Mesa Verde National Park may be reached by automobile from Denver,
Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and other Colorado points. Through Pueblo
one road leads to the park by way of Canon City, from where one may
look down into the Royal Gorge, the deepest canyon in the world
penetrated by a railroad and river. This road passes through Salida
and on through Gunnison and Montrose, and then south through Ouray,
Silverton, and Durango. This route passes through some of Colorado's
most magnificent mountain scenery. Another road leads south from
Pueblo through Walsenburg, across La Veta Pass, on through Alamosa,
Del Norte, Pagosa Springs, and Durango, crossing Wolf Creek Pass en
route. Both roads lead west from Durango to Mancos and on into the
park.
Motorists coming from Utah turn southward from Green River or
Thompsons, crossing the Colorado River at Moab, proceeding southward
to Monticello, thence eastward to Cortez, Colo., and the park.
From Arizona and New Mexico points, Gallup, on the National Old Trails
Road, is easily reached. The auto road leads north from Gallup through
the Navajo Indian Reservation and a corner of the Ute Indian
Reservation. At Shiprock Indian Agency, 98 miles north of Gallup, the
San Juan River is crossed.