Morris #5 Ruin on Lion Canyon Trail

The Morris #5 site is the third of the cliff dweller sites on the remote Lion Canyon Trail in Ute Mountain Tribal Park in southwest Colorado. The trail is a three mile round trip to four barely touched Ancestral Pueblo Ruins sites.After riding 40 minutes on gravel roads through the Mancos River Canyon and climbing down several ladders we arrive at this 25 room and 2 kiva site.
Archaeologist Morris found this ceremonial kiva with the roof still in place, a rare finding. But he also found a rare design inside. Lacking photo flash in the early 1900s he tore the roof off the photograph the design.
The grooves in the sandstone here were described by the guide as a place where spears were sharpened. These details, along with the numerous collections of pottery and stone tools at the sites here in Ute Mountain Park are things that aren't seen very often in nearby Mesa Verde.
On a second level there seems to be a wall constructed without mortar. The guide suggested that this was thought to be an area for defense. Reachable only by a ladder, residents could retreat and toss the loose stones on unwanted visitors.