Get out and discover something new about your 394 national parks! This year's focus, "Healthy Parks, Healthy People," highlights the connection between human and environmental health and the vital role America's national parks play in both. Mesa Verde National Park offers many recreational activities that can contribute to your health and well-being, including adventurous tours of spectacular Cliff Palace, pleasant walks through the Spruce Tree House site, and a self-guided exploration of Far View Sites. In honor of National Park Week, entrance fees will be waived at Mesa Verde and all National Park Service-administered sites from April 16 through 24, so this will be a great time to get outdoors and enjoy your parks!

The Mesa Verde Museum Association is also celebrating National Park Week with a special offer at its Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum store, Far View Visitor Center store, and Colorado Welcome Center store in Cortez. With your purchase of $30 or more, you'll receive a free gift pack that includes a copy of the 1926 Re-excavation of Step House report, the DVD Treasures Of the Past, and five assorted artifact postcards. This offer is only available in our stores from April 16 through 24. As always, proceeds from all purchases support education and research in Mesa Verde National Park.

Learn more about National Park Week activities occurring throughout the National Park System by visiting http://www.nps.gov/npweek/

We invite you to rediscover Mesa Verde by taking a special hiking tour with us this summer! The Mesa Verde Institute (an educational program of the Mesa Verde Museum Association) is partnering with the National Park Service to offer exciting new visitor experiences for a modest fee. Ranger-led hikes into Oak Tree House and Fire Temple, Square Tower House, and Spring House are being offered. The hikes to Square Tower House, which was last open for public tours in the 1950s, are filling especially quickly! In addition, four free tours of Yucca House National Monument just south of Cortez are scheduled, and the April tour is already full. Hike dates, fees, and program details are posted on www.mesaverdeinstitute.org. Registration is now open and you must register online in advance to participate. We hope you'll take advantage of these rare opportunities to visit spectacular Mesa Verde archeological sites which are normally closed to the public.

Learn more and register today for our special hikes by clicking here

Far View Visitor Center opened April 10, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cliff Palace Tours began April 10, every hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Far View Lodge and Metate Room fine dining open April 21
Far View Terrace (gift shop and food service) opens May 5
Morefield Campground and camp store opens May 11

In addition, the following facilities are open daily:
Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and MVMA store: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Spruce Tree House self-guided: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Spruce Tree Terrace (gift shop and food service): 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As part of its continuing efforts to enhance visitor services, Mesa Verde National Park is now selling tour tickets at the Colorado Welcome Center (CWC) at 928 East Main Street in Cortez. Tickets will be sold up to two days in advance of each tour.

Tour tickets are $3.00 per person, per site, and will be sold for Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House, the park's popular ranger-led activities. Ticket sales began on Sunday, April 10 and will continue through Saturday, November 5, 2011. The CWC is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. From May 27 through September 4, the CWC will be open daily for extended hours, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mesa Verde National Park is able to offer this service through the assistance of its park partner, the Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA). "Response to our pilot program last summer was very positive, so we're pleased to offer this service again this year," stated park superintendent Cliff Spencer. "We hope local residents and visitors staying in area establishments take advantage of this opportunity. This will also help reduce the long ticket lines at Far View Visitor Center."

Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House tour tickets may still be purchased on the same day or up to two days in advance of the tours at the Far View Visitor Center in Mesa Verde National Park. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. From May 29 through September 5, the Visitor Center will be open extended hours, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tour tickets are $3.00 per person, per site.  Tour tickets may also be purchased at the Morefield Ranger Station, at the entrance to Morefield Campground, beginning May 29 through early August, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For tour ticket information call the Colorado Welcome Center Bookstore at 970-564-0780, the Mesa Verde Museum Association at 970-529-4445 or 800-305-6053, or Mesa Verde National Park at 970-529-4465.

The Mesa Verde Foundation's spotlight is now on funding the Tribal Cultures Center. After visitor services are relocated to the Visitor and Research Center in the fall of 2012, historic Far View Visitor Center will undergo a creative renovation into a Tribal Cultures Center (TCC) and dance plaza. The TCC will celebrate the pueblos and tribes of Mesa Verde, their contemporary cultures, and links to the Ancestral Puebloans.

The vision for the TCC facility is to create an educational center representing the 24 Native American tribes and pueblos of Mesa Verde. Native American artwork would be displayed from each tribe and artisans would conduct demonstrations. The TCC would showcase tribal arts such as pottery, masonry, dance and the heritage of the Puebloans. Tribal culture and language preservation would be featured. Seminars and demonstrations on Puebloan life skills, such as pottery making and firing, hide tanning, blanket making, traditional agriculture, cooking, flint knapping, etc. would be held. In addition, tribal dances are envisioned to be featured and taught on the dance plaza. A store featuring publications by and about Native American cultures and merchandise produced by the tribes and pueblos would be part of the Center.

The Mesa Verde Foundation is funding the Tribal Cultures Center renovation. Please click here to support the project.

Donations can also be mailed to:
The Mesa Verde Foundation
2870 North Speer Boulevard #102
Denver, CO 80211

While plans are still very much in the discussion stage, work is going forward between the Foundation and the tribes to provide a place where the past is preserved for the present.

The Mesa Verde Foundation (MVF), located in Denver, Colorado, is currently accepting resumes for the position of Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the fundraising activities, day-to-day operations, financial systems and reporting, and staffing of the MVF, in accordance with the policy guidance and fiscal controls established by the Board of Directors. This position requires working closely and in harmony with the Superintendent, National Park Service (NPS) and partners staff of Mesa Verde National Park, and Native American Tribes and Pueblos culturally affiliated with Mesa Verde primarily through the Tribal Consultation process as established by the NPS. The Executive Director also has a particular responsibility to develop and execute a successful fundraising plan for the Foundation in coordination with the Board of Directors and in cooperation with the park superintendent and his staff.

For more information, please click here.

Celebrate the history, archeology, culture, and tradition of Mesa Verde Country at this year's Indian Arts and Culture Festival. This event pays tribute to the region's long cultural traditions of the Pueblo, Navajo and Ute tribes. Meet this year's featured artist, Hopi potter Valerie Namoki, shop the Indian Art Market, attend a Navajo rug auction, watch traditional Native American dances, view behind the scenes collections and attend special festival-only archaeology tours. The juried Indian Art Market will be held on May 29 at Far View Terrace in Mesa Verde National Park! For more event information, click here.

 

Yahtzee: National Parks travel edition is a great way to celebrate America's natural treasures and enjoy the popular dice game while traveling or at home. Roll a hiker, pine trees, binoculars, tent and canoe for a Large Straight! Yahtzee: National Parks travel edition includes a distinctive dice cup, five custom dice, score pad, pencil and fun facts about the environment and preserving the national parks. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Park Foundation. $16.99. Click here to order yours today.

As always, Mesa Verde Association members receive a 20% discount on all purchases when you order by phone or shop in our stores. Place your order today at 800-305-6053 or 970-529-4445. Not a member yet? It's easy to join! Just click here or call us.