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Guided Tours Of Mesa Verde National Park

Home to the largest cliff dwellings in north america, southwest colorados most popular destination, one of only 20 world heritage sites in the us., mesa verde tours full-service, guided tours of mesa verde national park, why a guided tour.

Sit back and enjoy the scenery while our experienced, knowledgeable tour guides with over 50 years of combined experience take you through the park. With their knowledge, you will be able to ask questions, read literature, and listen to your own private tour of Mesa Verde National Park .

Tour with us ! You get to save time, gas, entrance ticket fees and go straight to the sites with our guided tours. All of our tour vehicles are comfortable with air conditioning for those hot summer months and heated for the chilly winter months. Have special needs or specific questions about our tours? Contact us . We are here to provide you the best Mesa Verde Tour EXPERIENCE.

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A Complete Guide to Visiting Mesa Verde National Park (+ things to do, where to stay, & more!)

Last updated on June 16th, 2024

In this guide we’re sharing everything you need to know before visiting Mesa Verde National Park, including hikes, tours, where to stay, tips for the park, and more! We recently spent two months traveling around Colorado in our self-converted Sprinter van and it was truly the best two months we have ever spent on the road! We started our Colorado road trip in the Southwestern part of the state, which is amazing , and our first major stop? Mesa Verde National Park! At the time of writing this guide, we have visited 39 of the 63 US national parks and each one has been different from the last. But Mesa Verde is one of the most unique parks of them all!  Some national parks are known for their epic mountain views or wildlife, but Mesa Verde is known for preserving the works of man (and is the first national park to do so!), with thousands of Pueblo archeological sites and cliff dwellings.

While we normally spend our time at national parks hiking, we spent the majority of our time at Mesa Verde National Park learning and seeing history. It was such an educational experience, as well as a nice change of pace! But if we are being honest, our time at the park wasn’t the smoothest. There were park and trail closures (both ones we knew about and unexpected ones), a ranger pulled us over and falsely accused us of illegally camping, AND our bumper got smashed in a parking lot while we were gone for 20 minutes (they didn’t leave a note either).

But despite the frustrating and upsetting moments, none of which were really the park’s fault, we still really enjoyed visiting Mesa Verde National Park. We learned SO much, got to see some impressive structures, and the scenery was beautiful too! And in this guide our goal is to share everything you need to know about Mesa Verde National Park, including the best things to do, where to stay, and tips to avoid some mishaps, plus our top suggestions of how to spend one day in the park.

Looking to visit more National Parks? Check out our guides to the best West Coast , East Coast , and Southwest National Parks !

About Mesa Verde National Park

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Mesa Verde National Park is home to over 4,700 archaeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people, who lived in this area from 600 to 1300 AD. In the park you can see a variety of types of Pueblo structures, including pit houses, a farming community, towers, and temples. Mesa Verde became a national park in 1906 and since then has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site (in 1978), with the park’s major focus being on preserving the sites for future generations and sharing the Pueblo Native American history.  But beyond the Pueblo structures and history that make the park an important part of the United State’s history, Mesa Verde is also home to some beautiful views! In fact, Mesa Verde means “green table” in Spanish, due to the abundance of Juniper trees and other greenery that cover the mesas, canyons, and valleys.

Before embarking on your adventure, please review the  Leave No Trace principles  to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come! These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 

Mesa Verde National Park has a few different areas to explore and for the sake of this guide, we will be organizing the park up into four main areas: Mesa Top Ruins Road (the main road through the park), Mesa Top Loop, Cliff Palace Loop, and Wetherill Mesa.  Each area of the park gives you the chance to see different dwellings and sights, so they are all worth a visit! And since the park isn’t too huge and the areas are all next to each other, you could visit all areas in one day, as long as you don’t mind not seeing everything each area has to offer.

Mesa Verde National Park is open year round (in some capacity), but your experience will vary depending on when you visit. 

If you want to escape the crowds and don’t mind snow and colder temperatures, winter is a great time to visit Mesa Verde National Park! There are limited services during this time, including the campground and lodge being closed, as well as no cliff dwelling tours, but winter does bring the chance to experience the park in a way you cannot in other seasons, either by snowshoe or cross country skiing! You can see a more in-depth guide to winter at Mesa Verde National Park here . 

Spring & Fall

For mild temperatures, more services than the winter, and less crowds than the summer, the spring and fall (in our opinion) are the best times to visit Mesa Verde National Park, especially if it’s your first visit to the park and you want to experience as much as possible. We visited Mesa Verde towards the end of May and the weather was super nice, we were able to see most of what we wanted to see (more on that later), and the park really wasn’t that busy! Note: If you want to do a cliff dwelling tour ( highly recommended), the cliff dwelling tours begin in early May (different tours open on different dates) and end towards the end of October, so make sure to plan your spring or fall visit accordingly!

The summertime is the busiest time to visit Mesa Verde National Park, as kids are out of school and families are vacationing. However, this is the season where the most tours and amenities are open in the park, so if you want the most options, this is a good time to visit as long as you can tolerate higher crowds. As for the weather, it’s the warmest time to visit and while not horribly hot, the lack of tree coverage at many overlooks may make it feel warmer. The summers in Colorado are also notorious for afternoon thunderstorms, so that is something you’ll want to be prepared for when planning your time in the park.

Mesa Verde National Park is located in between Mancos and Cortez in Southwest Colorado , close to both the Utah and New Mexico borders. While Mesa Verde is close to SO many incredible things to do in Colorado (and southern Utah), it is a bit far from any major cities, which makes getting to the park a little bit trickier. 

Flying to Mesa Verde National Park

If you plan to fly to Mesa Verde National Park, the closest decent sized airport is the Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) , which is just under 1 hour from Mesa Verde. This is a small airport, but it is serviced by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines and has nonstop flights from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Phoenix (PHX), Salt Lake City (SLC), and Denver (DEN).

If you can get a decently priced flight to Durango from where you live, even with layovers, this would definitely be your best bet!

However, if you cannot find a flight to Durango, the closest major airport is Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) , which is a little over a 4 hour drive.

Driving to Mesa Verde National Park

Since Mesa Verde National Park is a bit harder to fly to and only really needs a couple days to explore, it’s typically just one stop many people make while on a road trip in the area. 

If you plan to drive to Mesa Verde National Park, here’s how long you can expect to drive from other popular destinations nearby.

Moab, Utah: 2 hours, 124 miles Monument Valley: 2.5 hours, 133 miles Page, Arizona : 3.5 hours, 225 miles Great Sand Dunes National Park: 3 hours 45 minutes, 199 miles Grand Junction, Colorado : 4 hours, 202 miles Denver, Colorado: 6.5 hours, 371 miles

Getting Around Mesa Verde National Park

Unlike some national parks, Mesa Verde National Park does not have a park shuttle. You will need to either rent a car or drive your own to get around, or hire a tour to show you the top sites. 

When visiting Mesa Verde National Park, there are quite a few options of where to stay, including multiple towns and cities, options inside and outside of the park, as well as different lodging types.

