Square Tower House Overlook ~ Mesa Verde National Park

There are so many points of interest to be found along the mesa top touring loop that it is all too easy to pass by a few when time is limited. There is one such spot that simply cannot be missed and this one only requires a small amount of time to check out. A short walk is all it takes to get to the Square Tower House Overlook, which is located on a high perch in a canyon where a great house pueblo cliff dwelling can be seen on the opposing wall. The viewing distance is short, so the finer details of this ancient pueblo can be viewed with naked eyes, instead of having to rely upon binoculars.   

The Square Tower House is nestled upon a large ledge underneath an overhang in a natural alcove on the deep canyon wall. The setting for this big pueblo complex is visually stunning, while from a utilitarian perspective this location is well hidden, yet plenty of sunshine provides warmth. The design framework of the stone block and mortar buildings is perplexing to see and because the majority of the original structures remain intact, picturing how this site originally looked can be done.

What appears to be windows on the structures is not always the case, because these square shaped openings actually often were doorways. This is especially true for the key hole shaped openings. The timber, fiber and earthen material roofs on these structures have long since decomposed through the centuries, but it is well known that there were rooftop entranceways as well. There is an example of a keyhole doorway midway up the Square Tower that now looks like a window, which obviously originally was a passageway to the rooftop platform on top of the adjacent  narrow rectangular structure underneath.

Most of the Square Tower House complex is built on the bedrock ledge and on the high ground along the canyon wall. A complex looking kiva structure can be seen next to the outer utilitarian rooms and it is easy to see that some masterful craftsmanship was involved. The specific purpose of the Square Tower is still a mystery, because most experts agree that this actually was not a lookout tower. When looking at the narrow strip of land that this complex was built upon, it becomes easy to understand that the best way to expand was to build straight up, but artistic and spiritual nuances must be registered as well. The path may be short and there is only one overlook viewpoint option, yet several hours can be spent pondering over the significance of the majestic Square Tower House! 
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