The Essential Guide to Mesa Verde National Park

In southwest Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains give way to canyons and mesas, is one of the most intimate places you can connect with ancient history in the United States.

In Mesa Verde National Park, you’ll find elaborate villages tucked beneath sandstone overhangs. These cliff dwellings were built by the Ancestral Pueblo people and date back more than 700 years. The historic structures provide a rare glimpse into a civilization that built complex homes, ceremonial kivas, and irrigation systems.

“Mesa Verde is unique because it is a national park telling the story of people on the landscape. Even though all national parks have human stories, the Ancestral Pueblo people, the ancestral sites they built, and the park’s connection to modern Pueblos and Tribes are key here,” said Dalton Dorrell, a park ranger on Mesa Verde’s Interpretation and Visitor Services team.

These dwellings are some of the best preserved in the world and are the hallmark of Mesa Verde National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its rare blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty, Mesa Verde isn’t just a stop or another national park on the list—it’s a journey into the deep history of the American Southwest.

Planning Your Visit

Mesa Verde National Park is open daily, year-round. No reservations are needed to enter the park, and entrance passes are $20 per vehicle during the low season (Oct. 23–April 30) and $30 during the high season (May 1–Oct. 22). Passes are good for seven days.

If you want to walk inside one of the park’s renowned cliff dwellings, you must book a tour up to 14 days in advance. Cliff dwelling tours run from May to October, ending in the winter. The park is still open in the colder months, but many of the facilities close, including the lodge, campground, and most dining options.

It is worth noting that all of the park’s historic sites and cliff dwellings are at least 45 minutes by car (one way) from the park’s entrance on Highway 160. Brian Bartlett, the tourism director and CEO of Mesa Verde Country, advises travelers to “gas up before you come as there is almost no fuel to be purchased in the park.” The park is also completely cashless, so bring a card.

And finally, Mesa Verde National Park is different from most because it contains so much human history. The ancestral sites are extremely important to the park’s 26 affiliated tribes and are also very fragile. “Two easy ways you can visit with respect is to not touch or sit on ancestral site walls and to leave any artifact where you find it,” Dorrell said.

How to Get There

The park is between the Colorado towns of Cortez and Mancos, near the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado meet. It shares some land with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation.

The nearest airports to Mesa Verde National Park are Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ), about 36 miles away, Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), about 70 miles away, and Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) in Farmington, New Mexico, 89 miles away. If you’re flying in, you’ll need to rent a car, as there’s no way to get to or around the park by public transportation.

It’s a 45-minute drive from the park entrance off of Highway 160 to the first view of a cliff dwelling.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Mesa Verde National Park is in late spring and early fall, when the cliff dwellings are still open, but the peak travel season of summer hasn’t quite begun yet. The popular, ranger-led cliff dwelling tours begin in May and end in mid to late October.

“I really enjoy September and October in the park,” said Dorrell. “It’s cooler, there are still tours occurring in parts of the park, and some days are slower. If you do visit during that time, be sure to check the weather. Some years we can start getting snow that early.”

However, there’s a reason why summer is a popular time to visit: the weather is more reliable around this time of year, and the park is usually fully open. Plus, summer comes with wildflowers and chances to spot wildlife, including bears and bobcats.

Winter isn’t a bad time to visit, either, and you can see sites like Spruce Tree House covered in snow, or you could even cross-country ski or snowshoe the park’s winter trails. However, keep in mind that many of the park’s facilities close in the colder months. In addition to its national park website, you can follow Mesa Verde’s Facebook page, where delayed openings and temporary park closures are posted.

Best Things to Do

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace was once home to over 100 people and is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. It is believed to have been built between 1190 and 1280 C.E. and has 23 kivas, or ceremonial rooms.

You can see the Cliff Palace from the Cliff Palace Overlook on Cliff Palace Loop Road, but if you want to step inside this massive structure, you must book a ranger-guided tour. Tours are limited to 50 people and take 45 minutes.