While Mesa Verde does have some lodging options inside the park, if you want to stay outside the park, the closest towns are Mancos (super cute!) and Cortez, which both have a handful of options of places to stay. But if you want to have a wider variety or plan to explore more of the area, we’d suggest staying in Durango (40 minutes from Mesa Verde), which we LOVE! It is the perfect sized town, has all of the amenities you would need, plus even more things to do, and is in a beautiful area.

We will include options for both inside the park and the neighboring towns below!

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Airbnbs + VRBOs

The Hilltop Hideaway (2 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This remote house is perfect for a family, couples getaway, or friend getaway, with enough room for 5 people and a great living area and outdoor area! Pets are allowed too! Eclectic 1 Bedroom Casita (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This casita is so charming, with super nice features and lots of character. Cairn Cottage (Studio, 1 bathroom): Location, location, location! This cottage has amazing nature all around it and it is dog friendly!   Studio with mountain views (Studio, 1 bathroom): This dog friendly studio is bright and open, with fun pops of color, and an amazing patio!

The Sleeping Ute Tiny Home (2 beds, 1 bathroom): This tiny house is tiny, but it can sleep 3 people and has amazing views! Southwest Bungalow (3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom): This bungalow is super cute on the inside, sleeps 6 people total, and has an awesome backyard for hanging out!  Serene Mountain Retreat (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms): This house would be great for a family or group, with lots of space to hang out, including multiple patios!

Downtown Durango Studio (Studio, 1 bathroom): We stayed here when riding the train in Durango and it was a great spot! Spacious and cozy inside and walkable to downtown! It’s also pet friendly, which was key for us! Hip In-Town Condo (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom): This condo is super aesthetic, with lots of beautiful design choices, including a swing inside! Cedar House Condo (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This very stylish condo is located about a mile from downtown and has so many nice touches! New, Modern Condo (1 bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms): As the name implies, this condo has lots of modern finishes and is close to downtown.

Hampton Inn Mesa Verde/Cortez Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites

Hampton Inn Durango Homewood Suites Fairfield Inn & Suites

Curious how we get FREE flights and hotels? Check out our list of our favorite travel cards that have saved us thousands of dollars!

Lodging inside the park

There are two lodging options in Mesa Verde National Park: a campground and a lodge.

Morefield Campground

Morefield Campground is located about 4 miles into Mesa Verde National Park and is open from May 1- September 30 with services and then without services from October 24 – November 10. There are about 267 dry camping sites for tents or RVs, as well as 15 additional sites with full RV hookups. All of these sites do allow reservations, but are not required. We suggest making a reservation if you can, incase sites fill up. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table and the campground does have a dump station and showers.

You cannot camp overnight in parking lots at national parks. We know this and always follow this rule, but since we were falsely accused of this in this park (and have been accused before as well), we wanted to extra stress the importance of not breaking this rule. While we had photo and video evidence to show the ranger (he believed us before it led to this), we now always take photos and videos of where we slept and what time we arrived just in case this happens again.

Far View Lodge

Open May 1- September 30 Mesa Verde National Park is home to its own lodge, the Far View Lodge , which is very centrally located in the park and is the perfect home base if you just plan to explore Mesa Verde and not much of the surrounding area.  This lodge is open from May 1-September 30 and has 150 rooms and each room has Western decor, its own balcony, coffee maker and mini fridge, and wifi. They do not have TVs though!

Free camping

Our favorite boondocking spot in the area is Madden Peak , which has quite a few sites and has cell service! It’s about halfway between Durango and Mesa Verde, so it’s a great spot to make your home base for the area. We have stayed here in both 2020 and 2021 and have loved it both times. But beware, we had a weasel get into our engine and leave us a present, so make sure you check your car to ensure they don’t chew any wires! One other thing to note–they do close the road to this site in the winter. After we maxed out our 14 day allowed stay at Madden Peak, another spot we checked out was Crystal Creek Ditch , which was close to Mancos. There are quite a few areas to go and we struggled to have the best cell service here, but were able to make it work to get some work done.

Need water or a dump station? The Speedway right outside of Durango has free water and dump!

We spent only one day at Mesa Verde National Park and were able to see almost as much as we wanted to see (closures and our hit and run caused us to see less). We think you could easily spend one day in the park and see the best sites, ruins, and dwellings, including going on a ranger-guided tour. If you want to do everything we include on this guide, you will need two days, but we think you can get a true feel for the park and its history in one day. We will include our top suggestions of things to do in one day at Mesa Verde National Park at the end of this guide! 

Before visiting Mesa Verde National Park, here are a few important things to know!

Cost to enter

It costs between $20-$30 per vehicle, depending on the time of the year, to enter Mesa Verde National Park, which covers 7 days. You can either pay at the entrance gate or buy a digital pass in advance to show when you get there. If you buy the digital pass, make sure to take a screenshot of it, as there is barely any cell service in the park. If you’re visiting more than one National Park on your trip or during the year, we highly recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass which is $80 per year and will get you into any National Park, monument, or forest for free.

Cell Service is limited

There is a small amount of cell service at the beginning of the park, but it is very limited the further you go into the park. We were able to get some bars every now and then (thankfully we had a bar or two when we had to call 911 when our van was hit), but don’t count on having service most of the time. Make sure to download offline Google Maps, AllTrails maps, and take screenshots of any reservations so you’re able to access everything you need in case you do not have service.

Do not arrive too early

Normally we suggest arriving at the national parks before or right at sunrise, but for once we have the opposite advice: don’t arrive too early to Mesa Verde National Park. While Mesa Verde National Park is open 24 hours (you can enter the gates early), the trails and sites do not open until 8 AM. We knew that some spots did not open until 8 AM, but we thought one trail was open sooner, so we arrived early only to find that we couldn’t really do anything. We also then got pulled over because we seemed suspicious parking in a lot that early…oops!  We suggest entering the park around 7:30 AM or so, that way by the time you enter the park and head to where you want to explore first, everything is open and you can still beat the crowds.

Dogs are not allowed

Dogs are not allowed on most trails or in any buildings at Mesa Verde National Park. The only areas they are allowed is on the 5 mile Long House Loop in Wetherill Mesa and at paved roadside pull offs, but for the majority of the items of this guide they will not be allowed, so please leave your furry friend at home or in a safe, cool spot. There is a kennel at the Morefield Campground if you need somewhere to leave your pup for a few hours!

Learn what we do with Kona when she cannot join us

Vehicle restrictions for Wetherill Mesa

Wetherill Mesa is a windy and steep road and because of this, vehicles over 8,000 pounds and 25 feet in length are not allowed. This includes our van, which is why we were unable to explore this area. 

Driving through the park takes time

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to drive around! The entrance of Mesa Verde National Park is a bit far from some of the top things to do in the park and driving between the main area to the Wetherill Mesa area can take a lot of time as well. Above is a chart from Mesa Verde National Park, which shares how long it takes to go between specific areas of the park.

Be aware of closures

During our visit, there were some closures in the park, which impacted our experience. Most notably, Cliff Palace Loop, which is a popular area to visit, was closed during our visit in May 2021 and is closed at least through summer 2021. We have read that once it reopens, Mesa Top Loop Road will close for construction. For this guide, we are listing ALL options of things to do in Mesa Verde National Park and will note the most recent closures at the time of writing this guide, but please check the NPS website for a more up to date list of closures. 

