“Mesa Verde is actually the first national park that was established to protect America’s man-made treasures, and thanks to a century of custodianship by Mesa Verde rangers, God’s creation and man’s will be enjoyed here for centuries to come”
— First Lady Barbara Bush, May 23, 2006

NOTICE: THIS IS A HIGH ALTITUDE ATTRACTION. PEOPLE USED TO LIVING IN LOWLAND AREAS SHOULD BE AWARE OF AND PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL BREATHING AND EXHAUSTION ISSUES.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Demographics:
2. Must Know:
3. Touring Mesa Verde:
4. Begin at the Beginning- the Far View Visitor Center!
5. Top Things To Do:
6. Hiking:
7. Food and Lodging:

Demographics:

• Founded by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 29, 1906. The park is 52,485 acres (81.2 mi2)
• 5.000 archeological sites, 600 cliff dwellings, 3 million artifacts
• Located in Southwestern Colorado- park entrance is on Hwy 160. The park is 10 miles east of Cortez, 9 miles west of Mancos, 35 miles west of Durango.
• Approximately one half a million visitors per year

Must Know:

1. Best time to visit- depends on what you want to do and see in the park. Mesa Verde requires an entry fee (the fee you pay to enter the park- as of 2022- it is $20 for winter and $30 for summer seasons. Purchase of entry fee is via credit card only- and online purchase prior to arrival is available. If visiting more than one national park- consider the America the Beautiful , military, senior citizen and 4th Grade student passes. See https://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/fees.htm for details. Additional tickets must be purchased for cliff dwellings. Cliff dwelling, entry pass, and camping reservation tickets can be purchased ONLINE at https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/233362. or by PHONE- 877-444-6777 The cliff dwellings, including the infamous Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Square Tower, Mug House, Long House, etc. must have a ticket! Ticket prices range from a few dollars (Cliff Palace) to $30/person for other cliff dwellings. The cliff dwelling offerings vary by season and are available for purchase 14 days in advance of your visit beginning at 8:00 a.m. MST. Please allow yourself a minimum of 2 hours, and preferably 3 hours between tours due to driving distances.

2. Tour tickets sell out quickly- it is best to make sure that you have created an account at recreation.gov, familiarize yourself with the tours available during your trip, note the day you need to book those tours and make certain you are online promptly at 8:00 a.m. MST at https://www.recreation.gov/. If you do not get tickets- check back periodically to see if any cancellations have occured. While there may be 600 cliff dwellings on site- there are only four that are open to the public at any one time over the year. Tours are limited in size, and are only offered a few times a day.

3. While the park is open 24 hrs/day- the trails are open from 8:00 am to sunset. If you are entering a trail close to sunset- know that you must complete it as the entrance will be locked by a chain linked gate making turning back due to injury or exhaustion a difficult experience.

4. There is little/no cell phone service in the park and some of the surrounding area. Please be sure to have printed directions. Addresses are not as accurate as GPS coordinates. This link will take you to the directions on the park’s webpage https://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/directions.htm. This one to Google Maps-https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mesa+Verde+National+Park/@37.2427777,-108.6058892,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x873960bf2ed7711f:0x79f695a21bf61863!8m2!3d37.2308729!4d-108.4618335

Touring Mesa Verde:

Begin at the Beginning- the Far View Visitor Center!

The Visitor Center (located 15 mi from entrance) is a treasure of information- offering exhibits, ranger advice, schedule of programs and the movie- which provides an in-depth overview of the park’s history. If you were not able to pre-purchase cliff dwelling tickets- this is the place to buy. If you are a National Park passport stamp collector- this is where you can collect it- look for it by the back wall where the passport books are for sale. The Visitor’s Center also offers a chance for souvenirs. Due to distance and earlier closure time- you might want to make your souvenir purchases now.

The Visitor Center also offers the Junior Ranger Program and some National Parks are now offering an adult version of the program due to its popularity. Ask at the ranger desk for the appropriate workbook (pack a few pencils and maybe a clipboard), complete the activities, return the book, take the Ranger pledge and receive your badge- it is a great way to increase learning, and add some fun and memories to your day.

Lastly (and to lots of folks, most importantly)- restrooms with flush toilets!

Note on Distances: Please remember that the roads in Mesa Verde National Park are narrow and wind up the Mesa. Top speeds are rarely above 35 mph. These conditions slow travel time- so give yourself plenty of time to move between locations.

From	To	Drive Time
Park Entrance	Cliff Palace	1 hour
Park Entrance	Balcony House	1 hour
Park Entrance	Long House	1.5 hour
Cliff Palace	Long House	1.25 hour
Balcony House	Long House	1.25 hour

Parking: The Visitor Center has a good amount of parking; however, in peak seasons, parking can be tight. Parking at the various sites is largely on the side of the road near the sight. This can make finding spots difficult. The distance between the sites is not large, however, walking on the side of the road can be hazardous as the one lane road is congested with cars driving the loop, parked cars at sites and people moving in and out of cars.

