The Best of Spring at Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park

Spring is the perfect time to get out and explore all of the natural wonders that Arizona has to offer.

Take the Mesa Verde National park – it’s only one of 21 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the U.S., designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to “preserve the works of man.” The park contains the archaeological sites built by the Ancestral Pueblo people, who inhabited Mesa Verde from 550 A.D. to 1300 A.D.

Guests can bask in the scenery of the park and stay at the Far View Lodge. Opening for the season on April 14, the Lodge is unveiling new upgrades, activities and additions to its food and drink menu.

Here’s what’s new at Far View:

1. Far View Explorer Tour is a new tour picking up from both Morefield Campground and Far View Lodge and will take visitors to Spruce Tree House, Site 16, Mesa Top Loop, Fewkes Canyon Overlooks, Sun Temple, Cliff Palace Overlook and Chapin Mesa Museum. This is the only tour that picks up from the campground making it easy for those traveling in RVs. Also, it is physically a bit less strenuous than the other tours.
2. Visitors of all ages will be able to explore the history of the area with the new Morefield Explorer Program. Participants will learn about various aspects of the science of archaeology and the Ancestral Puebloan people through a ‘scavenger hunt’ of interpretive stations and interactive educational games. The interactive tour provides insight into Mesa Verde National Park’s flora and fauna, geology and cultural elements of its early inhabitants.

   

3. The Standard Rooms at Far View Lodge were all converted to Kiva Rooms as of this season. Kiva Rooms feature more luxury and comfort with handcrafted furniture, air-conditioning and a private balcony while the Kiva Deluxe View Rooms offer the same plush amenities with unobstructed views that stretch for hundreds of miles and across four states.
4. Spruce Tree Terrace will be hosting a BBQ starting Saturday May 28^th and will run Thursdays – Mondays 11 am – 3:30 pm. Visitors can select from a variety of entrees (slow smoked brisket, smoked chicken leg quarter, smoked sausage link or smoked chicken wings), 2 sides (potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, caesar salad, baked beans or smoked macaroni and cheese) and a drink for $15.95.

   

5. The award winning Metate Roomis opening with all new menus and breakfast will be a la carte instead of buffet. New signature items include: Prosciutto wrapped caribe pepper – Pulled Pork & Local Cheese Stuffing, Fried Quail Egg, Black Bean-Corn Sofrito; Roasted corn on the cob – Chili salt, Lime Aioli, Diced Tomato, Cilantro and Cotija Cheese; Crispy prickly pear pork belly – Green Chili & Asadero Polenta Cake, Crisp Baby Greens, Candied Walnuts and Port Infused Currants; Elk Wellington – Red Wine Reduction, Cauliflower Puree & Sautéed Brussel Sprouts; Gulf shrimp & cumin scented orzo – English Peas, Crispy Chorizo, Pearl Onion, Black Beans, Southwest Sofrito, Pistachio’s; Pan seared trout – Three Bean & Corn Succotash, Red Chili Jam.
6. The Far View Lodge culinary team will be instituting a Farm to Table program every Fri. and Sat. night from Memorial Day to Labor Day. One special will be prepared each evening using only local ingredients and will vary each week depending on what the farmers decide to pick. Vegetables grown in the area include brussel sprouts, tomatoes, cauliflower, arugula and heirloom carrots. Herbs grown in the area are basil, thyme and mint. One Farm to Table special of either local elk or trout will be paired with a variety of vegetables. Elk dishes may include Elk Wellington, Elk Shepards’s Pie or Elk Tenderloin while the trout will be Trout en Papillote, whole trout wrapped in parchment and baked or steamed with herbs, Filet of Trout or Blue Corn Dusted Trout sautéed in butter.

To book or find out more information on Far View Lodge at Mesa Verde National Park, please visit www.visitmesaverde.com.