Concerns about the stability of the rock alcove under which Spruce Tree House is located in Mesa Verde National Park have led to a temporary closure of the cliff dwelling to visitors.

For nearly a century, a popular story has linked the origins of the National Park Service to the genius of one man. In 1914, Stephen T. Mather, a self-made millionaire in the borax industry, visited Yosemite and Sequoia national parks. Finding both of them poorly managed he wrote Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane and complained. “Dear Steve,” Lane allegedly replied, “If you don’t like the way the national parks are being run, come on down to Washington and run them yourself.”

While there are a handful of cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park that you can tour, there are more than 600 dwellings in all in the park. Here's a tip on how to visit some of those off the beaten path.

Fewer ranger-guided tours of Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park will be offered next spring due to the need for preservation work on the massive dwelling.