Everything you Need to Know to Visit Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park contains several cliff dwellings and archeological sites inhabited by the Puebloan civilization roughly 1500 years ago. With tours of the cliff dwellings, short hikes, and scenic drives, there’s options for everyone to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In this guide to Mesa Verde National Park, I’ll cover everything you need to know to plan a perfect trip based on my experience visiting the park.
Let’s get started!
Mesa Verde National Park Basic Information
Mesa Verde is open 24/7 every day of the year.
There is one Visitor Center located at the park entrance and is open:
Winter (mid October - mid April): 8:30am - 4:30pm
Spring (mid April - late May): 8am - 5pm
Summer (late May to early September): 7:30am - 7pm
Fall (early September - mid October): 8am - 5pm
The Visitor Center is closed Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Park fees are $30 per vehicle which is valid for 7 days. If you’re planning on visiting multiple national parks an annual pass can be purchased for $80 and gives you access to all Federal fee areas for one year.
Tour Cliff Dwellings
Balcony House, Cliff Palace, and Long House cliff dwellings can only be visited by purchasing a ticket for a ranger-guided tour. Step House is the only cliff dwelling that can be accessed without a tour. Tours are only available from May through October.
Tickets are available for purchase 14 days in advance at 8am MST here. Demand for tickets can be high, so plan to reserve tickets as soon as they become available.
Cliff Palace
This is the most popular cliff dwelling to visit and photograph as it is the largest cliff dwelling in the park. As such, plan to book tickets in advance if you want to tour the dwelling. If you are unable to get tickets or prefer to tour a different dwelling, you can still see the Cliff Palace dwelling by visiting the Cliff Palace Overlook. Tours of Cliff Palace last approximately 1 hour. On the tour you’ll walk about a quarter of a mile and will have to climb 4 ladders.
Balcony House
This is the most adventurous of the ranger-assisted tours in the park. Tours of Balcony House last approximately 1 hour. On the tour you’ll climb several ladders and crawl through a tunnel, so decent mobility is required. Balcony House is currently closed late June/early July 2021 due to construction work on the Cliff Palace Loop Road.
Long House
This is the second-largest cliff dwelling in the park and offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy the quieter side of the park. Tours of Long House last approximately 1 hour. On this tour you’ll walk about 2.25 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 130 ft. You will also have to climb two ladders, so decent mobility is required.
Step House
This is the only cliff dwelling in the park that can be accessed via a self-guided tour. Plan on spending 45 minutes - 1 hour to visit the cliff dwelling. The trailhead to reach the dwelling is located next to the Wetherill Mesa kiosk. From the trailheads descend 100 ft along a winding path for 1 mile to reach the dwelling.
Self-Guided Things to do in the Park
Visit Spruce Tree House
There are currently no tours to visit Spruce Tree House. However, you can get a great view of the cliff dwelling from the Spruce Tree Overlook, near the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum.
Drive Cliff Palace Loop Road
6 mile scenic drive with overlooks of cliff dwellings. Provides access to Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and the Soda Canyon Overlook trail.
Drive Mesa Top Loop Road
6 mile scenic drive through 700 years of Ancestral Pueblo history. The drive includes stops at excavated mesa-top villages and overlooks of cliff dwellings.
Excavated mesa-top villages
Square Tower House
Sun Temple
Nearby Activities
Silverton Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad
Step back in time and ride the 45 mile spur of the Denver & Rio Grande rail line, which has been in service in 1882. There is no cell phone service or Wi-Fi throughout the journey, so you’ll be able to unplug and soak in the views of nature while hearing the vintage locomotive pull you along the steep grades.
The train ride departs from the Durango Depot and is 3.5 hours each way with a 2 hour stop in the town of Silverton. There are two trains daily, an 8am train that offers wilderness access for backpackers and a 9am train that offers minimal stops. On both train rides you’ll experience the iconic Horseshoe Curve, High Bridge, and the Animas River Gorge.
There are several different classes of service on the train along with different experiences in each rail car, so you can choose from a scenic open air ride, historic narration, or a first class experience.
Historic narration train car
Take in the views on the way to Silverton. Once in Silverton there are numerous gift shops and restaurants to eat at. Relax for two hours in Silverton, before hopping back on the train, and proceeding back to Durango.
Stop in Silverton
There is a galley car that offers food and drink for purchase during the train ride.
You can also do a one-way trip and combine it with whitewater rafting, zip lining, or more on the way back.