Note: Wetherill Mesa is closed through the end of the 2024 season.

As always, we recommend having the 10 essentials on you when venturing into nature, but here are a few key items we want to point out that will especially help you during your visit! To ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time at Mesa Verde, here are some items we’d suggest bringing with you! 

HIKING SHOES

Although none of the trails are intense, if you plan to do one of the backcountry cliff dwelling tours, you’ll want to have a sturdy shoe. We almost always wear our Lowa Renegades (Kathryn) and Altra Superiors (Adam), but also love our Chacos , which are great hiking sandals for the warmer months and for sandy and smooth rock terrain.

We always suggest packing layers, especially when exploring at higher elevations. The park ranges from 7,000-8,500 ft, which means the weather can vary a bit as you go throughout the park, as well as throughout the day.

SUN PROTECTION

While there are lots of trees in Mesa Verde and covered areas, some of the overlooks are pretty exposed and the Southwest Colorado sun can be pretty harsh, so make sure to bring sunglasses and sunscreen. We have been using Bare Republic , which is a “better for you” sunscreen, although it may give you a nice white, vampire-esque sheen. 

The air is SO dry in Southwest Colorado. Our noses and throats struggled big time adjusting to the dry air. So make sure to bring and drink tons of water!  We love our Camelbak bladder for hikes because it stores a ton of water and it’s easy to drink from while moving.

Just kidding on this one, but it would’ve saved us some $$$ by catching the person who backed up into our van 🙂 We’re clearly not still bitter about it.

With tons of history, different structures, and some shorter trails, there are so many things to do in Mesa Verde National Park! Below are the top things to focus on when planning your adventures, split up by the different areas of the park, that way you know what sites are close together. 

Cliff Dwelling Tours

Going on a cliff dwelling tour is the #1 thing we suggest doing in Mesa Verde National Park and since three out of the four areas in the park offer them, we’re giving it its own section on the guide!  While there are many areas to view the cliff dwellings from afar, the cliff dwelling tours are the only way to get to see the dwellings up close and for the majority of them, you’ll have a ranger with you who will provide tons of history about the dwelling and park, which makes for an extra memorable experience. The cliff dwelling tours are only available between May and October (the exact dates vary), so make sure to plan your trip during this timeframe if you want to experience this. We truly cannot say enough great things about the tour. It’s the BEST way to experience Mesa Verde!

NOTE: The actual dwellings you can tour seem to vary often due to closures or restoration, so check the Mesa Verde National Park website to see what tours are currently being offered, as well as the time slots and months they are offered. We are listing the ones that are available as of writing this guide, but they may have changed since.

Our experience

During our visit, there were only a few tour options available and we ended up touring the Square House Tower on a small, 10 person backcountry tour. It was incredible and we loved how small the group size was, as the ranger was able to answer all of our questions.  Not only did we learn so much from the ranger, but the journey to get to the cliff dwelling was super fun, with ladders to climb up and down. We had both kids and adults on the tour, so even though it had some obstacles, it was doable for everyone and a blast!

How to get tickets

However, getting tickets for these can be tough! For those that require a ticket, they go on sale 14 days before at 8 AM MST and they go FAST! You will need to be logged into recreation.gov and ready to go minutes beforehand so you can refresh right at 8 AM MST.  The first time we tried to get tickets we lucked out and got some, but then had to change the date of our visit and canceled our tickets. We tried again for a different day and despite refreshing right as the clock turned 8 AM MST, we didn’t snag any. So we checked everyday before our visit to see if any became available and while some single tickets opened up for some tours, we couldn’t find two tickets. But by some miracle, the day before we planned to visit we checked one last time and TWO tickets were available for the Square Tower House. We were SO pumped and snatched them up right away! 

Types of Cliff Dwelling Tours

There are a few different types of cliff dwelling tours, either ranger-assisted, ranger-guided, or self-guided, which will each offer a slightly different experience. Here’s a rundown of each type, as well as the current cliff dwelling tours that are offered for each type. 

Ranger-assisted tours

On ranger-assisted tours, you will enter the cliff dwelling during a specific time slot and explore more at your own pace. There are rangers along the way to provide information, but you’re not committed to staying in a small group with just one ranger, and have more freedom to explore.

Long House (Wetherill Mesa) Dates : May 29-October 23 Length : These tours happen every 30 minutes from 9:30-11:30 AM and 1:30-3 PM and last about one hour. Distance : 2.25 miles of walking and includes some ladders Cost : $8/person Number of spots per tour : 25 per time slot  The Long House is the second largest cliff dwelling in the park and also has amazing views of the park’s canyons and mesas!

Ranger-guided backcountry tours

The ranger-guided backcountry tours are more intimate, with small group sizes, and provide an in-depth experience of some lesser seen cliff dwellings.

Mug House (Wetherill Mesa) Dates : May 2-October 23 Length : 90 minutes and two time slots per day Distance : 2.25 miles of walking and includes some boulder scrambling Cost : $25/person Number of spots per tour : 10 per time slot  Mug House is one of the dwellings that cannot be seen from any overlook, which makes it even more special to visit! It gets its name from three mugs tied together, which are hanging inside one of the rooms. 

Square Tower House (Mesa Top Loop) Dates : May 27-October 22, 2023 Length : 90 minutes, check the NPS website for tour times Distance : 1 mile of walking, which includes some ladders Cost : $25/person Number of spots per tour : 10 per time slot  This is the tour we did and we loved it! Square Tower House can be viewed from an observation area off Mesa Top Loop, but getting to walk right up to it is even more spectacular. The dwelling is home to the tallest structure in the park, a 28 ft tall tower, and on the tour you’ll get to climb down ladders, see an intact kiva roof (which is rare!), as well as other structures.

Cliff Palace (Cliff Palace Loop) Dates: May 14-October 22, 2023 Length : 30 minutes Distance : 1/4 mile of walking, which includes five ladders and 120 steps Cliff Palace is the most iconic and largest cliff dwelling in the park, with 150 rooms!

Balcony House (Cliff Palace Loop) Dates: May 14-October 22, 2023  Length : 1 hour Distance : 1/4 mile of walking, which includes a 32 foot ladder and crawling through a tunnel This is one of the most adventurous cliff dwellings to visit and not for those who do not like heights or small spaces!

Spring House (Mesa Top Ruins Road) Dates : Currently only 4 dates offered in May and September Length : 8 hours Distance : 8 miles of walking, which includes 1,500 ft of elevation changes and a ladder Cost : $45/person Number of spots per tour : 10 per time slot  If you want to spend an entire day visiting a dwelling that hardly anyone gets to see , this is the tour for you! With 86 rooms and 7 kivas, Spring House is the largest unexcavated cliff dwelling in the park! While you will not be able to enter the dwelling, as it’s very fragile, you will get great views of it and 8 miles of adventuring along the way! 

Self-guided tours

If you’re unable to get tickets to one of the guided tours, a self-guided tour is a great option! On a self-guided tour you’ll get to wander around on your own, but you will not get the experience of having a ranger guide you through the dwelling.

