Exploring Ancient Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado

Updated May, 2025

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The reviews of the items in this article are based on my own opinions, and I only recommend products, tours, or accommodations that I have personally used or would use during my own travels. Disclosure policy.

Visiting Mesa Verde National Park

Have you ever visited a place where you felt like you stepped back in time, to when your ancestors were alive and lived a simpler life? This park provided me that feeling as I toured the cliff dwellings that were lived in over 700 years ago. Imagine life without all of the amenities we have today such as air conditioning or heat in the winter. Although we often refer to it as simpler times, I question that phrase. The amount of work it took to build such dwellings had to be amazingly time consuming and hard. Then to have to forage for food while we can just visit the grocery stores today for any food we want. The determination and culture can be seen in every part of this park.

This national park was on our month-long journey in 2021.

It is amazing to look at the communities created over 700 years ago by our Pueblo ancestors. As you enter this space you are taken back in time to the days when tools were limited but determination was strong. This area became a National Park in 1906 to preserve the archeological heritage of the ancestral Pueblo people.

What you need to know

Address: Mesa Verde, Colorado

Hours: open 24 hours daily

Cost: $20 in the winter and $30 in the summer (May 1 to October 22) per private vehicle or FREE with National Park pass. No cash, only credit cards are accepted. You can purchase your pass online before you go or pay at the entrance. No reservations are needed.

Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center: Here you will find exhibits on pueblo ancestry, books, maps, water bottle filling station, and restrooms. Hours are January 2 to December 31 open from 8:30am to 4pm daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Mesa Verde Museum: You can find a film on the history of Mesa Verde Nearby you can find a museum store, water, restrooms, cafe, post office, and gift shop. Here you will find a view of Spruce Tree House. More information below.

January 2 - May 4th 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, daily
May 5 - October 19 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, daily
October 20 - December 31 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, daily
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day

Things to do: Cliff dwelling tours, hiking trails, bird watching, camping, stargazing, winter activities. No overnight backpacking is allowed.

Pets: are not allowed on trails, except for Nordenskiöld Site #16, Badger House Community, and Long House Loop. They are allowed in the campground, and parking lots.

Hiking options

You can find 30-miles of hiking trails in Mesa Verde National Park. Many trails are self-guided, but a few require guides and/or tickets.

Morefield Canyon area - trailhead in Morefield campground for these 3 trails

• Knife Edge Trail - easy trail and is 2 miles round trip.

• Point Lookout Trail - a moderate hike of 2.2 miles roundtrip.

• Prater Ridge Trail - a strenuous hike of 7.8 miles roundtrip.

Chapin Mesa area

• Petroglyph Point Trail - a very challenging trail with loose rock, steep clifs, and rock scramble. A 2.4-mile roundtrip hike and it is recommended to hike this counterclockwise.

• Spruce Canyon Trail - a strenuous 2.4-mile hike roundtrip.

• Soda Canyon Overlook Trail - an easy 1.2-mile hike roundtrip.

• Farming Terrace Trail - an easy 0.5-mile hike roundtrip.

• Far View Sites - an easy 0.75-mile hiking trail roundtrip.

Wetherill Mesa area - only open May 23 to September 1. Gates open from 8:30am to 4pm and last entry is 2pm. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Step House - see details below.

• Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail - moderate 2-mile hike roundtrip.

• Badger House Community Trail - a moderate 2.25-mile roundtrip hike.

• Long House Loop - a moderate 5-mile roundtrip hike.

Ranger-led guided hiking tours that require reservations

Tours requiring tickets: Ranger led tours require reservations and can be made up to 14 days in advance. Tours are available May to October and are limited so book early. Prices range from $8-$25 per person.

• Long House: Take 2.25 miles round trip on this 2.5-hour trip to the second largest dwelling in Mesa Verde. You will climb 2 - 15-foot ladders during this trip.

• Balcony House: for the adventurer. You will climb ladders, crawl through tunnels. A 1-hour tour.

• Cliff Palace: The most famous tour. This is a 1/4-mile hike. You will descend stairs and climb ladders during this tour.

• Square Tower House: This is a backcountry tour featuring the tallest standing dwelling and original intact kiva roof, original plaster and paint, and rock art. This is a 90 minute, 1 mile guided tour. Includes steep drop offs, ladders to climb and switchbacks.

Mesa Verde National Park map, below

.

Park Point Fire Lookout Tower

Fire Lookout Tower at Park Point has the highest elevation in the park at 8,572 feet above sea level. You can easily hike to this trail at 0.4-miles roundtrip. From here you can view the San Juan Mountains, the deserts of New Mexico, and the La Plata Mountains. The park uses this point today to watch fires within the park or at a distance. This trail is not the same as the Point Lookout Trail.

You will find seasonal vault toilets, car and RV/Bus parking, and picnic tables at this trailhead.

Step House

The Step House is a self-guided tour and is open spring to fall. This is located near the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk. This is a 1-mile roundtrip steep descent hike and is only open when there are rangers on site. Here you can take your time and enjoy the history although most people spend around 45-minutes here. Rangers are available to answer any questions about this dwelling

You will find six Basketmaker III Pit structures and a Pueblo III masonry pueblo with 27 rooms and 3 kivas within Step House. Gustaf Nordenskiõld, along with local ranchers, the Wetherills in 1891, began excavacation of the Step House.

