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Mesa Verde National Park

Durango, CO

Top Sites to See

The highlights of any trip to Mesa Verde are the incredible pueblo ruins sheltered beneath the overhanging cliffs. Historians estimate that the Ancestral Pueblo people began constructing and living in these pueblos sometime during the late 1190s. Ranging in size from one-room storage units to entire villages with over 150 rooms, the ingenuity and magnificence of these structures cannot be overstated. With that said, let’s dive into the top four sites to visit at Mesa Verde. All of the following sites are available for entry through ranger-guided tours only.

Cliff Palace

As the name would suggest, Cliff Palace is a regal-looking structure and perhaps the most impressive site at the park. It’s almost certainly the most photographed. Cliff Palace ranks as a mild adventure level to reach, making it a great option for all visitors. This structure contains a staggering 150 rooms, 23 kivas, and it’s estimated to have housed a population of 100 people. Although you can only enter Cliff Palace by ranger-guided tour, there are plenty of vantage points to view it clearly from afar.

Balcony House

Like Cliff Palace, you can only enter Balcony House by ranger-guided tour. In terms of getting in and out of a site though, there’s no option more thrilling than Balcony House. After descending a short staircase from the top of the Mesa, you’ll ascend a 32-foot ladder to reach Balcony House. From there, your guide will lead you through tunnels and passageways all while providing insights on how the Ancestral Pueblo people lived there over 700 years ago.

Long House

Whereas Balcony House and Cliff Palace are located at Chapin Mesa, Long House sits at Wetherill Mesa in the western portion of Mesa Verde. You can reach it by driving out on a 12-mile route that leaves the main park road just past Far View Lodge around mile 15. The National Park Service advertises the Long House tour as the most in-depth daily tour, clocking in at 2.5 hours. The tour includes a 2.25-mile round-trip hike, two 15-foot ladders to climb at the site, and then ends at the Long House trailhead. From there, you can go to the Wetherill Mesa Information Kiosk or go explore the mesa on your own.

Mug House

This site gets its name from the three mugs tied together with yucca that were hanging inside one of its rooms. The Mug House tour is the most strenuous on our list, clocking in at 3 hours along a 3-mile hiking route that includes steep drop-offs and switchbacks. However, for those looking for a more wild and unique experience, this tour is hard to beat. In addition to Mug House, you’ll get to visit other Ancestral Puebloan sites and experience fantastic views of Rock Canyon along the way.

When Is The Park Open?

Mesa Verde National Park is open year-round, but operating hours and opportunities to visit sites vary from season to season. The most popular times to visit Mesa Verde are during July and August, with as many as 3,000 people entering the park each day. The least busy period is during the winter months, where there can be as few as 50 visitors in a day.

For more information on seasonal operation changes at Mesa Verde, check out the Visitor Services and Interpretive Programs page on the NPS Mesa Verde website.

How Much Time Do I Need To Explore The Park?

The reality is that there’s simply too much of Mesa Verde to experience in just one day. To get the most out of your visit, we recommend you plan on taking a full day to explore the park. We recommend this for two reasons:

  1. Tour Trip Lengths: Each daily tour lasts between 1 – 2.25 hours, and specialty tours last anywhere between 1.5 – 8 hours long. If you want to visit multiple sites and/or take on one of the specialty tours, you’ll need to plan for a full day. 
  2. Drive and Break Time: It takes approximately 45 minutes just to get from the park entrance to either Chapin or Wetherill Mesa. The drives in and out of the park combined with the time allocated for purchasing tickets, stopping along the routes for pictures and bathroom breaks, and getting to and from each site will take a chunk out of the day.

So, when planning your trip to Mesa Verde, keep in mind that you’ll have quite a bit of ground to cover throughout your day. It’s a fun and beautiful place to behold, but there’s a too much to see in one go.

Weather In Mesa Verde National Park

Since the park is open year-round, weather conditions will vary from season to season. Monitor weather conditions close to when you plan to visit so you can be prepared when you arrive.

  •  Mean Maximum and Minimum Temperatures
    • Spring: 50 – 75 degrees (High), 25 – 45 degrees (Low) 
    • Summer: 75 – 90 degrees (High), 45 – 60 degrees (Low)  
    • Fall: 50 – 75 degrees (High), 25 – 50 degrees (Low)
    • Winter: 40 – 50 degrees (High), 15 – 25 degrees (Low)

No matter the time of year, remember to drink plenty of water. The elevation at Mesa Verde ranges between 7,000 – 8,400 feet and the climate is dry. In those conditions dehydration can set in fast, so drink plenty of water during your visit. You can refill water bottles at park facilities, and water is available at Cliff Palace and the Wetherill Mesa Information Kiosk during the summer months.

For current weather conditions at Mesa Verde, visit the Weather page on the NPS Mesa Verde website.

Mesa Verde-durango CO-mild to wild rafting

Camping In Mesa Verde

Morefield campground at Mesa Verde is open from May 1 – October 14, and it has 267 campsites. The campground is open for tents, trailers and RVs, and each site includes a bench, table and grill for you to use. There are also 15 full hookup RV campsites that require reservations.

Morefield features a full-service village in which you’ll find a cafe, gas station, RV dumping station, coin-operated laundry machines, complimentary showers, gift shop, and grocery store. When you camp at Morefield, you camp in style and comfort.

Last but not least, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, rangers at the park lead 45 – 60 minute presentations free of charge at the Morefield Amphitheater each night (weather permitting). 

For more information and/or to make reservations, call 1-800-449-2288 or visit the Aramark website.

Bonus Insider's Tips

  1. The NPS website has a photography page with instructions to help visitors get the best photos possible. The page provides recommended times to take photos according to the time of year when you visit, and it links to site-specific photography tips.
  2. Do not bring any kind of unmanned aircraft (drone, model airplane, etc.) to Mesa Verde. According to Policy Memorandum 14-05, the launching, landing, or operation of unmanned aircraft is prohibited at all national parks. Failure to comply could result in the confiscation of your aircraft and a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. So yeah, just don’t bring your drone or RC aircraft of any kind.