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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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
13 meals (
5B, 3L, 5D
)
3 expert-led lectures
4 expert-led field trips
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Mesa Verde, CO
Meals:
D
Stay:
Far View Lodge
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
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 meet with program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner:
At the restaurant inside the lodge.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:00 p.m. 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. We will learn from the Group Leader as well as local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. 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.
Day
2
Historical & Archaeological Overview, Cliff Palace
Location:
Mesa Verde, CO
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Far View Lodge
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 ladders on a 100-foot vertical climb. Getting on/off a motorcoach often for stops at overlooks and ruin sites; driving about 27 miles throughout the day, approximately 4 hours total riding time.
Breakfast:
At Far View Terrace, an eatery close to the lodge.
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 UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some 4,400 archaeological sites have been recorded, including villages built on the Mesa top.
Lunch:
At Far View Terrace.
Afternoon:
We will head out by motorcoach on a field trip to Mesa Verde and its many wonders with a local expert. We’ll 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 a National Park Service 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. Those who are unsure of their abilities to explore the inside of the ruins may remain behind at the overlook of the ruins and use their listening device to hear the park service live interpretation of the site.
Dinner:
At the lodge restaurant.
Evening:
In our meeting room, we’ll enjoy a video telling the story of Mesa Verde.
Day
3
Navajo Culture Through an Artist’s Eyes, Textile Demo
Location:
Mesa Verde, CO
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Far View Lodge
Activity Note
Walking 1 mile throughout the day; mostly flat, paved surfaces.
Breakfast:
At 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:
At Far View Terrace.
Afternoon:
In the meeting room at the lodge, we’ll enjoy a presentation and demonstration from a native textile artist.
Dinner:
At the lodge restaurant.
Evening:
We’ll gather in the lodge meeting room with our Group Leader to prepare for tomorrows Durango and Silverton rail field trip.
Day
4
Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Location:
Mesa Verde, CO
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Far View Lodge
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. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 120 miles, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Getting on/off a train; trip is 9 hours total including a 2-hour layover in Silverton.
Breakfast:
En route to Durango aboard the bus, we’ll have bagged breakfasts.
Morning:
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. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 120 miles, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Getting on/off a train; trip is 9 hours total including a 2-hour layover in Silverton.
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 reboard the train and head back to Durango.
Dinner:
At the historic Strater Hotel.
Evening:
We’ll then return to the lodge and adjourn after a very full day.
Day
5
Free Time, Mesa Verde Historic District
Location:
Mesa Verde, CO
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Far View Lodge
Activity Note
Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; some uneven surfaces and steps indoors. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 27 miles throughout the day, approximately 1.5 hours total riding time.
Breakfast:
At Far View Terrace.
Morning:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. Please note that there are detailed notes on how to book Balcony House Ruins in the "Notes" section of this letter. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Lunch:
At Far View Terrace.
Afternoon:
We’ll then journey to the park’s historic district for a walkabout where our Group Leader will provide the fascinating tale of Mesa Verde's early explorers. Afterwards, we’ll board the motorcoach and return to the lodge with time to freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
At the lodge. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
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. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Departures
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At 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 like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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