Step House (Wetherill Mesa)

Step House is the only cliff dwelling open for self-guided tours. To experience this cliff dwelling, you’ll have to walk about 1 mile and should expect to spend about 45 minutes-1 hour.

Note: Wetherill Mesa is closed until mid-July 2023

Mesa Top Ruins Road

Mesa Top Ruins Road is the main road that runs through the park. Along this road there are various sites and trails to check out, all of which tell different stories of the area’s history.

Far View Sites

We really enjoyed exploring the Far View sites, which is a former Pueblo village and farming area from 900-1300 AD. The Ancestral Pueblo people lived here before the cliff dwellings were built and at one point was the most densely populated area of the mesa!  There are a few different areas to explore here, including a reservoir, multiple villages, the pipe shrine house, and the far view tower, all of which are connected by pathways.

Petroglyph Point Trail

Miles: 2.4 miles Elevation Gain: 328 feet Trail Map & Current Conditions This hike includes views of Spruce Tree House at the beginning, petroglyphs along the way, amazing views of the park’s scenery, and some rock scrambling! The trail has a ton of amazing features for a short distance and we hear that this is one of the BEST hikes to do in the park.  Unfortunately we were unable to hike it because it was closed due to bear activity the day before, which was a huge bummer. But our experience was probably pretty rare, as while bears are present at Mesa Verde, they are pretty uncommon to see. Make sure to keep your distance if you do see one though!

Spruce Tree House

Spruce Tree House is the third largest cliff dwelling, with 130 rooms and 8 kivas, built into a large natural alcove. Due to this alcove, it is one of the best preserved dwellings in the park, with 90% of materials being original.  While you used to be able to go on a tour of Spruce Tree House, due to rock falls it is currently closed. But the view from the overlook is still impressive!

Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum

Normally open year round, but currently closed until further notice The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum is one of the oldest museums in the national park system and has displays about the Ancestral Pueblo peoples, artifacts, and a film to watch. 

Park Point Fire Lookout

A quick, 0.4 mile (round trip) walk up a paved walkway takes you to the Park Point Fire Lookout, which was built in 1939 by the CCC and is consistently staffed 7 days a week from June to September. Not only is the fire lookout cool to see, but this lookout also marks the highest point in the park at 8,572 feet and the views of the park and surrounding area are incredible ! This would be a great, easy spot to see the sunset!

Point Lookout Trail

Miles: 2.1 miles Elevation Gain: 531 feet Trail Map & Current Conditions This hike takes you up to the Point Lookout, which has expansive views of the San Juan Mountains, La Plata Mountains, and the Mancos and Montezuma Valleys. With a western facing view like the Park Point Fire Lookout, the views will be similar, but this hike will give you slightly less crowds and is more of a nature experience vs. the fire lookout. This would also be a great spot for sunset if you don’t mind a little bit of hiking! 

Mesa Top Loop

Mesa Top Loop is a 6 mile road that includes 12 overlooks and archeological sites that showcase 700 years of Mesa Verde history. This road is open from 8 AM-sunset and is such a great, accessible way to see different views of the park, many cliff dwellings, and learn the progression of structures that made up the park, from the original pithouses to the larger cliff dwellings. While we recommend stopping at all sites, some of our favorite spots along the route were the Navajo Canyon View, Square Tower House Lookout, Sun Point View, and Sun Temple (where you can see Cliff Palace as well!). Each site along the route has a lot of signage to read so you can learn more of the history, but there is an audio tour you can use while you drive! Plan to spend 1-2 hours wandering through this area and reading all of the signs.

Cliff Palace Loop 

Drive cliff palace loop.

Cliff Palace Loop is home to two of the most iconic dwellings in the park, Cliff Palace and Balcony House. While these require a ranger-guided tour to visit, there are still a couple other things to see along this route, including the Cliff Palace Overlook, House of Many Windows, Hemenway House, and the Soda Canyon Overlook, which we will cover below.

Soda Canyon Overlook

Miles: 1.2 miles Elevation Gain: 59 feet Trail Map & Current Conditions The short and flat Soda Canyon Overlook trail leaves from the Cliff Palace Loop and takes you to the edge of the canyon where you can overlook the canyon below, as well as see Balcony House! 

Wetherill Mesa

Besides going on one of the ranger-assisted, ranger-guided, or self-guided tours in Wetherill Mesa, there isn’t a ton to do, expect hiking the 5 mile Long House Loop Trail , which is a paved, dog friendly trail that will take you to different viewpoints and sites along the way, including views of Long House, Kodak House, Nordenskiöld Site #16, and the Badger House Community. 

While there are a lot of things to do in Mesa Verde National Park, you can get a very good feel for the park, and learn tons of history, in one day. 

And while we normally love to include a step by step itinerary to hopefully make planning easier, it’s a bit hard to do that for Mesa Verde because if you do a ranger led tour, the starting time varies and the locations vary. But we’d suggest prioritizing the following during one day in Mesa Verde:

• Go on a ranger-assisted or ranger-guided tour or do the self guided tour of Step House
• Hike the Petroglyph Point Trail and see Spruce Tree House along the way
• Drive the Mesa Top Loop and stop at all of the sites
• Visit the Cliff Palace Loop (if open) to get more views of Cliff Palace and hike the Soda Canyon Overlook trail
• Explore the Far View Sites
• Watch the sunset from the Park Point Fire Lookout or Point Lookout Trail 

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• 12 Day Southwest Colorado Road Trip Itinerary
• Driving the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado
• How to hike the Ouray Perimeter Trail in Colorado 
• Things to do at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park 
• How to hike the Gunnison Route at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
• 4 Days in Colorado (Denver, Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, & Colorado Springs)
• Read all of our Colorado guides

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Is Mesa Verde Worth it Without a Tour? 11 Things to Do

While Mesa Verde National Park is a wonderful experience, occasionally ranger-guided tours sell out, the weather forces cancelations, or visitors have limitations and can’t hike. In these cases, people understandably wonder if Mesa Verde is still worth a visit even if they can’t tour the cliff dwellings.

Mesa Verde National Park is still worth a visit, even if you can’t go inside a cliff dwelling. The park has many different activities and amenities that you will enjoy, such as hiking, interpretive exhibits, drive tours, and more.

Here are 11 great ways to enjoy the park besides tours:

(note: All links in this article are to NPS webpages unless I say otherwise)

1. Visit the Museum & Visitor Center

The museum and visitor center at Mesa Verde should be your first stop, whether you are visiting for a few days or a few hours. The visitor center has information on tours, closures, ranger programs, and activities. It also has the usual exhibits and bookstores that you can find in most national parks.

You should also be sure to stop by the Chapin Mesa Museum , which is located some distance from the entrance and visitor center, in the Chapin Mesa area. The museum has exhibits and a film about native American lifestyles, culture, and the artifacts found in the area. You can learn about how the people moved from mesa-top villages to the cave dwellings that the park is famous for. If your kids are doing the junior ranger program, they may spend more time than you expect in the museum, filling information into their booklets. There are also hiking trails behind the museum.

