I moved to Monticello, UT, in 2013 and visited Mesa Verde National Park fairly often. There are a handful of hiking trails to some spectacular viewpoints, abundant wildlife, beautiful wildflowers, and spectacular night skies. There wasn't one trip that stood out for me in particular, other than trying to drive to unsuccessfully drive up during a winter storm for the luminary, but each visit I would see a new bird, hike a new trail, or visit a new cliff dwelling. These are some of my favorite shots from the many times I visited that year.

Kiva Entrance Moonrise in Mesa Verde Spruce Tree House Petroglyph Trail Petroglyph Trail Viewpoint Lizard Profile Collared Lizard Horny Toad - The Grandfather New Growth Panorama Long-eared Owl Black-headed Grosbeak Spotted Towhee Swainson's Thrush Western Tanager Black-chinned Hummingbird Female Rufous Hummingbird South Loop Prater Ridge Sunset Along the Park Road Square Tower Group Cliff Palace Tower Sunset Camouflaged Grasshopper Cotton-tail Rabbit Foraging Deer Closeup Mule Deer Bucks in Velvet Nursing Fawn and Doe Mesa Verde Coyote Balcony House Kiva Soda Canyon Overlook Spruce Tree House Kiva Entrance Hazy Shiprock from Park Point Park Point View Point Lookout Sunset Park Entrance Sunset Sleeping Ute and Abajo Sunset Lightning From Balcony House Mesa Verde Milky Way Point Lookout and Milky Way Balcony House Star Trails Glowing Kivas in Blacony House Shrouded Point Lookout Mug House View From Mug House View From Long House Long House Kiva Long House Alcolve