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Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park and the Durango and Silverton Railroad

Program No. 1263RJ
From a historic train ride to a legacy of mining, from ancient Puebloan architecture to the inspiring landscapes of Mesa Verde National Park, learn the story of the Four Corners region.
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National ParksTrain TreksNative American Studies
Length
6 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,249
Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Mesa Verde, CO
Program Concludes
Departures
Meals
13 ( 5B, 3L, 5D )
Activity Level
The Ancestral Puebloans chose Mesa Verde, now a world heritage site, as their home over a millennium ago, building an elaborate culture among the canyons and cliffs. Learn about these prehistoric Puebloan people as you trace park history from its discovery to the Native Americans who share Four Corners country today, and hear about railroad and Colorado mining history during a full-day field trip aboard the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Study the cultural, artistic, engineering and farming advancements of these prehistoric people during visits to ruins on the mesa-top and to view cliff dwellings at Spruce Tree House and Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde’s showpiece.
  • Learn about the CCC boys at Mesa Verde, railroads, miners, cowboys and Navajo inhabitants of this Western region.
  • Ascend nearly 3,000 feet by steam train through some of the most dramatic terrain ever traversed by rail; return to Durango on the Million Dollar Highway.
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General Notes
Transportation on this program is by full sized motorcoach which seats about 40 participants.
Featured Expert
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Jerry Cohoe
Artist Jerry Cohoe is the son of a Diné (Navajo) medicine man from Tocito, New Mexico. His mother is from the Bit'ahnii (leaf) clan and his father from the 'Ashiihi (salt people) clan. Jerry’s interest in art began as a child when he would watch his mother weave intricate traditional Diné rug designs or witness ritualistic sand paintings during his father's healing ceremonies. Jerry's work reflects his Diné heritage and most of his studies are framed in the setting of the Great Diné Nation.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Stewart Lasseter completed studies in geo-science, natural history and Spanish at the University of Arizona. He then studied as the protégé of a Native American healer, learning from her practices of wholeness, kinesiology, mind-body medicine, and dyslexia correction. He has years of experience bringing groups in touch with the natural world and has completed post-graduate studies in health sciences at Prescott College.
Artist Jerry Cohoe is the son of a Diné (Navajo) medicine man from Tocito, New Mexico. His mother is from the Bit'ahnii (leaf) clan and his father from the 'Ashiihi (salt people) clan. Jerry’s interest in art began as a child when he would watch his mother weave intricate traditional Diné rug designs or witness ritualistic sand paintings during his father's healing ceremonies. Jerry's work reflects his Diné heritage and most of his studies are framed in the setting of the Great Diné Nation.
Mark Varien is the executive vice president of the Research Institute at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, and has been conducting research in southwestern Colorado since 1979. As part of the Village Ecodynamics project, Varien works with a team of researchers to create a database of all the known ancient Puebloan archaeological sites to reconstruct the population history of the area. He has a Ph.D. from Arizona State and is the author of the 2010 book 'Leaving Mesa Verde: Peril and Change in the Thirteenth-Century Southwest.'
Linda Martin attended Creighton University in Omaha, where she received a B.A. in history. She did graduate work in history at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She began working as a seasonal park ranger for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park in 1972. She became a permanent park ranger in 1973, working at Montezuma Castle National Monument. In 1975 she transferred to Mesa Verde National Park, where she worked as a supervisory park ranger until her retirement at the end of 2011.
Laurie Webster is a leading expert on Ancestral Pueblo perishable materials, especially woven objects and textiles. Laurie is also a scholar of post-contact and contemporary Pueblo and Navajo weaving. Her research interests include craft production and innovation, technological change, cultural affiliation, and the documentation and interpretation of older museum collections.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 2 miles over varied terrain. Must be able to climb short ladder at ruins. Elevations up to 9,700 feet.
Suggested Books and Resources
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You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
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Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

  • Peace of Mind

    We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

  • Assurance Plan

    Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

  • Want to Protect Your Investment?

    Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

  • Sustainable Travel

    We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.