Balcony House

If you’re physically fit and enjoy a bit of a challenge, reserve a tour of Balcony House, where Dorrell said visitors must “climb a 32-foot ladder, climb two smaller ladders, and crawl through a 12-foot tunnel.” But the effort is all worth it. The path leads to a mid-sized village of 38 rooms set inside a rock alcove.

Like the Cliff Palace, the Balcony House can be viewed from the six-mile-long Cliff Palace Loop Road. Those who want to set foot in the village must book a guided tour.

Mesa Top Loop Road

Bartlett recommends that first-time visitors drive the six-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, which gives a good overview of the park. The loop is open year-round and provides access to 12 archeological sites, including pueblos and pit houses. You’ll also see stunning views of Square Tower House, Cliff Palace, and Sun Temple. The Mesa Top Loop Road is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset.

Step House

The only cliff dwelling you can visit without a ranger or a reservation is the Step House on Wetherill Mesa. Visiting it lets you explore a part of Mesa Verde National Park that very few people get to see.

“This year, the Weatherall Mesa Road will be open, allowing folks to access and discover the other 50 percent of the park,” Bartlett said.

The journey to Step House usually takes three to four hours, and the site itself requires a hike on a one-mile, steep trail. There’s usually a ranger on-site to answer questions.

Stargazing

While most people come to the park to see how early humans lived, the park becomes a stargazing destination at night. Due to its high elevation, arid climate, and distance from the nearest community, the skies above Mesa Verde tend to be clear and inky black—ideal conditions for stargazing. Mesa Verde National Park became the world’s 100th International Dark Sky Park in 2021.

Booking a campsite at Morefield Campground (open May through October) is a great way to see the night sky. And in late summer, the park runs evening stargazing programs.

Where to Stay

Morefield Campground

Morefield is the only campground in the park and is open from May to October. But if you time a visit just right, you can enjoy a night in one of the 267 campsites that dot the grassy canyon near the park’s entrance. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and barbecue grill. RVs and trailers are permitted. There’s also a camp store as well as showers and laundry.

Far View Lodge

The only traditional accommodations within the park are at Far View Lodge, typically open from April to October. The lodge is in the center of the park, around 30 minutes from the park entrance. The rooms in Far View Lodge have private balconies, Wi-Fi, and free guest parking. Pets are allowed, and there are ADA accessible rooms. The property also has a lounge and bar, and a dining room.

Mesa Verde Motel

Mesa Verde Motel is in Mancos, one of the park’s neighboring towns. The motel provides just the basics, but it’s modern and clean with a hip Americana feel. The property has a community fire pit and an onsite coffee shop and cocktail lounge. Bartlett describes the motel “is not to be missed.”

The Retro Inn

This little gem in Cortez describes itself as “a little different than the norm”—and it’s easy to see why. The Retro Inn has a host of eccentrically decorated rooms—including the hippy-dippy Woodstock Suite—and a range of interesting amenities, including lawn bowling, nostalgic board games, and old-school video games. As an added bonus, there’s an outdoor theater with swings and a fire pit.

Where to Eat

Metate Room & Far View Lounge

For in-park fine dining, head to the Metate Room in Far View Lodge. The menu highlights regional heritage foods, including wild game, local produce, and fresh fish. Above the lodge, the aptly named Far View Lounge has views that stretch for hundreds of miles and it’s a great place to get a pre or post-dinner drink.

“While in the park one must dine at the incredible Metate Room, enjoy a cocktail at the Far View Lounge, and enjoy our incredible dark skies firsthand,” Bartlett said.

Loungin’ Lizard

Another favorite of Bartlett’s is Cortez’s Loungin’ Lizard, located on Main Street. The restaurant and bar are set in a hip, contemporary space and serve unique fare like elk shepherd’s pie, pork belly tacos, and spicy barbecue chicken pizza.

The Boathouse on Grand

In Mancos, The Boathouse on Grand is the place to be. It’s run by locals Jenn and Dave Stewart and has a seasonal menu that changes throughout the week. They’re also known for their menu of Spanish sherries and vermouth, served by the glass.