Because of safety concerns relating to a recent rockfall, Spruce Tree House is temporarily closed, and a geologic site assessment will be completed.
“The immediate goal of the project is to assess a potentially dangerous situation and return the site to a safe condition for park visitors and staff,” park archaeologists said. “Information collected during the course of the project will contribute to future planning and hazard abatement.”
The week of Oct. 26, 2015, Spruce Tree House will have limited visitation access to a southside viewpoint. Rangers will be present to direct visitors to safe viewpoints and to provide site information and interpretation.
Beginning Nov. 1, park rangers will offer three free ranger talks daily from site overlooks. These talks are scheduled for 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will cover Spruce Tree House architecture, history, and current archeological and geological concerns.
At this time there is no scheduled reopening date for Spruce Tree House. This date will be set by the park engineer, managers, safety staff, and park archeologists once the full site assessment is complete.
The Petroglyph Trail and Spruce Canyon Trail are available to hike. Individuals wishing to hike these trails should stop at the Museum or Chief Ranger’s Office for current conditions and trail access information.
Site assessment work will be visible on the Spruce Tree House webcam beginning November 3-5. Interested individuals may visit www.nps.gov/meve/learn/photosmultimedia/webcam.htm.
For more information and updates please visit www.nps.gov/meve.