Trekker Tip: Booking an open air train car allows for the best photography. And if you book a car at the back of the train, you’ll get a great shot of the train as it goes around Horseshoe Curve.
Trekker Tip: Be prepared for any type of weather if seated in an open air car. When we visited, the forecast predicted warm weather and a sunny day, however we encountered quite a bit of rain which also dropped the temperature quite significantly. We ended up buying souvenir jackets in Silverton to stay warm on the train ride back.
To book your rail experience, you can visit their website here.
Canyon of the Ancients National Monument
Located 12 miles west of Mesa Verde National Park lies Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. It encompasses 176,000 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Monument contains the highest known archaeological site density in the US which were inhabited by the Puebloan culture for 10,000 years.
Visitor info can be found here.
Four Corners Monument
Visit the only place where four states meet. Located off of US HWY 160, you can see the spot where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. The monument is operated by Navajo Nation Parks & Rec.
Fees to visit are $5 from October 1 - February 28 and $10 from March 1 - September 30
Visitor info can be found here.
Where to Stay
Lodging in Mesa Verde National Park:
Far View Lodge is the only lodging in the national park. It is located 15 miles from the park entrance, and just six miles from the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling. It is open from May 1 - September 30. The lodge has 150 rooms with 2 room types: Kiva and Kiva Deluxe View. Reservations can be made here.
There is one campground within the park: Morefield Campground. If offers 267 sites with options for tents, trailers, and RVs. It is located 4 miles from the park entrance. The campground is open May 1 - September 30 and has some limited off-season camping from April 15 - April 30 and October 1 - October 15.
Lodging in Cortez:
Cortez is the nearest town to Mesa Verde National Park and where most people visiting the park choose to stay. If looking for a larger town, or visiting more sites in the area, Durango is another popular spot. Cortez is about a 15 minute drive to the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park.
Days Inn by Wyndham Cortez
Baymont by Wyndham Cortez
Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites
Holiday Inn Express Mesa-Verde-Cortez
Hampton Inn Mesa Verde/Cortez
Camping at Navajo State Park:
We visited several sites in the area on our trip to Mesa Verde and camped at Navajo State Park. This is further from Mesa Verde at almost an hour and a half away, but makes for a good spot if also exploring Durango.
Reservations are required to camp at the state park. The park offers 118 campsites, camper services buildings with showers and flush toilets, and 2 cabins.
Campgrounds are located near the water. Motor boating, water skiing, sailing, and fishing are popular activities at the park in the summer months.
Where to Eat
There are several places to eat within the park:
Spruce Tree Terrace Café is open January 1 - April 30 and October 1 - December 31. It is located in a historic building near the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Spruce Tree House. Dining is available inside, outside on the patio, or as a grab-and-go option. This is a great place for a casual lunch or dinner within the park.
Metate Room Restaurant is open May 1 - September 30. It is located in the Far View Lodge. The restaurant offers wild game, fresh fish, and local organic produce with a contemporary Southwestern flare
Far View Lounge is located in the Far View Lodge. It is currently closed for the 2021 season. If offers pub fare, appetizers, snacks, cocktails, beer, and wine.
Far View Terrace Restaurant is open May 1 - September 30. It is located a quarter of a mile from Far View Lodge. It offers a casual dining atmosphere with a variety of choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant also includes an espresso bar with lattes, cappuccinos, smoothies, and ice cream.
Knife Edge Café is open May 27 - September 30. It is located in the Morefield Campground. It is open for breakfast and offers all-you-can eat pancakes.
The nearby town of Cortez offers several restaurants:
Loungin’ Lizard is open for lunch, and dinner Thursday - Monday. It offers comfort food, pizza, sandwiches, and tacos.
Gustavo’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar is openly daily for Mexican cuisine.
The Farm Bistro is a café with a farm-to-table menu.
Stonefish Sushi & More offers fresh sushi and seafood.
Burge Boy Drive In is a low-key drive-in for burgers and fries.
What to Pack
Good hiking socks if you’re planning to walk along any of the trails in the park.
Hiking boots that cover your ankles come in handy along the trails and climbing the ladders in the cliff dwellings.
Keep your hands free when climbing ladders in the cliff dwellings while having space for your sunscreen, water, and more.
Is a must as much of the area is exposed with little shade.
Stay hydrated while you’re hiking in the hot sun.
A roll-up hat you can pack in your day bag to keep cool in the heat.
Protect your eyes as it can be very sunny with little shade.
