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Mesa Verde National Park
Plant Walks
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Suggested Plant Walks
Listed below are the best locations to view and understand the plant life in Mesa Verde National Park. Wayside exhibits and trail guides will assist you in identifying the park vegetation.
- In the Headquarters Area, between the Museum and Chief Ranger's Office, small signs discuss the plants common to Mesa Verde.
- Knife Edge Trail (2 miles) is accessible from Morefield Campground. Take along the trail guide to learn about park plants as well as other park topics.
- Petroglyph Point Trail (2.4 miles) is located near the museum and Spruce Tree House. Take along the trail guide to learn about park plants as well as other park topics.
- Spruce Tree House Trail (0.5 miles) is located near the museum. Take along the trail guide to learn about park plants as well as other park topics.
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What's That Plant?
Mesa Verde is in the Upper Sonoran Life Zone. This zone is characterized by semi-arid climate, moderately high altitude, and pinyon-juniper forests. The plants listed below are typical of this region.
| Common Trees and Shrubs |
Common Flowers |
| Big sagebrush, Artemesia tridentata |
Aster, Aster bigelovii |
| Cliff fendlerbush, Fendlera rupicola |
Evening primrose, Oenothera caespitosa |
| Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii |
Globemallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea |
| Gambel oak, Quercus gambelii |
Indian paintbrush, Castilleja linariaefolia |
| Mormon tea, Ephedra viridis |
Larkspur, Delphinium nelsonii |
| Mountain mahogany, Cerocarpus montanus |
Lupine, Lupinus ammophilus |
| Pinyon pine, Pinus edulis |
Lupine, Lupinus caudatus |
| Rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus |
Mariposa lily, Calochortus nuttallii |
| Skunkbush sumac, Rhus trilobata |
Pricklypear cactus, Opuntia polycantha |
| Snowberry, Symphoricarpos oreophilus |
Scarlet gilia, Gilia aggregata |
| Utah juniper, Juniperus utahensis |
Scarlet penstemon, Penstemon bridgesii |
| Utah serviceberry, Amelanchier utahens |
Penstemon, Penstemon eatonii |
| Yucca, Yucca baccata |
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For more information on plant life in Mesa Verde National Park, go to Nature & Science.
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Did You Know?
A subterranean kiva remained 50 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. So for the Ancestral Puebloans, it stayed cool in the summer, and only a small fire was needed to keep it warm in the winter.
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Last Updated: November 12, 2008 at 13:48 EST |
