Mesa Verde
National Park

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Address | Permits & Fees |Hours | Camping & Lodging
Accessibility | Climate & Weather | General Information | Regulations

Mesa Verde National Park is the first and only National Park established to preserve the works of people. The culture represented at Mesa Verde reflects more than 700 years of history. From approximately A.D. 600 through 1300 people lived and flourished in communities throughout the area, eventually building elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. Today most people call these sheltered villages "cliff dwellings." The cliff dwellings represent the last 75 to 100 years of occupation at Mesa Verde. In the late 1200s within the span of one or two generations, they left their homes and moved away. The archeological sites found in Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. The descendants of the people who once lived in the cliff dwellings still live in the southwest today. 24 Native American tribes in the southwest have an ancestral affiliation with the sites at Mesa Verde.

Mesa Verde National Park:
Established by Act of Congress:

Entrance Fee is $10.00 per private vehicle, good for seven days. Contact the Chief Ranger's Office at (970) 529-4461 for commercial fee information.

Tickets are required for Balcony House, Cliff Palace , and Long House tours ($1.75 per person per tour). These sites can only be visited on a guided tour. Tickets can only be purchased at the Far View Visitor Center.

Chapin Mesa Museum, Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling, and the Mesa Top Loop Road (self-guided pithouse and surface pueblo sites) are open all year (weather permitting in the winter months).

Cliff Palace is open from approximately mid-April through the first week of November (weather permitting). Balcony House is open from approximately mid-May through mid-October. Ranger guided tours last one hour and are usually given from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily on the hour.

Wetherill Mesa (including Long House, Step House, and the Badger House Community sites) is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day only. Ranger guided tours of Long House are given daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the hour. Step House and Badger House are self-guided sites open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

The Far View Visitor Center is open from mid-April through mid-October from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Chapin Mesa Museum is open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.

Morefield Campground is open from late April through mid-October for tents and trailers. No reservations are accepted. There are over 400 standard camp sites in the campground. In 1999 standard sites are $16 per night and hook-up sites are $23 per night (hook-ups have a very limited availability and cannot be reserved). There is a group site which can be reserved if you have a group of 25 people or more. To check on group site availability call 970-533-7731. Group sites are $4 per person with a minimum charge of $50. Morefield Campground has restrooms, and each site has a table, benches and grill. Coin operated showers, a laundry facility, gas station, and general store can be found in Morefield Village adjacent to the campground.

Lodging is available at Far View Lodge, open from approximately late April through mid-October. Reservations can be made by contacting ARAMARK Mesa Verde , at PO Box 227, Mancos, Colorado 81328, 970-529-4421 or 800-449-2288.

Visiting a cliff dwelling involves strenuous activity and often includes climbing ladders or steps. Spruce Tree House is accessible to wheelchairs with assistance. The path into Spruce Tree House is paved, but because of the natural canyon terrain the trail is steep and DOES NOT meet ADA grade requirements. There are no steps on the Spruce Tree House entrance trail. To enter the site you descend 100 feet in elevation in approximately 1/4 mile and must exit up and out on the same trail. A wheelchair is available for loan at the Chapin Mesa Museum. Due to the need to climb ladders in Cliff Palace and Balcony House it is not possible to have service dogs for the disabled in those two sites. For specific questions about access please contact the park at 970-529-4465 or 970-529-4461. TDD users can call 970-529-4633.

Mesa Verde National Park generally has mild weather during the summer months, and during some winters. Snow storms may occur as late as May and as early as October, but usually both of these months are pleasant. Summer days (June through September) are generally warm to hot, with cool evenings. Afternoon thunder showers are common during July and August. The park receives approximately 18 inches of precipitation each year. Almost half of the precipitation comes in the form of snow. The average snow fall varies between 80 to 100 inches per year.

The average maximum temperature in January is 40.3 degrees F.
The average minimum temperature in January is 18.4 degrees F.

The average maximum temperature in May is 71.2 degrees F.
The average minimum temperature in May is 43.6 degrees F.

The average maximum temperature in July is 87.5 degrees F.
The average minimum temperature in July is 57.5 degrees F.

The average maximum temperature in October is 65.7 degrees F.
The average minimum temperature in October is 39.2 degrees F.

The park entrance is midway between Cortez and Mancos on US 160. It is a 21 mile drive from the entrance to park headquarters and the Chapin Mesa archeological sites. Morefield Campground is four miles from the entrance; Far View Visitor Center and Far View Lodge are 15 miles from the entrance. Allow at least 45 minutes for the drive from the entrance to Chapin Mesa.

Vehicles are permitted only on roads, turnouts and parking areas. Trailers and towed vehicles are not permitted beyond Morefield Campground. All towed vehicles must be parked at the entrance parking area or the Morefield Village parking area.

Hiking is restricted to established park trails. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended on park trails. Mountain bikes are not permitted on trails. Bicycling is permitted on all park roads, except those on Wetherill Mesa. There are no designated bike lanes on park roads.

Visits to cliff dwellings can be strenuous. Elevations in the park vary from 6,000 to 8,500 feet. Trails may be uneven; frequently steps and ladders must be climbed. Hiking or visiting cliff dwellings is not recommended for persons with heart or respiratory ailments. Most of the major cliff dwellings can be seen from overlooks. Parents should be alert for their children's safety, especially near canyon rims.

The Federal Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 prohibit the appropriation, injury, destruction, or removal of any object of antiquity or the excavation, injury, or destruction of any architectural site on Federal land. Entering a cliff dwelling without a park ranger present will result in a citation and fine.

Feeding, capturing, or teasing wildlife and picking, cutting or damaging any wildflower, shrub, or tree is also prohibited.

To protect fragile archeological sites, hiking is restricted to six trails within the park.

Pets must be physically restrained at all times; animals are not allowed in public buildings or on trails.

Be careful with fire. One careless match can wipe out the growth of a lifetime.

Firearms are prohibited and must be broken down or otherwise packed while in the park.

Camping is permitted only in the designated campground.

Last Updated: April 2, 1999
http://www.nps.gov/meve/