Why is it called Mesa Verde?

Although most Mesa Verde National Park tours will focus on the cultural history of the Ancestral Puebloans, whose massive cliff dwellings are the primary attraction of the park, the name “Mesa Verde” hearkens back to the area’s Spanish history. Anyone who took Spanish in high school or college should be able to translate “mesa verde” as “green table,” but where does the name actually come from?

The first Europeans to explore the Mesa Verde area were led by two Mexican-Spanish missionaries, Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante. In 1776, Domínguez and Escalante set out to find a route that would connect the cities of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Monterey, California. On their expedition, they were aided by Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco, a cartographer, as well as several native Ute guides.

The expedition reached Mesa Verde in August 1776, although they didn’t get close enough to see the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. The name “Mesa Verde” was given after they observed the region’s tree-covered plateaus—thus, “green table.” As the cliff dwellings were considered sacred ancestral sites by the Ute, it’s possible that their guides made sure the explorers never caught a glimpse of the ancient villages themselves. Domínguez was also suffering from rheumatic fever at the time and may not have felt inclined to explore the area in more depth.

Ultimately, the Domínguez-Escalante expedition made it as far as Utah before they decided to turn back. The trip wasn’t a complete failure, however, as the route taken by Domínguez and Escalante through Colorado and Utah would later form part of the Old Spanish Trail, an important trade route between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde would remain untouched for another century until a new treaty opened up swathes of Ute land to American settlers.

To make the most of your next trip to Mesa Verde, check out our Mesa Verde National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ and gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.