GETTING TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
GETTING TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
Summer Guide
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado preserves Ancestral Pueblo communities, including mesa-top sites and cliff dwellings. People lived and farmed in this region for more than 700 years, and Pueblo and Hopi descendants continue its history today. This guide covers the park’s location, cultural sites, and practical information for planning a visit.
Location
Mesa Verde National Park covers more than 52,000 acres in southwestern Colorado near the Four Corners. The park protects nearly 5,000 archeological sites, including about 600 cliff dwellings. The entrance is off U.S. Highway 160 between Mancos and Cortez. Start at the Visitor and Research Center for current road, trail, and tour information. See the National Park Service park overview.
Summer in Colorado
How to get to Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde National Park is in southwestern Colorado. The park entrance is on U.S. Highway 160 between Mancos and Cortez, about 35 miles west of Durango. From the entrance, allow about 45 minutes to reach the first cliff-dwelling viewpoint on the park’s steep, winding road.
Before traveling, check the National Park Service’s directions, current conditions, and entrance fees and passes. A park entrance pass is required; some cliff-dwelling tours require separate reservations.
What to do in Mesa Verde National Park
Explore Ancestral Pueblo history
For more than 700 years, Ancestral Pueblo people lived and farmed in the Mesa Verde region. They built communities on the mesa tops and later built cliff dwellings using stone, earth, plaster, and timber. Mesa Verde was part of a wider homeland across the Four Corners region.
By the late 1200s, many residents had moved to other communities. Their descendants include Pueblo and Hopi people today; the people and their traditions did not disappear. Explore the park’s designated sites and exhibits to learn about this living heritage, and follow posted access rules. Read the National Park Service’s account of the people of Mesa Verde.
What to see in Mesa Verde National Park
Start at the Visitor and Research Center for current information. From the park roads and designated overlooks, visitors can see mesa-top archeological sites, cliff dwellings, and the surrounding canyons. Cliff Palace and Balcony House are described below; entering those dwellings requires a ranger-guided tour when offered. Check the park’s current conditions and tour information before traveling.
Cliff Palace
Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. The National Park Service describes about 150 rooms and 23 kivas, with space for both homes and community activities. It was a village, not a royal palace. Visitors can view the site from designated overlooks; entering the dwelling requires a ranger-guided tour when tours are offered.
Before planning a visit, check the National Park Service’s history of the cliff dwellings and its current tour details and reservations.
Balcony House
Balcony House is an Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwelling with about 38 rooms and two kivas, according to the National Park Service. Entry is by ranger-guided tour only. The route includes steep stairs, ladders, and a narrow tunnel, so review the physical requirements and current tour availability before reserving. See the National Park Service cliff-dwelling tour information.
Enjoy the landscape
Mesa Verde’s mesa tops and upper canyon slopes support pinyon-juniper woodland; other parts of the park include shrublands and canyon habitats. Designated trails and overlooks offer views of the landscape alongside its cultural sites. Stay on marked trails, check weather and current conditions, and consult the National Park Service hiking guide before heading out.
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