Thanks to DebitNM and this forum for help in planning.

We're a famiy of 4, our daughters are 19 & 22. We tent camped and brought some of our own food.

Day 1) 525 miles to Buena Vista. On the way we saw herds of buffalo, deer, antelope. We camped in the KOA. Beautiful area. Had a campfire.

2) Continued from BV to Durango. We saw coyotes playing in a pasture. We skirted the Black Canyon. Drove south through Ouray. I nearly had a acrophobe breakdown, since a good part of that road has no shoulder and a couple hundred/thousand foot drop off. We stopped to change drivers and found a little stream that cascaded over the cliff, with a tunnel under the road. Played a little in the water.

Arrived in Mesa Verde, set up camp, ate Aramak institutional type food at the Terrace then walked around the mesa top ruins of Farview. Rained that night, but stopped in time for older daughter & I to attend the ranger program on oral history. It wasn't particularly informative but the moon was full and the bats were flying.

That night I almost couldn't get near the restroom because of the grazing deer around it.

3) Got up bright & early, purchased our tour tickets. We were amazed at Cliff Palace.

Balcony House was probably our favorite as you actually walk through the ruin. However, if I had not been exercising these past months, I don't know if I could have done the 32 rung ladder and its little brother the 16 rung ladder. Not to mention my acrophobia, since they are on the side of a cliff. But, I did it, sweating and panting like I was about to give birth.

We ate a picnic lunch at Spruce Treehouse. We had turkeys and a flock of bluebirds and pinion jays around us.

The Spruce Treehouse ruin is also awesome. The area included a roofed kiva that we climbed into down a ladder.

We were told if we wanted to get to our last 4:00 tour we'd have to leave for Weatherill Mesa by 2:30, because of the road construction. So, we did, and at 2:45 the downpour commenced. The tickets say tours are not cancelled due to rain. However, by the time we arrived, the 3:30 was cancelled due to lightning and 4:00 doubtful. We drove back and received a refund. We ate at the Motor Lodge restaurant and had a wonderful meal. The sun broke through, we were seated at the window and the view was incredible.

We returned to the camp, had a fire and smores. Then we went to the ranger talk, much better on nocturnal animals.

4) The next morning we broke camp, went into Durango for a raft trip with Mild to Wild on the Lower Animas. The water is too low for white water, so it was mainly a float trip with a couple fast spots. But, younger daughter doesn't like white water, older daughter does, it was a beautiful day, we got wet and I think we were all happy. Our guide said it was one of the last days that they would run river trips, we didn't see another raft on the river.

We drove to Pagosa Springs for The Springs Resort and 17 hot tub/pools. In retrospect, I wish we had stayed there for the 24 hour access, but, we camped. Just as we set up, another rainstorm hit. We rested a bit, then went into town to eat, our restaurant had a view of the pools, and we could see people out there, so afterwards we went. The rain did stop and the pools are fantastic. Ranging in temp from 98 degrees to 112. 112 is too hot, but 105-109 is great. The moon was still full, the air was cool enough that we would steam as we walked between pools.

5) We finally slept in a morning. But, the sun woke me and I went and did laundry, since we had so many wet things.

We drove onto Great Sand Dunes National Park. The wind was blowing like crazy and we had to change the position of the tent because it kept blowing flat, even though it popped back up.

The Dunes are amazing. We started to hike, but the wind created a sand blast effect, then a thunderstorm began building. So, we dumped our shoes, brushed off and went for a meal at the Oasis. Too many dead animal heads on the walls for my eating comfort.

We waiting out the rain for a bit, then went back to the site to see if our tent was standing. It was, but, there was a stream running under one corner. However, everything stayed dry. (Overall, we were very happy with our new tent.) So, we basically drove around, since our vehicle is AWD, we did some back country. The rain let up, we went back for a campfire and smores, skipped the ranger talk since it was on the night sky...and we couldn't see the sky.

6) My husband and I got up early. Like at Yellowstone last year, there was a lot of info on bears at this park, each site had a bear safe to keep food in, but my expectations were low. Imagine my surprise when I see a bear sitting next to the restrooms. My husband didn't see it at first, but then the bear moved and we watched as it ran directly toward our tent and sleeping daughters. Fortunately, it kept going. It was probably a yearling, under 200 pounds and fluffy. I wish I'd had a camera.

The day before husband and younger daughter had wanted to hike to the peak of the dunes, and since the rain had packed the sand, we took that hike. If anyone ever has the chance to hike them when they are packed, it is soooo much easier. We reached the highest point and could hear coyotes howling. It was a spectacular experience. Then we ran down, and up, and down, and up and down. Due to the rains, the Medano river had shallowly appeared.

We drove toward Ft. Carson, just south of Colorado Springs and stayed on the base. We went to The Garden of the Gods, ate a good meal at Manitou Springs at the Heart of Jerusalem Cafe.

7) We drove 9.5 hours home.

It was a great vacation.

Thanks for the report LHS, you certainly saw a lot of wildlife!

Good report! Enjoyed reading it.

Sounds like it was a great trip. Mesa Verde and Great Sand Dunes are two of my favorite places.

Thanks for the report! We are thinking of going to Mesa Verde in early October.
Some tours & Weat. Mesa closed then.

If we could only choose one tour...
which would you do? Balcony or Spruce Tree? 'Course I best look...for all I know one of those is the tour that is closed post-Labor Day.

Did you see Far View Lodge? Worth considering a stay at? Do you recall time it took to drive to Mesa Verde
from where you started? And, did you actually tour/see the Black Canyon near Gunnison? Thanks for any advice!

Sounds like you had a grand time LHS! Glad to have been of assistance.

Daydreamer:
Wetherill Mesa closes on Labor Day.

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisi...ffdwelling.htm

Spruce Tree House is self-guided most of the year --
"Spruce Tree House
Best-Preserved Cliff Dwelling
(Early November to March)
This cliff dwelling is open year-round, however during the winter months, it is available by free, ranger-guided tour only. This one-hour tour involves a 100ft (30m) descent and ascent on a winding path. Walking distance is 1/2-mile (1km) round trip. Tours begin at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum.
•During the spring, summer, and fall (early March to early November), Spruce Tree House is available on a self-guided basis."

"Cliff Palace
Mesa Verde’s Largest Cliff Dwelling
This one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves climbing five, 8-10ft (2.6-3m) ladders, on a 100ft (30m) vertical climb. Total walking distance is about 1/4-mile (400m), round-trip. The tour begins at Cliff Palace Overlook, an 8-mile (13km), 20-minute drive from the Visitor Center. "

"Balcony House
Adventurous Cliff Dwelling Tour
This one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft (20m) open rock face with two 10ft (3m) ladders to exit the site. The tour begins at the Balcony House parking area, a 10-mile (16km), 25-minute drive from the Visitor Center"

I think if you are only going to see one of the 2 above places; it should be Cliff Palace.

If you haven't already read this, it might help you apportion your time in Mesa Verde:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

The drive from the entrance of MV to the visitors center takes a good 45 minutes. From there, see above drive times.

Hope this helps..
Debi