Mesa Verde – A Tour through Time
Mesa Verde National Park is located in the south-west corner of Colorado, in Montezuma County. The park spans nearly 52,000 acres. Inside the park there are nearly 5,000 archeological sites. 600 of these sites are cliff dwellings. The sites in Mesa Verde are some of the best preserved in the United States, and offer a detailed look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived there for over 700 years.
Things to do in Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde offers many options to explore: from free self-guided tours, paid cliff dwelling tours, historical viewpoints, hikes, camping, and the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum.
One of the first stops before hitting all the archeological sites is Park Point. It is a short, uphill walk to the fire lookout tower and spectacular views of the valley surrounding Mesa Verde.
During the 2021 season, Cliff Palace Loop Road and the Cliff Palace itself is closed due to road construction. However, the Cliff Palace is still viewable from the Sun Temple on Mesa Top Loop Road.
Several guided tours are available at Mesa Verde. These tours require a pre-purchased ticket. Sites that require a tour ticket include the Balcony House, Cliff Palace, and Long House.
Drivable Loop Tours
Mesa Top Loop Road leads you through 600 years of Ancestral Puebloan architecture history and is best accompanied with the self-guided audio tour. The loop starts with the oldest forms of dwellings, the Pit Houses. As the loop continues, the Pit Houses evolve into Kivas. Both these types of dwellings were primarily dug into the ground. Also on this loop is an overlook of Square Tower House. The last stop of the Mesa Top Loop features the Sun Temple and an overlook of the Cliff Palace.
Wetherill Mesa: A walking loop tour
Wetherill Mesa, located on the west side of the park, is open May through September. This side of the park is typically less visited, but contains many more overlooks and archeological sites. The Long House Loop is a 6 mile walking trail on top of the Mesa that leads to these sites. The Step House is located on this Mesa, and offers an opportunity for a self-guided tour featuring pit houses and a cliff dwelling.
The Wetherill Mesa unfortunately closed early the day that we were visiting, but we still drove over to check out the area. We saw a small herd of feral horses on this side of the park!
Hiking Trails
There are also a few hiking trails available in the park. On the Chapin Mesa, there is the Spruce Canyon Trail, Petroglyph Point Trail, and the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail. There are also a few hikes located around Moorefield Campground! The Soda Canyon Hike, 1.2 miles, is on the Cliff Palace Loop Road and therefore inaccessible in 2021. We hiked the Petroglyph Point Trail, which is 2.4 miles and labeled as a strenuous hike.
Stay in or near Mesa Verde
Staying in the park
Conveniently located inside the park, Moorefield Campground is a noteworthy option if you have an RV or enjoy camping. The campground is closed seasonally from January 1 to April 14.
Mesa Verde also offers lodging at Far View Lodge, which is open May through September 30.
San Juan National Forest
For dispersed camping, the San Juan National Forest has plentiful opportunities. We stayed just east of the town of Mancos, on Road 316 above Target Tree Campground.
Nearby Towns
There are a few towns that are just within 10-20 minutes of the Mesa Verde Park entrance, including Mancos and Cortez. Both towns offer lodging and RV parks.
Helpful tips for planning your visit
~The most important tip I can give is to check the National Park website while planning a trip, and before visiting! The website lists any closures and road construction, whether planned or unexpected.
~My second most important tip is to plan two to three days in the park! We thought we could see everything in one full day since the Cliff Palace Loop Road was closed, but we still missed out on some areas including Wetherill Mesa.
~A handy tip for my dog-loving friends: There is a kennel located near the Moorefield Campground to board your pup at while you explore the park! For a full day, it’s $25.
To visit the National Park Site, click here: https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm
To read about our visit to Mesa Verde, click here: https://wanderingprose.com/new-mexico-road-trip/
Glad you guys had fun