For those planning on an extended stay in Ouray, may we suggest you visit Mesa Verde National Park in Montezuma County. This historic site is among the finest in the country to get a glimpse of the lands once belonging to the ancient Native American culture known as the Ancestral Puebloans. The park was created in 1906 by former President Theodore Roosevelt, it comprises over 50,000 acres, and features more than 4,000 sites.
Beginning sometime around 7500 BCE, Mesa Verde (Spanish for “Green Table”) served as the seasonal home for the Foothills Mountain Complex, a nomadic group of Paleo-Indians. Several rock shelters were established in and near the Mesa during the Archaic period. By the time 1000 BCE came around, the pre-Ancestral Puebloan Basketmaker culture had emerged which would eventually result in the development of the Ancestral Puebloans by 750 CE.
Those who lived in Mesa Verde survived through methods you might expect: crop farming, hunting, and gathering. The first pueblos (Native American communities) came about after 650. The cliff dwellings that are still seen today emerged towards the end of the 12th century.
This update is provided by The River’s Edge Motel Lodge & Resort. You’ll find five unique types of Ouray Colorado hotels at our location on the banks of the Uncompahgre River, and every single room has a view of the mountains. For more information on accommodations Ouray, amenities, questions about hosting your special event, or hotel specials, please call 888-547-5962. You can also visit us at 110 7th Avenue.