2. Tour the Mesa Top Sites

Before the Puebloan people moved into the cliff alcoves to live, they built villages and farms on the mesa top. The ruins of buildings, irrigation systems, and ceremonial centers remain scattered across the area. You can visit these ruins and learn more about the ancestral Puebloan people by following the Mesa Top Loop . This short 6-mile road allows you to learn about centuries of Ancestral Puebloan history and take short trails to 12 different archeological sites such as pit houses, farming sites, and village ruins. Although this road is short, it can take several hours including all the stops and short hikes. Exactly how long it takes for your family can depend on how much time you spend reading signage and looking at the views.

3. Listen to an Audio Tour

Before you take the Mesa Top Loop, make sure that you have downloaded the audio tour so you can listen along while you drive. This will help keep everyone entertained, as this drive can take several hours if you stop at all the sites. It will also help you to learn more and enjoy the drive. The entire tour is 42 minutes long. (Remember you likely won’t have cell service inside the park, so download the tour before you get there.)

4. View Cliff Dwellings

Even if you cannot tour any cliff dwellings on your visit, you can still see them by stopping at the overlooks available around the park. Some of the best views of cliff dwellings are found along the Mesa Top Loop and the area around the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. You can also find overlooks along Weatherill Mesa Road. If you want to get in a short hike and see several cliff dwellings, the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail is a good option.

5. Get Your Junior Ranger Badge

While visiting the park, children (and adults!) can participate in the junior ranger program . This popular park program allows children to earn ranger badges for Mesa Verde by completing fun activities in a workbook as they explore and learn about the park. The booklets generally take a couple of hours to complete, and younger children have fewer activities to complete compared with older children and teens. Many children take considerable pride in their collection of Junior Ranger badges, so keep them safe by pinning them to a special vest or display at home.

If your kids want to get a head start on the program, you can print the booklets at home and they can work on them while you’re driving to the park. My kids love when I print the booklets ahead of time. They get to experience more of the park and they know more about it before they go, which makes it more fun and educational.

6. Watch for Wildlife

Mesa Verde, like most national parks, is a haven for wildlife. While you are visiting the park, keep your eyes out for the animals that live there, including many different birds, mule deer, coyotes, lizards, and squirrels. The park is also home to feral horses that live wild among the native animals.

Many children enjoy watching wildlife, especially if they have learned about the park’s animals ahead of their visit. Keeping a checklist of the wildlife you see can be a fun activity and can help encourage children to keep watching carefully to spot more animals.

7. Visit Step House

Step House is a cliff dwelling that can be toured without a guide or tickets. This is perhaps the best way to see inside a cliff dwelling if tours are sold out or unavailable. You can get to Step House by hiking down a steep one-mile trail and once you arrive you can look around at your own leisure. Expect to see a ranger on duty to protect the artifacts and buildings. This is a good time to ask any questions you have about the park and Step House.

Step House is located in the Weatherill area of the park which is a good distance from the area where the museum and visitor center are. If you have sufficient time, you can plan several things to do in the Weatherill Mesa area or dedicate one day to visiting this side of the park.

8. Take a Hike

Mesa Verde National Park is large, and much of the area is backcountry wilderness. However, even the parts of the park that don’t contain archeological sites are interesting. The park has dozens of trails that can be hiked, many of which are short and easy enough for children. A hike will allow you to enjoy the beautiful, mild weather and dry desert scenery of southwest Colorado. Many hikes will take you to interesting vantage points such as overviews of cliff dwellings, views of the valley, or petroglyphs.

If you haven’t tried it, I recommend using the AllTrails app to help you plan and locate great hikes. Here’s a link to the online version of the app .

9. Eat at a Restaurant

Enjoy a meal in the park at one of the cafes or the fine dining restaurant. Several casual eating areas are located around the park, including the Far View Terrace Cafe and the Far View Lounge, both located near the Far View Lodge, the Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe near the Museum, and the Knife Edge Cafe in the campground. The fine dining option, the Metate Room Restaurant, is located in the Far View Lodge and reservations are recommended.

Picnics are also a good option while you are exploring the park and you will find picnic areas and tables in many areas of the park.

10. Go Camping

You can camp in or near Mesa Verde National Park to experience more of the outdoors. The Morefield Campground in the park is open from April until around October and can accommodate both tents and RVs. The campground is conveniently close to the park entrance which makes it easier to access for RVs and easier to get out and pick up any supplies or groceries you may have forgotten. In addition, a gas station, a small grocery store, laundry and shower areas, and a gift shop are all located near the campground.

You can also find camping outside of the park at many private and public campgrounds. Here are some of the nearby campgrounds that you might want to consider:

• Ancient Cedars (Private)
• Mesa Verde RV Park (Private)
• Bright Star Campground (Private)
• Outback RV (Private)
• Cortez RV Journey (Private)
• Riverwood RV Resort (Private)
• Mancos State Park (Public)
• Echo Basin Cabin and RV Resort (Private)

There are also several dispersed camping areas near the park on BLM and National Forest land if that is more your style. Here is a blog post with some of these sites . If you do choose to camp inside the park, make sure you take advantage of the next item on our list!

11. Stargaze

Mesa Verde is a certified dark sky park . This means that the levels of light pollution in the park are very low, and more stars are visible to the naked eye than in most places. While you are visiting Mesa Verde, try to be in the park after dark at some point so you can experience a truly dark sky. If you are visiting during the summer, you will be able to see the Milky Way and the big dipper. Luckily, it is rarely cloudy in this part of the country, and your chances of being in the park on a clear night are high.

Read more about Mesa Verde in the rest of this series:

Visiting Mesa Verde National Park With Your Kids

The BEST Cliff Dwelling Tour for Your Kids

Do Grizzly Bears or Dangerous Animals Live in Mesa Verde?

Bonus: Visit the Canyons of the Ancients Museum

Located outside of the park north of the nearby town of Cortez, the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum is operated by the Bureau of Land Management and sits on the banks of the McPhee Reservoir. It is a bit out of the way depending on where you are staying, but it’s worth a drive. We found it to be interactive and perfect for families with children.

The entire four corners area is full of historic and cultural sites of the ancient peoples who lived here. The National Park Service, BLM, and the National Forest protect various sites outside of Mesa Verde itself and many of these are great places to go if you are looking for less-crowded and less-restored ruins and archeological sites.

Here are a few options to consider:

• Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
• Chimney Rock National Monument
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Edge of the Cedars State Park and Museum
• Aztec Ruins National Monument
• Yucca House National Monument

Michelle is a freelance writer and mother of eight. She loves to spend time exploring nature and hiking, kayaking, and traveling. After three years of fulltime travel, she wants to share her experience with other parents and encourage them to make outdoor time with their children a priority.

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Mesa Verde National Park

Half day tours, about half day trips.

It’s no question that locals and past visitors consider Mesa Verde National Park a must-visit. It’s an opportunity to experience the rarity of our preserved North American history before European contact. Joining a Mild to Wild guide ensures that guests to Mesa Verde will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of authentic Southwestern culture.

Our Half Day tour will show off this outdoor museum and provide a wealth of insight about the ancient indigenous culture, the history of the park, and more. This  tour follows Mesa Verde’s most popular spots in just 4 hours, including expansive overlooks of the cliff dwellings and short walks to  mesa top villages. This is the perfect tour to get a leisurely overview of the best of Mesa Verde.  

