Far View Sites [Suggest Edits]

Description

Visit the Far View Sites for a Mesa Verde experience in Ancestral Puebloan life before their construction of the famous Mesa Verde cliff dwellings.

Over two hundred years before building the iconic cliff dwellings seen around Mesa Verde today, the Ancestral Puebloans occupied this site in huge numbers, often supporting over 50 different villages within a 0.5 square mile area.

Today, this site preserves the remnants of these once-vibrant communities, and allows visitors to gain insight into Ancestral Puebloan life before their exodus into the cliff sides. While it is not fully known why the villages moved into the hillside, it's been thought that cultural shifts and a need for increased protection may have been a potential cause.

Short Walk: Visitors can park adjacent to the Far View Sites Loop Trailhead, located on an unmarked, paved road located 1.5 miles south of the Far View Terrace Cafe on Mesa Top Ruins Rd. A short run along the Far View Sites Loop give visitors a great tour of the area.

Gem Type: Prehistoric Site