Mesa Top Sites

Mesa Top Sites is a short archaeological stop on Mesa Top Loop, where three villages were built over the same spot. It is easy to fit into the loop drive, and visitors often mention the interpretive panels and close views of the preserved walls. Take a moment to compare the masonry: it changes from one village to the next. Auto and bus/RV parking is available, and the site is listed as wheelchair accessible, though route surfaces and grades are not specified.

The first village's homes were built in jacal. A later community used sandstone walls only one stone wide. Around 1075, the third village introduced double-stone, rubble-core walls, with two masonry faces around packed soil and rock. The stronger construction supported larger, multistory room blocks and towers. The sequence is what makes this stop more than a single set of ruins: you can see several building ideas layered into one place.

Kivas in all three villages changed over time toward the design known as Mesa Verde style. Three circular towers belong to the third village; their use is uncertain, with signaling, astronomical observation and watchkeeping among the possibilities. As the communities grew, farming became more important. Stone check dams across natural drainages helped reduce runoff and erosion while improving farmland.