things to do in Mesa Verde National Park

Visit Mesa Verde National Park, a treasure to be discovered

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Mesa Verde National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of the state of Colorado. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is known worldwide for its cliff dwellings, ancient rock villages set within rocky niches that are incredibly well preserved, so much so that they are some of the most interesting archaeological sites in North America. However, Mesa Verde is also known for its natural landscape, characterized by desert areas, steep canyons and wooded plateaus.

This national park rarely makes it onto typical American vacation tours, partly because of its isolated location, and partly because it is so little known. Yet this natural wonder deserves much more consideration, given the extraordinary scenic and archaeological beauty it allows you to visit. Let’s discover the best things to do in Mesa Verde National Park and the available park tours.

Visiting Mesa Verde National Park

Visit Mesa Verde National Park

The main attractions of the park can be seen in half a day, but it is also possible to see much more and at that point your visit could be longer but more demanding. La Mesa is open year-round, but many services and facilities only operate from April through October.

For hotels you can look in neighboring towns, or in the only facility in the park, Far View Lodge, which offers truly spectacular views from its balconies. For food you can go to the Metate Room, which offers delicious buffalo and elk meat, while Spruce Tree Terrace and Spruce Tree House are open all year round.

Direct access to major archaeological sites is only available via guided tours, and tickets must be purchased at the Far View Visitor Center. The only exception is in the fall, when the Visitor Center has closed, in which case guided tours of Cliff Palace are purchased at the Chapin Mesa Museum.

Things to Do in Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park colorado

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings Guided Tours

Guided tours are the only way to see Mesa Verde’s fascinating rock dwellings up close:

  • Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwellings complex in the world, don’t miss it!
  • Balcony House requires a very challenging tour with steep ramps and narrow tunnels (not recommended for those who suffer from vertigo)
  • Long House (on Wetherill Mesa). The settlement built in the wider cavern. You can get there by shuttle service and by walking up about sixty steps.
  • Spruce Tree House, the only dwelling open in winter, a small village of 3-story structures set in the usual rocky indentation.

Due to the popularity of these sites, visitors in one day can only choose one between Cliff Palace and Balcony House (if you have to choose opt for the former). Try not to arrive late because queues for the guided tours form early, especially in the summer.

Visiting these archaeological remains is really a unique experience: walking among the ruins, admiring the plazas, the cave paintings or the kivas (circular ritual rooms made of stone) evokes an ancestral and mysterious world: all really fascinating!

Please note: a reservation system has recently been implemented to gain access to guided tours of the Cliff Dwelling. There is no confirmation yet whether this system will be maintained in the coming years. Therefore, I encourage you to check the park’s official website for timing and booking arrangements.

Mesa Verde Overlooks

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings Guided Tours

The park has many scenic views suitable for admiring the natural beauty of the Mesa Verde landscape. Just off the main park road we find Montezuma Valley Overlook, Park Point Overlook, and Geologic Overlook. There are also excellent overlooks at the Far View Visitor Center, the observation deck at the Chapin Mesa Museum (stop here to learn more about the Anasazi), and the two connector roads also at Chapin Mesa.

Mesa Verde National Park Directions

Mesa Verde National Park Directions

Mesa Verde by car

By car is pretty much the only way to get to the park. The entrance is located about 9 miles east of Cortez and 35 miles west of Durango on US Highway 160 (formerly US Highway 666). Bear in mind that the road into the park is steep, narrow and winding, so make sure your car is in good shape and has plenty of fuel. The only gas station is at the Morefield campground.

Getting there by plane

Cortez has a small airport with daily flights to Denver operated by Great Lakes Airlines. Durango has a larger airport with daily flights to Denver with United Express and Frontier Airlines, Dallas / Fort Worth with American Eagle and Phoenix with American Airlines. Car rental outlets are available at both airports. If you have some time left between flights to visit Colorado’s capital city, check out our article on Denver attractions.

Fees and Permits

A 7-day pass costs $20 for vehicles in the fall-spring and $30 during the summer months. Motorcyclists and bus riders pay $15 each in fall-spring and $25 during the summer.

An annual pass, for Mesa Verde only, is available for $55. The park can also be accessed with a America the Beautiful Pass, that we have already mentioned. A ranger-led tour of the Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House areas costs $8 per person per single tour.

How to get around the park

getting around mesa verde

There are four main areas: the Morefield Campground, Far View, Chapin Mesa, and Wetherill Mesa. Morefield is located within the park, 4 miles from the entrance, another 11 miles on is Far View, then you can drive another 6 to Chapin Mesa or turn right and drive another 12 to get to Wetherill Mesa.

In most of the park, you will need your own transportation. The only public shuttle service is at Wetherill Mesa, where a streetcar will allow you to explore an area that is not accessible to cars.

Where to Stay in Mesa Verde

The best option, both for convenience and scenic views, is definitely the Far View Lodge, just six miles from Chapin Mesa and Spruce Tree House. Alternatively, you can find other inexpensive solutions nearby. Take a look at the list below to browse available accommodations.

Hotels in Mesa Verde area

A bit of history

Mesa Verde National Park history

The park’s name, derived from Spanish, means “green table,” and refers to the vegetation that characterizes the area’s highland peaks. The ancient Anasazi people, who later became the pueblos, chose Mesa Verde as their settlement as long as 1400 years ago, nestling in small sunken houses (large holes in the ground with a wooden roof) on the Mesa’s peaks.

They were mostly nomads accustomed to hunting with spears, but soon began farming the hilltops, and learned to make pottery, bows and arrows. As the population increased, people began to move from sunken houses to those built out of the earth. Sunken dwellings became kivas (ceremonial rooms) and thus the first Mesa villages were born.

Around the year 1200, the Anasazi people began to move under the ledges found in the rocks of the canyons. Here they built towns with multi-story structures that housed 100 to 400 people. By 1300, they left the area for unknown reasons, heading for New Mexico and Arizona.

Geological and Landscape Information

Mesa Verde National Park tours

Approximately 100 million years ago, the Mesa Verde area was covered by a shallow sea, and sand deposits formed sandstone layers that make up much of the park’s geology today. As soon as the sea receded to the south, the area beneath the waters rose up, creating the Mesa Plateau.

Over time, small streams carved channels into the plain, creating the steep gorges that separate the individual mesas. From the park entrance to Montezuma Valley, the elevation gain is quite steep, with increases from about 6100 to about 8400 feet above sea level.

Wildlife in Mesa Verde National Park

Wildlife in Mesa Verde National Park

There is a huge variety of flora and fauna here. The mule deer is a very common animal, as are wild turkeys. There is no shortage of squirrels, skunks, or a black bear that occasionally hangs around the campground (be careful!). Other mammals seen in the park include coyote, gray fox, mountain lion, moose, groundhog, and porcupine.

There is also a wide variety of birds: blackcaps, flycatchers, woodpeckers, jays, hawks, titmice, and many other species can be found in the canyon. Hawks and golden eagles can be seen on the edge of the mesa along the Montezuma Valley.

Best Time to Visit Mesa Verde

The climate is dry and desert-like. Summer can get really hot, with temperatures sometimes reaching 113°F, but evenings are quite cool. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Winters are fairly mild, but as Mesa Verde is at a fairly high altitude, you may encounter snow in late October and again until early May.


Our Tip:
Looking for accommodations for your trip from California to other parts of the Southwest? Read our guide that contains reviews of hotels and strategic tips for finding accommodations near major attractions: Where to Stay: Our Tips for the SouthWest Area

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

lorenzo puliti
lorenzo puliti

I am fascinated by the wonders of the world I never tire of going in search of them.

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