Sacred Southwest Journey 2026: Part 3: Mesa Verde National Park: Long House

Day 5

This was a day of rest. We read our books and visited one of our friends and her daughter in Cortez. We had a nice visit. What I loved most about her home was the way she had it decorated with Indigenous objects and plants. It felt peaceful and loving in her home. Our friend made us a loaf of pumpkin bread to enjoy on our journey. How did she know we love pumpkin bread? Yes, it was delicious!! Food always taste better when you eat outdoors.

Day 6

We drove back to Mesa Verde National Park to tour the Long House dwellings. We were met with clouds which helped keep the outdoor temperature cooler in the 70s. For this tour, we hiked three quarters of a mile to the beginning of the ranger led tour. Our tour guide was a Hopi man.

Long House has benches, vaults and a raised firebox.

This is considered a difficult 2.25 mile hike with a 130 ft elevation change and two ladders to climb. Long House is considered an open and spacious dwelling complex.

The hike toward Long House

From this photo, you can see how protected the dwellings were from the elements.

Final descent off the trail to Mesa Verde: Long House

The photo below is the view from the large central plaza. It is suggested gatherings for ceremonies and celebrations were done here. Standing in the middle of the plaza, we silently said our prayers for those who have lived here before and their remaining spirits.

View from central plaza

Ancient log in foreground from the ceiling of the room

There is a natural spring that feeds into the complex from rock formation. The park service leaves the moss and vegetation growing to cover up the area where the water flows.

Natural spring source for the Long House dwelling community

As you can see in the photo below and above, there are holes in the rock where water was collected and guided for various reasons. I imagine this allowed the main water run to remain clear and not filled with other objects. The tree limbs on the ground behind the ranger would not have been there in earlier days.

Water collection holes in the rock

There are about 150 rooms and 21 kivas at the Long House complex.

Looking back to the trail into the complex.

We ate our snacks in the parking lot of the Wetherill Mesa. On the twelve mile drive across the mesa and down to the visitor center, we stopped to take a photo of the beautiful yellow flowers of the Rubber Rabbitbrush plant.

Rubber Rabbitbrush flowers

We slept well this night after the day of hiking and exploring.

Next: Part 4: Bayfield, Colorado and Sacred Space…