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Mesa Verde takes the prize

Beth Wheeler, a seasonal interpretive ranger at Mesa Verde National Park, answers questions from a tour group at Cliff Palace in 2013. Sunset magazine named Mesa Verde its Best Cultural Attraction of the West for 2015.

In Sunset magazine’s inaugural travel awards, two Southwest Colorado attractions were among the four finalists in the Best Cultural Attraction in the West category.

Mesa Verde National Park reigned supreme after duking it out with Music in the Mountains, the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle and LanSu Chinese Gardens in Portland, Oregon. Attractions in 13 states and British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, were included in the competition.

Mesa Verde superintendent Cliff Spencer said he’s thrilled with the recognition.

“In conjunction with our partner, Aramark, we strive to provide unforgettable experiences to park visitors, offering an opportunity to explore the most notable and best-preserved archaeological sites in the U.S,” he said.

Among the offerings at the park is Aramark’s 700 Years Tour, a four-hour tour that takes visitors from a circa 550 A.D. pithouse to the park’s crown jewel, Cliff Palace, circa 1300. Mesa Verde has more than 5,000 archaeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings.

Herald staff

Jul 21, 2016
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