Smoke, Sweat, and Cliff Dwellings


WanderWest Day 14: Smoke, Sweat, and Cliff Dwellings

Reality check: road fatigue has officially settled in. After 14 days, 4,800 miles, and 14 states, we’re all feeling it — shorter fuses, wearier mornings, and the constant grind of packing and unpacking the car. Living out of a duffel bag has lost its charm. BUT… we’re not done yet! 7 days of excitement left to go! 

This morning we left the Grand Canyon just in time — the North Rim was filling with smoke from the White Sage fire as we drove out. Eerie, but kind of stunning (check out our photo — the haze drifting into the canyon looked surreal).

Today we headed into Colorado for a reservation at Mesa Verde's Balcony House tour, with a quick detour to the famous Four Corners Monument. Olivia took one look around and said, “This is such a tourist trap.” Honestly? She's not wrong. $8 a person to stand in a line and awkwardly pose on a plaque while strangers stare? Definitely a “been there, done that” kinda stop.  

Dan and I were both surprised at how built up it was — food trucks, booths, and that weird, quiet pressure to hurry up and snap the pic. Still… we did it!

From there, it was a mad dash to Mesa Verde to make our Balcony House reservation. No time to stop at the other overlooks — we were on a mission! We rolled in right on time… and met our guide, Frank. Oh, Frank. 

From the moment we arrived, it was a vibe. He asked if we had water — I said it was in the car. His reply? “Well, that’s gonna be a problem.”  Then he locked the gate on folks who were three minutes late and kept them out like it was some ancient rite of passage. Very weird power trip energy.

Now, the Balcony House itself? INCREDIBLE. We climbed a tall ladder straight into history, scrambled through a narrow tunnel, and finished with a steep rock ascent that had our hearts racing in all the best ways. The views? Unreal. The vibe? Pure adventure. 




The content of the tour was a letdown. Instead of diving into the lives, culture, and daily rhythms of the ancient Pueblo people, we got an abstract lecture on water erosion, elemental balance, and Mother Earth. Sure, those themes have value, but we were hoping to learn more about the people — the families, the communities, the human stories behind these cliffside homes. We did learn one neat thing — people used to gather on the balconies to dance and celebrate. That was a fun visual. I just wish we got more like that.

The ladder entrance and steep exit made for a memorable adventure, but the middle of the tour left us a little underwhelmed. Seventeen years ago, Dan and I took the Cliff Palace tour and left feeling inspired and connected to the past. This one… not so much.


But that’s travel — it’s not all highlights.

 

Tonight we landed in Moab for three days of rest, red rocks, and Arches magic. Second-to-last stop before heading east. We’re tired, but still grateful for the ride. Let’s see what Moab brings. 🌄💪🏼

 

 

📸 🔗For all of our images from today, Click Here! 

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