Discover the World Renowned Ruins of Mesa Verde National Park

Adventure Level

8:00 AM & 1:00 PM

12:00 PM & 5:00 PM

Trip Options

Mesa verde 1/2 day tour.

4hr guided tour of Mesa Verde National Park to see the best sites in a limited time frame.

*Note: This trip does not included a tour inside the cliff dwellings, see our Full Day Discovery Tour for this.

Payment & Cancellations

Payment options.

• 1/2 down, 1/2 charged 30 days prior to trip.
• 1/3 down with remaining balance charged in thirds.
• Call for other arrangements!

Free Courtesy Hold

We don’t want you to miss out on this trip so we’ll hold your spots, payment-free, for 24hrs while you make your final arrangements & prepare for payment.

In addition to the listed trip cost, we collect an additional 9% for River and Land Access Fees (ie. Forest Service, BLM, City, Private Land Use).

Cancellation Policy

Receive a 90% refund with written notice 36 hours or more before the trip. Less notice, unfortunately there will be no refund.

Trip Change Option: Up to 12 hours prior to departure, trips can be rescheduled for a different day and/or time. The price of this change policy is 5% of the total trip cost. Upgrade only available at time of reservation and must be applied to each seat.

Itineraries

Important considerations.

· The meet location for this tour is the Mancos Chamber of Commerce (101 E Bauer Ave, Mancos, CO 81328), NOT the Mesa Verde Visitor Center.

· The drive to Mancos from Durango is about 45 minutes. Be sure to plan for this since you will be driving yourself to our meet location!

· Colorado Car Seat Law states children up to 8 years old must be in an appropriate car seat. Please bring your own.

· Summer is cool in the morning and hot by the afternoon. In fall and spring the weather can fluctuate quite a bit, so bring layers with you just in case!

· Mesa Verde can be prone to afternoon rain showers! Bring some rain gear.

· All Mesa Verde tours are in our comfortable tour vans. If you’d like a Jeep for your Mesa Verde tour, call us about our Custom Tours!

What to Wear & Bring

• Dress in layers as the temperatures fluctuate. (Bring a warm jacket for Spring & Fall tours)
• Warm Hat & Gloves (Spring & Fall Tours)
• Rain jacket
• Light Hiking Shoes
• Water Bottle – your guides will have water for refills!

Trip Highlights

• Witness the largest archaeological preserve and cliff dwelling in the United States.
• Explore North American life from 1,500 years ago.
• Mesa Verde is so saturated with artifacts, pottery shards and arrowheads still scatter the ground throughout the park.
• Views of the lush canyons, everlasting valleys, and surrounding mountain ranges are incredible sites all their own.
• Experience a National Park that comes with serenity, where traffic is always light and sites can be enjoyed without crowds.

Travel Guides

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Balcony House Mesa Verde Tour – Your Visual Guide

• Colorado / Mesa Verde / Outdoors / USA

Taking a tour of the Balcony House was the highlight of our visit to Mesa Verde National Park.! Since we arrived at the visitor center late morning, most of the tours were already full that day, so we decided to get tickets for the next morning.

Before the tour, the ranger gave us a safety briefing. He mentioned that if anyone feels they can’t do it due to physical limitations or are afraid of heights, stay at the top.

Last Updated: June 15, 2020

Balcony House is considered a medium-size cliff dwelling with 40 rooms. Only 10 sites in the park have more than that. The 32-foot entrance ladder makes it the most adventurous cliff dwelling tour, and even though we’re scared of heights, it wasn’t too bad.

As we descended down the cliff, we stopped at a few points where he talked more about the Ancestral Puebloans and background of the cliff dwellings. Did you know that we still don’t have a definitive answer on why they lived this way? At a certain point in history they built these beautiful dwellings. Then one day, they just up and left.

My favorite feature was the exit. They built a tunnel into one of their entrances as a natural defense! After all, it’s easier to kill any intruders one-by-one.

ALSO READ: 7 Incredible Things to Do in Mesa Verde

Don’t Touch the Cliff Dwellings

See this lady with the neck brace? Yes, it sucks that she’s injured, but it’s still completely disrespectful to touch and lean on these ancient ruins. At one point, we saw her with her knee on it too. Part of me didn’t want to disrupt the ranger giving the talk (no one else in the group noticed her except us), and let’s be honest, part of me was too shy to say anything. Thinking back on it, though, I’m disappointed at myself that I didn’t tell her to get off. If you can’t hike, climb, and stand for an hour, you shouldn’t go on the tour.

All photos were shot with a 5D Mark III & 35mm prime lens .

It was truly amazing to stand in and see the Balcony House. We’ll have to make our way back to Mesa Verde National Park again to tour the other dwellings too!

PRO TIPS FOR THE BALCONY HOUSE + OTHER MESA VERDE TOURS

• Tours run from late April to mid-October.
• Tours fill up so be sure to book yours as early as possible. The cost of the Balcony House tour and other cliff dwelling tours are $7 per person for all ages. Your annual National Park pass does not cover the tours.
• Keep in mind it takes 45 minutes to an hour to get from the visitor center to the meeting point.
• You will be hiking down to the balcony and climbing ladders, so wear shoes with good traction.
• If you have a severe fear of heights, the tour might be difficult for you. If you’re mildly afraid of heights like us, you should be okay.
• Bathrooms are located at the parking lot before you head down.
• If you are bringing your camera, be sure to have a strap or backpack you can put it in when you’re going up the ladder.
• Please, please, please do not touch the ruins. We should work to preserve it for future generations too.
• They offer multiple cliff dwelling tours. This was the only one available on our first visit, and the Cliff Palace was the only one available on our second visit.

What ruins have you visited? Would you have confronted the lady?

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Far View Site Tour

700 years of history.

Please Note : Per current state recommendations, guests will be required to wear a mask.

Operating Dates

• May 2 - October 20  

Join experienced NAI Certified tour guides as they take you back in time to the world of the Ancestral Puebloans. This bus tour includes short walks, visits to archaeological sites covering a 700 year time period, and features some of the finest examples of Puebloan life and architecture in Mesa Verde National Park.

• Tour Overview
• Tour Prices

In-Person Tour Reservations

If you are interested in reserving you tour in person please refer to the locations below.

Park Entrance Fee

Square Tower House

Mesa Verde National Park Tours

Square Tower House tours begin Friday, May 24. All reservations are available 14 days in advance starting at 8:00 am MDT.

Featuring the tallest standing structure in the park, an intact kiva roof, original plaster and paint, and plentiful rock art, Square Tower House is one of Mesa Verde's most impressive cliff dwellings. Visitors to the Mesa Top Loop can get a great view from the overlook, but intrepid hikers are treated to an adventurous and intimate look inside Square Tower House on this special ranger-led tour.

This tour starts 75 minutes from the park entrance at the Square Tower House trailhead.

Select a date to see a list of times

Need to Know

This strenuous ranger-led 90-minute tour is a 1-mile (1.6 km) round-trip along an unpaved, uneven trail that descends 120 feet (37 m), and includes steep drop-offs, switchbacks, and two 16 foot (5 m) ladders. Each hiker must be able to scramble over boulders, navigate steep gravel trails, and descend/ascend ladders unassisted. 

Wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots and bring a minimum of 1/2 gallon (2 liters) of water per person. Ancestral sites are vulnerable to damage caused by rodents attracted to food crumbs. Food, gum, and chewing tobacco are not permitted within the site during your tour.

From the park entrance, drive 20 miles (32 km) to the all-way stop on Chapin Mesa. Turn left onto the Mesa Top Loop. Drive 1.9 (3 km) miles to Square Tower House parking. To make sure you arrive on time, allow 75 minutes to drive from the park entrance to the Square Tower House trailhead.

Meet the ranger at the Square Tower House trailhead at 8:45 am. Hikers depart for Square Tower House promptly at 9:00. You MUST arrive 15 minutes early for a safety and logistics briefing before your tour.  

Parking may be limited. Consider parking at the Navajo Canyon Overlook on the Mesa Top Loop, from which Square Tower House is a short walk.

Know your physical health and fitness before joining a Square Tower House tour. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 feet (2134 m and 2286 m) above sea level. You should plan for all weather possibilities because conditions can vary. It's possible to begin your hike in full sun and end with a thunderstorm. Bring a minimum of 1/2 gallon (2 liters) of water per person. 

This hike may not be appropriate for young children. Each hiker must be able to scramble over boulders, navigate steep gravel trails, and descend/ascend ladders unassisted. 

Cameras are welcome, but you must be able to carry all of your gear while keeping your hands free to climb the ladders. No tripods are allowed.

May 24 to Oct 22: 9:00 am, daily.

October 23: Tours close for the 2024 season.

Tour is limited to 10 people.

Price: $25.00 per person, ages 3 and up. You MUST physically print your tour reservation at home OR download it to your phone to show the ranger before joining the tour. You will NOT be able to join the tour without a valid tour reservation presented. Late arrivals may result in forfeiting your tour. No refunds for late arrivals.

All tours will be conducted as scheduled. However, any tour may be delayed or cancelled if lightning occurs near the tour location or for a park emergency. 

All tickets are NON-TRANSFERABLE AND NON-REFUNDABLE unless the tour is cancelled by the National Park Service.

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Alerts in effect, a sacred place.

For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 27 Pueblos and Tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past. This World Heritage Site and International Dark Sky Park is home to over a thousand species, including several that live nowhere else on earth.

Information on the park entrance fee, Mesa Verde Annual Pass, and America the Beautiful passes. Learn how to purchase online!

Fire, weather, construction, and emergencies can change conditions around the park at any time. Click this link for closures and more.

To enter all cliff dwellings you must have a reservation on a ranger-led tour. Learn more about our tours here.

As the seasons change so do many of the operating hours. Get to know what will be available when you visit.

Learn more about hiking in Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park is committed to providing inspiring experiences to people of all abilities.

Get important information about visiting the park with your pet(s), ways to keep them safe, and where to take them.

Watch the official Mesa Verde National Park film, which shows daily at the Mesa Verde Museum.

Download the park app, audio tours, and podcasts before your visit, or to learn more about Mesa Verde from home!

Last updated: June 24, 2024

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PO Box 8 Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330

970-529-4465

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Fun and Exciting Things to Do Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park is the site of ancient Anasazi Cliff Dwelling ruins. These ancient people are believed to be among the first to inhabit the region of the four corners area that includes, southwestern Colorado, southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.

The ruins found at Mesa Verde have been dated to have been created and lived in from 300-1300 AD. The north side of the cliffs rises to heights of 2,000 feet above the canyon floor, while on the south side of the canyon, the cliffs provided suitable locations for cliff dwellings.

Colorado and the four corners area of the Southwestern portion of the United States teem with ancient Indian archaeological sites. Some of the most beautiful is found in Mesa Verde National Park , southwestern Colorado, located off U.S. Highway 160, between Cortez and Durango. The park was declared a National Park in 1906 and is the only park in the United States that owes its focus to the work of human hands.

Things to Do in Mesa Verde National Park

If you want to stay active during your trip to Mesa Verde, sign up for a ranger-led walk. Although some of the cliff dwellings are accessible through self-guided trails, many are restricted to guided hikes . You can hike at your own pace throughout one of the park’s many trails, or cross-country ski if you visit during the winter.

Pinon and juniper forests sweep through the area, finally on the comeback after forest fires in the summer of 2000 raged through the area. The fires affected none of the historic dwellings, though several new sites were discovered in the aftermath of the burn.

Among some of the prolific dwellings to see in the park is the Cliff Palace, the largest and most well-known dwelling within the park. These ancient homes are multi-storied and are accessible only if you take the summer and fall guided tours. Other ranger-led tours allow visitors to climb replica ladders into the Balcony House. Two other main attractions within the park, the Step House and the Long House can only be viewed in summer. A guided tour of the Spruce Tree House can be enjoyed in the winter months, but be advised that the weather can be bitterly cold .

Active campers will find plenty to do no matter what time of year they visit, though facilities and some roads may be closed during the winter season, and you will have to camp outside the park. If you can visit in spring or autumn, you will avoid the bigger crowds but still have mild weather for hiking and wildlife watching. Summers on average only get into the mid–80s, even at their hottest so if you don’t mind the crowds, you should still be able to do outdoor activities fairly comfortably.

If you don’t want to take a guided tour, visitors are welcome to explore the park on their own. Multiple turnouts encourage visitors to view the dwellings on both sides of the canyon, which can be easily seen by the naked eye. Another treat for visitors is hiking trails that wind their way down to the bottom of the canyon, where ancient petroglyphs can be seen etched into the canyon wall by ancient hands.

Visitors can view the entire park from the comfort of a car or RV, and there is ample parking for both. For the more adventurous, multiple hiking trails are available. It is always wise to check the park before you plan your visit to make sure all roads are open and accessible.

The trails aren’t particularly difficult but are advised beforehand that the 7,000-foot altitude may tire those who aren’t used to such altitudes. Also, taking a bottle of water or two along for your hike is a good idea.

For the hiking novice, two short trails are available. The Farming Terrace Trail is a moderate one-quarter-mile jaunt that crosses over a dry riverbed and then loops back to the trailhead. The other trail, the Spruce Tree House trail, is a half-mile long, going both ways.

For those who are up to a little more, the Badger House Community Trail offers a three-quarter-mile hike on Wetherill Mesa. From this same area, a two-mile easy trail takes visitors to Site number 16, a 50-room cliff dwelling. To finish, take the one-half-mile moderate hike to the Step House vantage point.

A favorite among visitors to Mesa Verde National Park , however, is the longer Petroglyph Trail, an almost three-mile trail that winds its way down the canyon below the Chapin Mesa Museum. Follow this trail down, down, and down some more until you reach Petroglyph Point, the sight of ancient artwork by ancient people.

Be advised before you start on that particular trail, to wear good, sturdy shoes and make sure you have water with you. In some places, the trail can be difficult, especially for first-time hikers. But the reward is worth the effort it takes to get there, and then back up. At the Petroglyph, make sure you look up to see the path that will take you back to the museum.

