Mesa Verde (19 Jul 2007)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/320 sec and 70mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/250 sec and 70mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/250 sec and 30mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/250 sec and 30mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/15 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/60 sec and 36mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 40mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 33mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 25mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/15 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/50 sec and 25mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/15 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/125 sec and 33mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 28mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/20 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/30 sec and 28mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/100 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 44mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/60 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/60 sec and 25mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/160 sec and 17mm)

Balcony House. The one-hour, ranger-guided tour involved climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft open rock face with two 10ft ladders to exit the site. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/100 sec and 40mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 53mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/250 sec and 53mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 33mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 36mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/250 sec and 25mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/100 sec and 33mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/160 sec and 62mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/80 sec and 40mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 40mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f11.0, 1/200 sec and 25mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/200 sec and 28mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/40 sec and 25mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/125 sec and 53mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/160 sec and 23mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/100 sec and 62mm)

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is built into an alcove in a sandstone cliff that measures 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The structure is 288 feet long and has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas--round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance. It is estimated that Cliff Palace was home to between 100 and 120 Anasazi. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/250 sec and 17mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f14.0, 1/80 sec and 21mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f5.6, 1/250 sec and 17mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f5.6, 1/125 sec and 17mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f5.6, 1/125 sec and 17mm)

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f5.6, 1/125 sec and 17mm)s (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 80 people. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. (Image taken with Canon EOS 20D at ISO 400, f4.0, 1/60 sec and 25mm)