Memorial Day weekend traditionally heralds the opening of all seasonal visitor services and activities, and this year is no exception. Beginning May 22, ranger-guided tours of Cliff Palace and Long House as well as Balcony House are being offered daily; visitor services are available on Wetherill Mesa; the park's visitor center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily; and Morefield Campground, Camp Grocery Store, Knife Edge Café, and Far View Terrace are open. Everything you need to complete your Mesa Verde experience is here for you. We hope to see you here this summer! Remember that if you are passing through Cortez, you can plan your park visit and purchase your ranger-guided cliff dwelling tour tickets at the Colorado Welcome Center which is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 501,563 visitors to Mesa Verde National Park in 2014 spent $49.9 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 742 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $60.1 million. "Mesa Verde National Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," said Superintendent Cliff Spencer. "We appreciate the partnership and support of the local communities in making a visit to Southwest Colorado a memorable one for so many."

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber, and National Park Service economist Lynne Koontz. The report shows $15.7 billion of direct spending by 292.8 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 277,000 jobs nationally; 235,600 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $29.7 billion.

According to the 2014 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (30.6 percent) followed by food and beverages (20.3 percent), gas and oil (11.9 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (9.9 percent).

To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm

The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.

Mesa Verde Foundation is pleased to be offering its second benefit ride within Mesa Verde National Park on Thursday, September 10, 2015. Experience the spectacular views of the western part of the park in all its autumn glory. Following last year's successful ride to White's

Mesa, this year we are headed to another section of the park near Wetherill Mesa.

The Long Mesa ride offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a day on horseback with interpretive rangers as we explore a part of the park not on any regular tourist trail. Limited to twenty-five participants, riders will meet at the entrance road to Wetherill Mesa at 8 a.m. and follow a trail down Long Mesa for an eight-hour ride. At the end of Long Mesa, riders will stop to enjoy a scrumptious catered gourmet lunch prepared by Absolute Bakery out of Mancos. On the way back, there will be a special visit and tour of Spring House, a spectacular unexcavated cliff dwelling.

The price of the ride is $500 per person ($450 is a contribution to MVF). Riders may bring their own horses or rent horses through Rimrock Outfitters in Mancos ($200/day). Riders must be experienced enough and able to ride over rugged terrain and trails. No stabling of horses is allowed in the park, but arrangements can be made to keep horses overnight at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, just outside of Cortez. The ride will occur rain or shine.

For details or to register send an email to ben@mesaverdefoundation.org or call Ben Duke, Ride Coordinator for Mesa Verde Foundation, at 303-771-1555.

Proceeds from the ride benefit Mesa Verde Foundation and its work to preserve and enhance the many treasures at Mesa Verde.

The Four Corners Lecture Series continues in June. This year's theme is "It's About Time," with several of the lectures focusing on the 25th anniversary of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a landmark piece of legislation. Programs are scheduled this month at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Hawkins Preserve in Cortez, Fort Lewis College, and the Sunflower Theatre in Cortez. On June 25 the series returns to Mesa Verde's Far View Lodge when Legacy on Stone author Sally Cole will give a talk entitled, "Birds in Ancestral Pueblo Rock Art and Culture" at 7:00 p.m. at the Far View Lodge Library (downstairs from Registration). We hope you'll join us for all of these free programs! The full lecture series schedule can be found here.

We are so fortunate to have many fine educational and research institutions in our region. Here's an opportunity to learn about Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, one of Mesa Verde National Park's research partners. Every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from May 20 through September 30, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., participants on this free half-mile walking tour can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at an archaeological research center. In just one hour, you will visit a working archaeology lab, have the opportunity to see ancient artifacts up close, and explore Crow Canyon's unique educational facilities. You will learn about the fascinating work of field and lab archaeologists and will learn about how Crow Canyon works with American Indians to create a more inclusive American history.  The Center is located three miles northwest of Cortez.

What's included on the tour:

* Crow Canyon's archaeology laboratory

* The Pithouse Learning Center, a replica of a seventh-century Pueblo Indian dwelling

* The Pueblo Farming Project's demonstration gardens

The curation staff at the Bureau of Land Management's Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) is hosting weekly "behind-the-scenes" tours of its curation and collections management facility on Thursdays from May through October. Tours are open to the public and are free with the cost of admission to the AHC. Federal recreation pass holders and people under 18 enjoy free museum admission.

Tours will take place every Thursday. Space is limited. Participants should reserve a place by calling 970-882-5600 during business hours. Tours are limited to adults and upper-age children.  The tour provides a chance to understand why artifacts are preserved and how curation supports ongoing research. Each tour lasts about one hour.