On the way there we spied snow at the top of the highest peaks.
We also had to drive through a tunnel to get to the park. I informed Bruce that it was a rule that you had to honk when driving through a tunnel. Bruce and Roberta, being Coloradoans, didn't know about this rule, but I let him know that people who live in Kansas, where there are no tunnels through mountains, consider this a must.
This is the view from the Visitors' Center
This statue is outside the visitors' center, a tribute to those who lived and built and climbed there.
The first cliff dwelling we viewed was the Spruce Tree House... Not named because it's in a tree, though.
This dwelling is closed to tours, most likely for 3 more years. Rocks inside and from above have become loose and are falling, and it will take that long to stabilize things again so that it's safe for the public again.
This was our lunch view.
Next we viewed Cliff Palace. This one is also closed, but just for a few days. A few loose rocks had fallen from above, and guys are repelling down the side of the cliff above the palace to go ahead and knock the rocks down, so no one will get hurt.
This one is the largest of the cliff dwellings. You can see several kivas, and it went far back under the cliffs.
The view around Cliff Palace
Some of the storage shelters across from Cliff Palace
Hemenway House was named for the woman who campaigned to save and preserve the cliff dwellings in the area.
Can you see it?
More scenery
Finally we arrived at Balcony House, that we had purchased tickets for a tour. There are several other cliff dwellings you can get tour tickets for, but our tour guide said this one is the best, because you actually walk through the dwelling, instead of just walking in front of it.
Funny story... We bought our tickets back at the visitors' center. It was several hours, and quite a few miles, between the visitors' center, and the time we got to Balcony House. Brad pulled out our ticket that shows we paid for 2 people. Bruce pulled out his receipt from paying. No ticket... Just the receipt, and really no proof that his receipt hadn't paid for our ticket. He must have looked honest though, because the tour guide let him and Roberta go on the tour.
A few scenery pics before the tour started.
This is the gate where we'll finish up.
The Balcony House is right below this ledge.
At this point we've walked down a long skinny staircase, and along a rock ledge.
Bruce going down the staircase
Here the guide is showing us the almost invisible hand and footholds that were used hundreds of years ago.
Yeah, we're going up that ladder.
Our guide leads the pack.
Bruce and Roberta heading up.
Brad going up
I made it!
Brad too!
At the top of the ladder, we had to squeeze through this passageway. Brad and Bruce are goofing around.
At the end of the passageway was a little ladder.
As we waited for everyone to get up the tall ladder, we were free to wander around the dwelling.
Underneath the two upper doorways you can see the logs that supported the balconies, that gave the dwelling its name.
Drying racks
People are still climbing the ladder.
"Mountain" petroglyphs.
Steps we had to walk up.
Another passageway.
Handprint on the wall.
Checking out the view
The kiva. This would have had a wood log roof.
Now to crawl through this tunnel, about 12 feet long, with a speed bump in the middle.
The exit... Up another ladder.
And some rock steps
Looking back down the ladder.
Here comes Roberta!
And Bruce.
Whew! We made it!
We drove to a lookout where we could get a view back at the Balcony House. That's where we were climbing, where you can kind of see the arch in the cliff.
And just some other scenic views from the lookout.
Group selfie at the end of the day.
An awesome day! The people who lived here were definitely tough.
As a bonus, we walked a little over 4 miles, and climbed up and down the equivalent of 20 stories.
When we got back to Aztec, we realized it had rained, A LOT, while we were gone. Mud was washed over the road coming into town (good thing we were following a local who knew where to swerve!), the river definitely has a lot more water in it, and there was hail on the ground around our RV's. Everything looked good in and around the RV's though, and the critters didn't seem to be too traumatized.
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