Top Things To Do:

Cliff Palace– is the highlight of Mesa Verde National Park. It recently reopened after road work in August 2023. A ticket is essential for a visit. The National Park Service guided tour lasts approximately 1 hour. Visitors will need to climb 120 uneven stone steps, climb 5 ladders ranging in height from 8-10 feet on a vertical 100 foot climb. Total walking distance is 1/4 mile. The Cliff Palace, containing 150 rooms, is located at an elevation of 7,000 feet and is regarded as a strenuous activity. Tours meet at the overlook in the Cliff Palace overlook.

Balcony House:

Balcony House, a mid sized dwelling with forty rooms, is by Ranger Guided Tour only. The walking distance is approximately 1/4 mi. Be prepared to descend a 100 foot staircase (metal staircase with 130 steps) into the canyon and climbing up a 32 foot ladder to enter the site. Once in the site one needs to be able to negotiate 2 additional ladders, 12 uneven stone steps, and crawling through an 18 inch by 12 foot long tunnel. To exit the site , one needs to climb sixty feet over uneven stone steps, and two ladders, 17 feet each.

Long House

Long House– the second largest dwelling is a 2. 25 mile Ranger Guided Tour that departs from the Wetherill Mesa Information Kiosk. The hike gains an elevation of 140 feet,and requires climbing two 15 foot ladders.

Spruce Tree House:

Spruce Tree House– CLOSED since 2015 after falling rocks. Spruce House, the third largest dwelling, can be viewed from overlooks behind the Chapin Mesa Museum.

Mug House: is named for the three mugs found tied together by yucca rope is a Ranger Guided Tour of approximately 2.25 miles. One needs to be able to descend 100 feet on an uneven path, switchbacks with steep drop offs and scrambling up and down boulders.

Square House:

Square House Tower: has the largest standing structure in the park, an intake kiva roof, original plaster, paint and rock art. This is a 1 mile round trip Ranger Guided Tour descending 100 feet over uneven trail that requires negotiating 2 ladders, steep drop offs, and boulder scrambling.

The Mesa Top Loop Drive Audio Tour: A Pueblo Perspective on Mesa Verde is a must for this section. It can be downloaded (remember there is no wifi in this park section) here: https://www.nps.gov/podcasts/podcasts-mtl-audiotour.htm

Mesa Top Loop- open 8:00 a.m.- sunset

The Mesa Top Loop– is a 6 mile drive presenting 700 years of Ancient Pueblo history. There are 12 archeology sites accessed by short, paved trails. Each site is accompanied by informational boards. Highlights: Square Tower House, Cliff Palace views from Sun Point and Sun Temple

Cliff Palace Loop– is a 6 mile drive with overlooks for Cliff Palace, and Balcony House.

Wetherill Loop- is designed to encourage biking/hiking along the 5 mile Long House Loop that has trails/sites:  Badger House Community, Kodak House Overlook, Long House Overlook, and the Nordenskiold Site #16 trails.

Hiking:

Petroglyph Point Trail: 2.4 miles, moderate Detailed description, and maps can be found at https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/colorado/mesa-verde-national-park

Mesa Verde Point Lookout Trail: 2.1 miles, moderate. Detailed description and maps can be found at https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/colorado/mesa-verde-national-park

Soda Canyon Overlook Trail: 1.2 miles, easy. Detailed description and maps can be found at https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/colorado/mesa-verde-national-park

Please consult All Trails https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/colorado/mesa-verde-national-park for additional hikes.

Food and Lodging:

Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe:

Indoor/Patio counter service dining. Hours vary by season:https://www.visitmesaverde.com/dining/spruce-tree-terrace-cafe/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=google_places&utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=google_places

Far View Terrace Cafe:

Located close to the Far View Lodge. Offers breakfast, lunch, and mocha express bar. See for more information and seasonal hours: https://www.visitmesaverde.com/dining/far-view-terrace-cafe/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=google_places

Metate Room

Metate Room is located in the Far View Lodge. Reservations are encouraged, walk-ins accepted based on availability. More information, including menus and seasonal hours of operation can be found here: https://www.visitmesaverde.com/dining/metate-room-restaurant/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=google_places&utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=google_places

Far View Lodge: is the only lodging within the national park. It is located 15 miles from the park entrance. Lodging details and reservations can be made at: https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/far-view-lodge/

Moore field Camping: 267 campsites located 4.5 miles from the park entrance. Visit https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/morefield-campground/ for reservations, and details.