Est. 1906 | Colorado | 52,485 acres

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mesa Verde National Park preserves over 50,000 acres of Ancestral Pueblo ruins hidden deep in the cliff overhangs of southwestern Colorado. Walking the mesa tops and driving the rim roads has its perks, but a guided cliff dwelling tour is a must in this park. Ranger-led hikes allow visitors to walk in the footsteps of native peoples 1,000 years ago and explore their primitive yet ingenious civilization from centuries past.

Mesa Verde, Spanish for “green table”, is just that: an elevated rock table painted green with junipers, grasses and shrubs. There is only a single entrance for the park winding up to the top of the plateau from the north. Though native artifacts are scattered throughout this region, two main sites for cliff dwellings are located on two sub-mesas in the southwest corner—the very back—of the park. Chapin Mesa on the east houses the famous Cliff Palace while Wetherill Mesa to the west preserves Long House an equally impressive site. Aside from the ruins, various trails take visitors on strolls along the mesa tops in search of wildlife and viewpoints.

Park Highlights

1. Cliff Dwelling Tours—Perhaps the best use of time and money in Mesa Verde is a tour up close and personal with the cliff dwellings. There is no better way to explore the craftsmanship and feats of engineering still standing in the cliff recesses today. Though every tour is unique and worthwhile, Cliff Palace and Balcony House are among the best. Cliff Palace is the largest dwelling in North America with 150 rooms, and the smaller Balcony House scales a 32-foot tall ladder with tunnels and tight squeezes. Because Mesa Verde is an ongoing archaeological site, tour sites can temporarily close and reopen from year to year.
2. Pit House—Atop the mesa are various pit houses, smaller residences perfectly circular in shape dug into the ground rather than into the cliff faces. These sites are worth visiting to better view the intentional design and purpose of the dwellings.
3. Petroglyph Point Trail—This 2.4-mile counter-clockwise loop is rugged and strenuous but offers an adventurous alternative to the lazy mesa top trails. Traversing the side of Spruce Canyon, squeezing past boulders and climbing down steep staircases, Petroglyph Point Trail takes hikers to a hidden petroglyph panel before ascending a steep 100-foot cliff back to the trailhead.
4. Sun Temple—At the far end of Mesa Top Loop on Chapin Mesa is a pull off for Sun Temple. This walkable ruin shows the footprint of a massive sacred site over 1,000 years old. This point also offers a decent view of Cliff Palace across Cliff Canyon.

Best time to visit Mesa Verde

As with most national parks, Mesa Verde is open year round, but on a limited basis. Tours are suspended during the winter months and roads can temporarily close during and after large snowstorms. However, tours and roads reopen in early May and lasting until mid-October. Spring is the best season to visit as foliage is fresh and green before the hot dry summer weather sets in around mid-July. Summer heat can bring wildfires and smoke to the region. If the fire does not threaten the park, tours will commence as scheduled, but visibility from overlooks and viewpoints can be hazy. Like spring, autumn is a great season to visit before winter closures occur. Fall colors tend to set in early–mid September with cooler temperatures in the day.

How long should I visit Mesa Verde?

With not many hiking trails and tours lasting only 45–60 minutes highlights in Mesa Verde do not need more than two days to visit. Consider scheduling tours during the day and fitting in hikes around them, preferably in the cooler morning and evening hours.

Getting to Mesa Verde

Because Mesa Verde has only one entrance all traffic must come along Highway 160. The town of Mancos lies 7 miles to the east and the city of Cortez lies 10 miles to the west. If arriving by air, Cortez and Durango, Colorado, have commercial airports, as does Farmington, New Mexico. Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ) is closest, but being a smaller airport it may not have convenient flights. Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) in Durango is an hour east of the park, but a little cheaper. And Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) in Farmington to the south is the cheapest, but over an hour away.

Where to stay in Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde offers two lodging options inside the park: the Far View Lodge and Morefield Campground. Open spring–fall, Far View Lodge is 15 miles past the entrance station and hosts 150 rooms overlooking the mesa landscape. The lodge has an onsite restaurant, lounge and gift shop. Morefield Campground is just 4 miles from the entrance station with 267 campsites. A camp store carries food and supplies and services showers, a gas station and a coin-operated laundromat. Far View Lodge and Morefield Campground are both hosted by Aramark. For more details, visit their official independent website.

Cortez, Mancos, Durango, and Farmington all offer lodging and dining options outside the park.

When should I book?

Mesa Verde is a hidden gem of the National Park System. Though it is spectacular and awe-inspiring it does not receive the crowds like the big-name parks. That said, booking 1 month in advance is most likely possible. Last minute plans may require inconvenient accommodations such as a busy campsite, expensive room or lodging outside the park.

Tours do not sell out very often. Each tour is limited to 50 people, but they run throughout the day ever 30 minutes so chances of securing a ticket are good up to a day in advance.

How much should I budget?

A frugal 2-day trip can cost roughly $500–depending on your required needs. Here is a range of what to expect:

Roundtrip Airfare to Durango	$200–$300
Car Rental	$60–$80/day (not including taxes/fees)
Morefield Campsite	$38/night (not including taxes/fees)
Far View Lodge	$186/night
Restaurant Meals	$15–$30/meal
Cliff Dwelling Tours	$8/adult

Packing list for Mesa Verde

Each park requires different gear for its unique characteristics. For Mesa Verde National Park, we wouldn’t want to be caught without hiking shoes, sunscreen, binoculars, camelback, and a hat.

Want to learn more? Check out our detailed trip report for a peek into our trip to Mesa Verde.

For more detailed information on Mesa Verde National Park, visit the official park website.