In this area, visitors can also take the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail, a one-and-a-half-mile relatively easy hike, to overlook Soda Canyon and the Balcony House. The two-mile Spruce Canyon Trail will guide visitors to the bottom of the canyon before it loops around into a steep climb back up.

Visitors in summer will also delight in Native American crafts and dancing offered by Hopi dancers who perform in August at the Chapin Mesa Amphitheatre, but contact the Park for specific dates, as they may change.

Camping at Mesa Verde National Park

Southwestern Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park is famous for its well-preserved cliff dwellings. These archeological treasures give visitors a glimpse into the fascinating lives of the ancestral Pueblo people, who lived in an advanced society centuries ago. Mesa Verde is an excellent camping destination for active visitors, who can also hike and wildlife watching in the park. There is one campground inside the park, but you can also stay just outside its borders.

Camping Inside the Park

There is one campground inside Mesa Verde National Park. Morefield campground is open from early May through early October and has sites for tents, trailers, and RVs. The grassy canyon just outside the campground is a good place for walks and bird- and wildlife-watching. Early morning hikes are most peaceful and will give you a greater chance of spotting animals like mule deer.

Camping Outside the Park

If you don’t want to stay in Morefield, camp just outside the park, which will give you easy access to the park’s activities. One option for tents and RVs is the Cortez / Mesa Verde KOA, which has a swimming pool and is also close to Lake Totten, which offers a number of water sports, like fishing and boating. You can also tee off at the nearby Conquistador Golf Course.

If you want to stay at Morefield inside the park and have a hookup for your RV, you’ll have to make advance reservations. If you can’t do this, but still want power for your vehicle, stay at one of the RV parks just outside the park’s entrance along U.S. 160. Two options less than a mile from the park’s borders are the A & A Mesa Verde RV Park, which offers mini golf, a heated pool, and rec room, and the Mesa Verde RV Resort, with a playground, library, and pool.

Park Rangers suggest visitors come earlier in the summer rather than later to avoid huge crowds, stating that July 15- August 15 are the busiest time of the year for them. The park is located roughly 200 miles southwest of Denver and 252 miles northwest of Albuquerque. Entrance fees (Only credit cards will be accepted at this time) into the park are currently $20 per vehicle in the wintertime and $30 in the summertime be advised that the entrance gate is 10 miles off the highway. Guided tours are available for extra fees.

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Origin of Sunday’s 8.4-acre brush fire in Costa Mesa remains under investigation

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Costa Mesa fire officials are investigating the cause of an 8.4-acre brush fire that broke out Sunday afternoon at the city’s Fairview Park, injuring two minors and prompting the evacuation of homes on nearby Swan Drive for several hours.

First responders were called to the scene at 1:15 p.m. after park rangers in the area noticed signs of a fire on the north end of the park, near Victoria Street, according to a city news release issued Sunday.

For the record:

1:33 p.m. June 24, 2024 An earlier version of this story reported the incident happened at Talbert Regional Park, as was intially reported by fire officials. Costa Mesa officials clarified Monday the acreage was in the city’s Fairview Park.

City and public safety officials established an emergency operations center near City Hall to coordinate a response to the blaze, as Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue worked in a unified command with the Orange County Fire Authority to battle the blazes in high temperatures and breezy conditions, according to CMFD Battalion Chief Chris Coates.

“It was hot — we were under a heat warning in Southern California over the weekend — and it was dry,” Coates said Monday.

Crews from Newport Beach and Huntington Beach assisted in the effort, as air vehicles provided by OCFA and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department doused flames via overhead water drops, he added.

Due to smoke conditions and observed spotting, caused by embers igniting smaller fires away from the main fire, residents living on Swan Drive near the northwest end of Fairview Park were evacuated on a voluntary basis.

The city’s Balearic Community Center was opened from 4 to 6 p.m. in order to shelter evacuees and serve as a general hub of information.

City officials urged residents in the vicinity of the fire to remain indoors Sunday and to call 911 if they experienced any respiratory conditions from smoke inhalation.

Two teenagers reportedly received minor injuries during the blaze and were assessed at the scene, Coates said Monday. One minor was transported to a nearby hospital, while the other was released, but details on the nature of the injuries are not being released to the public, due to the victims’ ages.

One individual who was found in an encampment at the park was taken into police custody on suspicion of trespassing, according to Coates, though it is unclear whether that person is thought to have had any involvement with the fire or its origins. Costa Mesa police spokeswoman Roxi Fyad did not provide information Monday regarding the individual’s identity or status.

Members of the nonprofit Orange County Model Engineers , who run miniature trains on a portion of Fairview east of Placentia Avenue, were operating vehicles during a private party Sunday, when they saw a column of smoke rising from the west.

OCME treasurer Zach Jones, celebrating his recent graduation from Pepperdine University, said riders placed a call to the fire department before the train had returned to the station and immediately sprang to action, gathering fire extinguishers and pressurized water canisters together and filling buckets with water, in case the winds blew eastward.

“We do fire extinguisher training courses with our volunteers, just so we can be prepared for these things,” said Jones, 21. “We just had everything set up, just in case the winds were to shift, so we could wet everything down.”

In a matter of minutes, OCME volunteers were posted along a hillside, prepared to defend their corner of the park if needed. But the smoke and fire veered northward, staying well west of Placentia Avenue.

By 6 p.m., crews had begun a “mop up” of the scene, forming a perimeter around the area and dousing potential hot spots to prevent the possibility of embers rekindling. Personnel remained at Fairview Park until approximately 12:30 a.m. Monday to clear the area, according to Coates.

“We had our crews out there this morning, and our investigators went out to see if they could determine the [fire’s] cause and origin,” the fire chief added.

Jones and his fellow OCME members thanked first responders for their efforts.

“It didn’t seem like an easy fire to fight,” the Costa Mesa resident said. “To all the fire crews, we give a huge thank you. They did a great job.”

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Sara Cardine covers the city of Costa Mesa for the Daily Pilot. She comes from the La Cañada Valley Sun, where she spent six years as the news reporter covering La Cañada Flintridge and recently received a first-place Public Service Journalism award from the California News Publishers Assn. She’s also worked at the Pasadena Weekly, Stockton Record and Lodi-News Sentinel, which instilled in her a love for community news. (714) 966-4627

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City of Grand Junction invites City Council and members of the public to tour the Orchard Mesa Pool

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - The City of Grand Junction invited City Council members and members of the public to tour the Orchard Mesa Pool on Friday.

The uncertain future of the Orchard Mesa pool has been a hot topic of discussion for months, and repairs on the pool will potentially cost between $2-5 million. On Friday, the public got to see what the city was thinking of doing in terms of repairs and what health risks arise when it comes to the possible demolition of the building.

With the building being so old, the gym is anticipated to become the hardest part of the demolition process due to the presence of the asbestos in the walls. August 15th is the scheduled date of the demolition, but the City of Grand Junction and District 51 haven’t decided what the future of the building might be.

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8 April 2024 — Total Solar Eclipse — Mesa Verde Mobile Home Park, Arizona, USA

8 April 2024 — Total Solar Eclipse — Mesa Verde Mobile Home Park

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