Mesa Verde National Park and the Durango and Silverton Railroad

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration. 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in

Dinner: At the restaurant inside the lodge, we’ll have plated meals from a select menu. There will be several entrees to choose from, as well as dessert. Soup or salad is included and vegetarian and gluten-free choices are available. Coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Orientation: After dinner, the Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Unless otherwise specified, transportation will be provided primarily by motorcoach, which requires going up/down a few steps when getting on/off. Classes will take place in the hotel meeting room. Please indicate before the start of the program if you require a vegetarian or gluten-free diet. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may be changed due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; paved pathways with slight grades at elevation of roughly 7,000 feet; be sure to stay hydrated and take your time. Hike at Cliff Palace, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, involves climbing five, 8-10 foot (2.6-3 meter) ladders on a 100-foot (30 meter) vertical climb. Getting on/off motor coach often for stops at overlooks and ruin sites; driving approximately 27 miles throughout the day; about 4 hours total.

Breakfast: At an eatery close to the lodge (Far View Terrace), we’ll have multiple choices in a cafeteria setting including vegetarian and gluten-free choices, plus coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: A regional expert will join us in the lodge meeting room to give a presentation introducing us to the geography and pre-history of Mesa Verde. They will cover how and why the first people came to the Mesa, how they adapted to its unique conditions and environment, and how these ancestral Puebloan people fit into the larger economic and social network of the region. Mesa Verde National Park has been declared a World Heritage Site. Some 4,400 archaeological sites have been recorded, including villages built on the Mesa top.

Lunch: Far View Terrace: multiple choices in a cafeteria setting including vegetarian and gluten-free choices, plus coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: This afternoon we have our big guided field trip of Mesa Verde and its many wonders. Enjoy a chronological view of the lives and culture of the Ancestral Puebloan people by stopping at a variety of archeological sites. Each stop will illustrate how the people adapted both architecture and social structure to meet the changing needs of their society. The final experience is a walk down into Cliff Palace, the best known of all the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings with an NPS ranger. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America and a site recognized by people around the world for its beauty, well-preserved condition, and historical significance. With 150 rooms and 23 kivas, as many as 100 people may have inhabited Cliff Palace, which is also thought to have served social, administrative and ceremonial purposes. A Mesa Verde National Park Ranger will interpret this World Heritage Site throughout our exploration. Exploration of Cliff palace requires climbing five, 8-10 foot (2.6-3 meter) ladders on a 100-foot (30 meter) vertical climb. For those people who are unsure of their abilities to explore the inside of the ruins, they can remain behind at the overlook of the ruins and use their listening device to hear the park service live interpretation of the site.

Dinner: Lodge restaurant plated meal.

Evening: In our meeting room, enjoy a video telling the story of Mesa Verde.

Activity note: Walking distance of a mile throughout day. Mostly flat, paved surfaces.

Breakfast: Far View Terrace.

Morning: In the hotel meeting room, we’ll be joined by a Navajo (Diné) artist and hear his story of his family growing up on the reservation, living and surviving in both the Navajo Nation and the United States. He will discuss his emergence as an artist who honors his family and culture with his detailed and evocative portraiture.

Lunch: Far View Terrace.

Afternoon: Enjoy a presentation and demonstration from a native textile artist.

Dinner: Tonight's meal will be on your own to choose from the park's various dining options.

Evening: Gather in the lodge meeting room with our Group Leader to prepare for tomorrows Durango and Silverton rail field trip.

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; paved and unpaved walkways, sidewalks. Elevations between 6,500 and 9,300 feet. Dress for high elevation conditions in Silverton with sun protection and cooler temperatures. Bus to Durango and return to Mesa Verde National Park; 120 miles total, approx. 2 hours. Train trip is round trip with a layover in Silverton for 2 hours. Total train excursion is 9 hours total.

Breakfast: En route to Durango aboard the bus, we’ll have bagged breakfasts including fruit, a pastry, a hard-boiled egg; coffee and tea included.

Morning: Boarding the bus, we’ll get an early start in order to make it to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad’s station before the departure of our steam train to Silverton. This is a classic rail journey with spectacular San Juan Mountain scenery. Originally constructed to haul ore including gold and silver, the rail line has been delighting sight-seers since the late 1800s. This rail line is unique since it employs steam locomotives dating from the 1920s and uses coal exclusively to power the engine. Throughout the rail journey, conductors, brakemen and volunteer ‘rail rangers’ roam the train to answer questions and provide information on the history of the Durango and Silverton region, natural history and geographic features seen on the journey, the rail line, and the train’s operation. Our Group Leader will also be able to provide information and answer questions about the train and the sights.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Silverton. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Enjoy some time for independent exploration in the mining village of Silverton with its Victorian-style buildings and alpine views of the surrounding peaks. We’ll then rendezvous at a predetermined time and place to re-board the train to head back to Durango.

Dinner: At the historic Strater Hotel, we’ll choose plated entrées from a select menu, with coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We’ll then return to the lodge and hopefully a enjoy a very rest full sleep after a very full day.

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; some uneven surfaces and steps indoors. Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 27 miles throughout the day; about 1.5 hours total.

Breakfast: Far View Terrace..

Morning: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. For those of you that desire to visit the Balcony House Ruins - please read the expanded information in the "Notes" section of this letter. Other places to visit include the Far View Sites, the Chapin Mesa Museum, the Visitors' Center Museum, Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum, Mancos/Cortez, some of the lesser-known sites within the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, or just relax with the magnificent view of the Four Corners region from your balcony. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions upon your arrival.

Lunch: Far View Terrace.

Afternoon: We’ll then journey to the park’s historic district for a walkabout where our Group Leader will provide insight into her life growing up in Mesa Verde. Afterwards, we’ll board the motorcoach and return to the lodge with time to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner: At the lodge, we’ll enjoy a delicious plated farewell dinner among our fellow participants with standard beverages; other beverages available for purchase. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends.

Evening: We’ll then gather for a program wrap-up session with our Group Leader to recap our time together before enjoying an evening of entertainment and celebration of cowboy songs of the West with local entertainers. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Far View Terrace. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!