On the edge of history

In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight? 

- George Kipouros

"This is North America's Machu Picchu, except it is far less well known around the world," beamed Liz, our hotel concierge in Durango, Colorado, as she described how to find the scenic route that leads to Mesa Verde National Park. The ruins we were headed to are in fact centuries older than the more famous Inca citadel, but we would soon discover that the two locations share a similarly extraordinary setting, as well as an air of mystique around their creation stories.

Mesa Verde means 'Green Table' in Spanish, defined by a people who were pioneers in misnaming geographical phenomena. The site is actually a cuesta (a ridge with a slight incline), only this one is made up of many smaller flat-topped hills (mesas) that are scattered between the canyons. In reality, it is even more impressive than its name suggests.

Yet we were not here just for the magnificence of Mother Nature. In 1906, Mesa Verde became the first US national park that was protected not only for its natural beauty, but for its cultural significance. Normally, such sites are given 'national monument' status, but the landscapes unfolding before us were certainly worthy of their designation. For visitors, it's like suddenly stumbling across a lost city inside the Grand Canyon.

After driving uphill for over 45 minutes, we were greeted at the park's entrance by Eric Sainio, Mesa Verde's supervisory ranger. Eric was eager to woo us with Mesa Verde's pièce de résistance, the 'Cliff Palace', otherwise known as the most expansive site of ancient cliff dwellings in North America.