy snowfall.

 

The Cliff Palace Loop Road is closed to car traffic, and trails to Petroglyph Point and Spruce Canyon are closed for the season. The park has groomed the snow on the Cliff Palace Loop Road and a portion of Morefield Campground for skiing and snowshoeing. Visitors should contact the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum at (970) 529-4631 or park dispatch at (970) 529-4622 for updates on weather, road and trail conditions.

 

Food service is available at Spruce Tree Terrace, open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Far View Lodge and Terrace, the Far View Visitor Center and the Morefield Campground are closed for the season. There is no gasoline or other fuel available in the park.

 

Additional information may be obtained by visiting the park's website at www.nps.gov/meve or by calling the park's main information line at (970) 529-4465.

The Mesa Verde Association is a joint membership program of the Mesa Verde Museum Association and the Mesa Verde Foundation. Your MVA membership supports both of these 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.  

 

The Mesa Verde Museum Association (tax ID 84-1404606) provides educational and interpretive material to visitors of Mesa Verde National Park through an active publishing program and the operation of retail bookstores online, in the park, and in Cortez, CO. Our services enhance the visitor experience and promote stewardship of Mesa Verde's world-renowned archeological resources and natural landscapes. Proceeds from all Association operations are donated to the park's interpretive, research, and education programs.

 

The Mesa Verde Foundation (tax ID 84-046967) funds capital improvements, projects, and educational endeavors for Mesa Verde National Park. Our projects include construction of a new Visitor and Research Center near the park's entrance and remodeling the existing Far View Visitor Center into a Tribal Cultures Center to enhance understanding of the connection between the Ancestral Puebloans and contemporary Native American tribes.

 

 

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