Road Scholar, formerly known as Elderhostel, the premier educational adventure for older adults, continues to grow at Kelly Place. Chosen as the first off-college-campus Elderhostel site in the nation (1980), Kelly Place continues this tradition with the following detailed program offerings.

In 2010 Elderhostel revised its registration requirements as well as adopting the name, Road Scholar. Adults who are not elderly and are 40 and up are now welcome to enroll in all programs.

Enjoy Mesa Verde Country's red rock canyons and moderate temperatures. McElmo Canyon Research Institute specializes in small educational study groups emphasizing archaeology, Native American arts and culture. Our archaeological preserve includes 25 Anasazi sites, an Anasazi pottery collection, pottery studio and hiking trails into canyon country. McEelmo Canyon Research Institute, hosted by Kelly Place, is located 10 miles west of Cortez Colorado, and is 20 miles from Mesa Verde National Park.

Road Scholar and McElmo Canyon Research Institute 2012 Programs

Hiking To Ruins in the Southwest

April 22-28, May 27-June 2, Sept. 16-22, Oct 28-Nov 3

Hike through sculpted red-rock canyons with spectacular mountain views. The canyons and mesas of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park and Hovenweep National Monument are the sites for unique hiking experiences led by archaeologists and naturalists. Explore a 40-acre archaeological preserve with prehistoric "cliff-dweller" ruins, petroglyphs, and hiking trails into canyon country. Discover the natural beauty of a land which was once home to thousands of Ancestral Puebloan people. Enter thousand-year-old dwellings and learn what is known about the ancient civilizations and what is still a mystery.

Archaeology, Native American Art:
Southwest Intergenerational Program

July 15-21

The Southwest comes alive during this week of exploring the cultures of prehistoric and modern Native Americans. Learn archaeological excavating and recording techniques working on a 1,000-year-old pueblo. Discover Native American arts and begin take-home projects. Pottery-making involves forming vessels, decorating, and firing them in a wood-fired pit kiln as the prehistoric Pueblo peoples did, from the mud to the finished piece. Learn to spin and weave in the traditional Navajo style, taught by a Navajo artist. A special field trip to Mesa Verde National Park, accompanied by an archaeologist, takes you back in time to wonder at the skills of the ancient cliff-dwellers.

Service: Artifact Preparation And Curation

Feb. 19-25 and June 10-16

A thousand years ago, the prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan peoples (Anasazi or "cliff-dwellers") left their dwellings in the canyons and mesas of southwest Colorado. Archaeologists have searched these ruins for clues to the many unanswered questions about their culture. Participants will be guided in the curation of ancient artifacts gathered from archaeological sites. Work will be done at the Anasazi Heritage Center, headquarters of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and the McElmo Canyon Research Institute. Participants will examine prehistoric pottery and stone tools in the process of curation and other service for the museum. Until the artefactual evidence is creatively analyzed, we have not made the best use of excavations. Learn about both the prehistoric indigenous culture and modern day Native American cultures in the Four Corners region. The capstone event is a visit to Mesa Verde National Park, guided by your expert archaeologist, instilling an even greater appreciation for the work of archaeologists and the craftsmanship of the Ancestral Puebloans. Portions of the costs for this program may qualify as a tax-deductible gift.

Service: Archaeological Preservation in the Four Corners

Sept 30-Oct 6

Surveying Prehistoric Puebloan Sites in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument which has the highest density of archaeological sites in the nation -- more than 6,000 documented so far. Help protect these ancient sites from looting and accidental damage by surveying and mapping their location with professional archaeologists. Before heading into the field, these local experts share their extensive knowledge of prehistoric Puebloan culture and ruins. Hike through the monument’s pristine natural terrain. Find and document new archaeological sites in areas that have never been surveyed. Enjoy a flintknapping demonstration, a presentation of modern-day Native American music and culture by representatives of the Ute and Navajo nations, and visit the Anasazi Heritage Center.

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