Arches & Anasazi Ruins

The end of May we went with my family (Mom and dad and two of my sisters and two of my nieces) to southern Utah and Colorado to visit Arches National Park and Mesa Verde National Park. It was a long drive but the kids did great! We had a wonderful time! 

 Alvin's first swimming experience!

 Arches!! We drove down on a Wednesday and made it to the hotel in Moab where we just vedged and went swimming. The next morning we headed to Arches where we drove around the park and stopped to look at the awesome landscape and formations!

 With the fam!

 Cactus Rose. So pretty.

 Balanced Rock!

 Mom and Dad with the grandkids who came!

 Our little family!

 Everyone!

Alvin was pumped to go hiking!

 Chase was THE MAN for taking Alvin on the hike. It was a pretty good one too!

 In front of the famous Utah License plate Arch- Delicate Arch! Alvin wasn't too interested...

 He was pretty tired after the whole ordeal.

 After Arches we drove to Cortez, Colorado and the next day went to Mesa Verde National Park.

 It is a park filled with ruins of some ancient indigenous peoples. They believe that the people started out living on top of the mesas because of ruins there dated before the cliff ruins. Then for several different believed theories the people moved into the side of the cliffs to dwell. I heard today that perhaps they were the Gadianton Robbers who dwelt in the caves and such? Anyhow the ruins were awesome!

 Getting ready to hike down into the ruins.

 Posing with Family

 We had to go on these ladders to get to the ruins.

 Listening to the tour guide

 We were excited!

 Alvin not so much...

 Mom and Dad!

 Aren't these ruins amazing?

 Another tour.

 This ladder was scary!

 This tour was of the Balcony house. Named because of the balconies built into the side of the dwelling places to make it easier to access the different levels of the dwelling place.

 Those openings- that look like windows were actually doors. They must have been a small in stature people.

 Grinding stones...

 Tunnel acces.

 Climbing out of Balcony house was quite daunting along the side of the steep cliff.

 Here you can see the tips of the ladder coming out of an opening called a Kiva. They were believed to be some type of a ceremonial room.

 Inside the Kiva.

 Here is an example of one of the dwelling places a top of the mesa. There is not much left but in other sites there are more ruins left.

 Back behind us is the cliff palace.

 My cute boy!

 Some more ruins. Here is another kiva without the top on it.

 Bath time with Cami!

I think this one was called Spruce Tree House. 

 On our way back home we stopped for a little detour of some more ruins called Hovenweep. They were believed to have been constructed by the same peoples but they looked different to me.

 Stopping for a break on the way back home. Alvin loved the grass!

 First Swing experience! He loved watching the other kids swing.

My Mom and two sisters. 

It was a great trip and we loved the adventures and spending time with Family! It was also a learning experience with Alvin because it was quite a long trip for him. He did quite well which we were glad about.