Our friends Melanie and Lawrence came through the area and met up with us for this hike to Petroglyph Point in Mesa Verde National Park.
The loop is somewhere around 2.7 miles and follows a foot-worn trail of the Ancestral Pueblo people into the forested Spruce Canyon landscape and along a sometimes steep, rocky path. I’d say this is rated moderate though anyone with mobility issues would struggle and possibly have to turn back. There are rock steps, extremely narrow passes through rock walls, some scrambling up rocks, and lots of roots. After you get back up on top of the mesa it’s a flat hike the second part back to the start.
That said, it’s awesome! There are so many different things to admire on this hike. The deep canyons, giant rock alcoves, cliffs, cool gnarly trees, dwelling ruins, and petroglyphs. This definitely wasn’t a fast hike because we were constantly stopping to check stuff out.
The large petroglyph panel seen along the trail represents the written language of the people who inhabited and traveled through this canyon. More than thirty human and animal figures, spirals, and handprints cover an area of over 35 feet wide. My favorite is the kissing birds you can see in one of the pics below.
Add this to your list of things to see. You’re welcome.
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