Echo of an ancient people entrances scientists and tourists alike

Its name is Spanish for "green table," but that title doesn't do Mesa Verde National Park justice.

The green in the park that covers more than 52,000 acres in the southwest corner of Colorado — tangles of juniper and pinon — is just one color in the palette used to paint the landscape.

Sandstone glows golden in early-morning and late-afternoon sunlight, and it turns shades of cream and soft gray in midday shadows. Tawny hides of deer flash in the forests, and soaring birds create navy shadows on the rocks.