Basketmaker Pit House

The Basketmaker Pit House is the restored Basketmaker III pit house within Step House. The Basketmaker house was built typically 3 feet below ground to help keep people warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer months. The hole on the top provided an escape for the smoke from the fire within.

Kivas: a large circular room underground used for spiritual ceremonies by the Pueblo people.

Spruce Tree House

Spruce Tree house hike continues to be closed to visitors due to rock fallings. It has been closed since 2015 and there is no date as to when it will be open back up to the public.

This is the third largest dwelling in Mesa Verde. It contains 130 rooms and 8 kivas. This is the best-preserved cliff dwelling in the park. 90% of this structure is original.

This is a half mile round trip to visit this house. This is a self-guided tour most of the year when it is open.

This view below is from the overlook by the Mesa Verde Museum.

Mesa Verde Museum

Visit the Mesa Verde Museum near Spruce Tree House. The museum was built using the same sandstone as the Cliff House. There are multiple exhibits that include a history of the Pueblo people and a display of items used during those times.

There are restrooms, drinks, bookstore, snacks, and a post office at this location. From here you can view the Spruce Tree House from the overlook.

The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.

Morefield Campground in Mesa Verde

While in Mesa Verde we decided to camp at the Morefield Campground. This campground is open from mid-April to mid-November. The campground offers 267 sites with only 15 being full hookup. No campers/RV over 46 feet are allowed. Camping up to 14 days max.

Amenities: There are seasonal flush toilets and showers, firepits with grill, and picnic tables. Potable water seasonally. There is a RV dump station and a camp store for convenience, see details below.

• Up to 2 tents are allowed if there is room at the campsite.

• Keep all food locked and out of site when not in use for bear control.

• Pets are allowed but must be on a leash.

• Evening programs are available in the summer months.

Cost: $38 for dry hookups and $51 for full hookups. Discount for Senior/Access passes. Campground reservations can be made online and are recommended for full hookup sites. The dry campsites are rarely full and do not require advanced reservations. You can make reservations the day of at the Morefield Campground Store during opening hours. If you come after hours, you can find a camp spot and register in the morning.

Campfires at Morefield Campground

Nothing better than sitting by the fire at night while gazing at the stars. Don’t forget your roasting sticks to cook hotdogs or marshmallows for s'mores. You might also need this all-natural bug spray that is made in the USA.

crackle of the campfire at Mesa Verde National Park

---

You might also enjoy this other location near Mesa Verde:

• Visit four states at once at Four Corners National Monument.

• Total Cost to Travel Across the US in a Campervan for 29 days

• Take in the Views at Pikes Peak in Colorado

• Explore the Beautiful Rock Formations at Garden of the Gods in Colorado

Morefield Campground Store

Morefield Campground Store offers many amenities for your convenience. Here you will purchase your camping spot once you arrive if you did not make reservations online prior to your visit.

This store is full of things you might need such as souvenirs, camping supplies, firewood, groceries and more.

Next to the Campground Store you will find amenities such as:

• hot showers (seasonal) for campers only

• restrooms

• laundry facilities

• gasoline

• Morefield Village kennel available seasonally. Up-to-date vaccine records required.

• Knife Edge Cafe open seasonally for breakfast from 7am to 10am

Travel Accommodations

Accommodations: Browse booking.com or VRBO for options in Colorado or nearby or check out my recommendations below.

• Mesa Verde Motel

• Blue Lake Ranch with lake or garden view

• Desert Rose Resort & Cabins

• Sky Ute Casino Resort

Things you need while hiking at Mesa Verde

1. Sunscreen as it will get hot in the summer so come prepared.

2. Hat. Again, it will be hot.

3. Hiking shoes as most of the trails are rocky/sandy, good hiking shoes are a must.

4. Fanny pack or smaller backpack. I use one of these to carry my keys, phone, water bottle and more to keep my hands free when I am hiking so I can also help my youngest son easier if he needs assistance while hiking.

5. Water. If you are going to be hiking it is important to carry a good water bottle with you.

6. Some of our favorite hiking snacks include granola bars, snack sticks, starkist chicken packets.

7. Jacket if traveling in the cooler months.

8. First aid kit. You never know when you might need a bandaid or two.

Make sure you add this National Park to your bucket list. Our visit to Mesa Verde National Park and our stay in the campground was so memorable. From exploring the cliff dwellings to being surrounded by the beauty of the natural landscape when we woke up, every moment was special and amazing to see in person.

Whether you get excited about the history of an area, love hiking, or just reconnecting to nature, you will love exploring this national park and viewing the dwellings from long ago.

Enjoy the journey,

Meet the author: Jennifer

I am a girl who loves to travel and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US. You can find me dreaming up our next epic vacation or outside exploring natural landscapes. I am a fearless roadtripper who isn’t afraid to explore new and off the path adventures. 

Follow me on social media to discover more travel ideas

Instagram @adoptinglifesjourney 

Pinterest /adoptinglifesjourney

If this post was helpful, follow me on Instagram @adoptinglifesjourney and

Hashtag your photos at #adoptinglifesjourney

Need help planning a vacation? I am also a travel agent. Follow me on social media and send me a DM @exploringsunsetstravel for more travel inspiration or for a FREE travel quote. There is no cost to you for using me as your travel agent.

Check out offers on Disney to plan your dream vacation. 

Evolution Travel - Jennifer Sloan (evotravelagent.com)

New blog posts