The Spruce Tree BBQ has reopened on the Spruce Tree Terrace, about 20 miles inside the park. The barbecue is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. seven days a week until Sept 11.
Jeffrey Sumner, general manager of the concessionaire, Aramark, at Mesa Verde, said the barbecue was extremely popular when they tried it out five days a week last year, so they decided to expand it this year.
For $14, visitors can get one entrée, two sides, a drink and a house-baked cornbread muffin. A larger, $40 family special includes three meats, sides and drinks, Sumner said.
The meats available include slow-smoked brisket, smoked chicken leg quarters, smoked sausage links and smoked chicken wings, he said. Sides include potato; macaroni and Caesar salads; cole slaw; baked beans; and smoked macaroni and cheese.
The Spruce Tree BBQ is an all-outside dining experience, with the barbecues themselves located on the middle tier of a three-tiered terrace, Sumner said. Umbrellas, however, provide shade and respite from the hot summer sun.
For more information, call Mesa Verde at (800) 449-2288 or visit http://bit.ly/2tTqB69.
ngonzales@durangoherald.com