Article Summary: Mesa Verde Tours
Mesa Verde is one of the most famous National Parks in the country, and for good reason. The park was home to an ancient Native American civilization that left behind over 600 cliff dwellings. These cliff dwellings are among the best-preserved in the United States.
Located in southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and remains one of the best ways to learn about Native American cultures. Indigenous people continue to return here to pay their respects to their ancestors and study their heritage.
Mesa Verde tours are available for visitors who want to explore these incredible archaeological sites. Visitors can take guided tours with a park ranger or go on self-guided tours through these astonishing structures.
Which adventure will you choose? Read on to learn all about the different cliff dwelling tours in Mesa Verde National Park.
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How to Get to Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde is located near Cortez, CO on Highway 160. It’s about 20 minutes from Cortez and about an hour from Durango.
The closest airports include the Durango-La Plata County Airport, the Cortez Municipal Airport, and the Grand Junction Regional Airport. The Denver International Airport, the closest major airport, is about 7 hours away.
Where to Stay Near Mesa Verde National Park
There are several options near Mesa Verde for visitors to stay the night. These include familiar chains such as Super 8, Econo Lodge, Hampton Inn, and Baymont. There are also locally-run places to stay, such as the White Eagle Inn, Mesa Verde Farm & Studio, Cozy Inn, and Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch.
There is also one hotel within the park, the Far View.
Camping in Mesa Verde
Camping options inside Mesa Verde National Park are limited to just one campground, but there are plenty of other camping options nearby. Learn more in our Mesa Verde Camping Guide.
When to Visit Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is open every day of the year, 24 hours per day. Certain roads will close at sunset in order to protect the cultural resources in the park.
While the park is open daily, the visitor center is closed on holidays. This includes New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, and Memorial Day.
Mesa Verde tours are offered year-round, but some cliff dwellings are only available in the summer. Ranger-led tours begin in the early summer and continue throughout the season until late fall.
Things to Know Before You Go
The elevation is an important consideration when planning your visit to Mesa Verde. Hiking to the cliff dwellings may be difficult for visitors who are not acclimated.
There is no reliable reception in Mesa Verde National Park. Once you have your Mesa Verde tour tickets, print them out or take a screenshot of the ticket on your phone. You’ll need to show either of these reservation confirmations to the park ranger before you begin your tour.
In order to save money, I would recommend purchasing a national parks pass. These cost $80 and are valid for a full calendar year (from the date of purchase) at all public lands in the United States. After you visit 3 national parks, it’ll have paid for itself. It also makes a great gift for national park enthusiasts! Learn more about park entry fees.
Mesa Verde Tours
The cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park are a sight to behold and it is best for visitors to have plenty of time to explore each site.
With a park ranger, visitors have the opportunity to partake in guided Mesa Verde tours at several sites throughout the summer months, while self-guided tour opportunities will be provided year-round.
Self-guided tours through the cliff dwellings are a great way to learn more about these ancient peoples. Self-guided Mesa Verde tours are also a great option for visitors who did not plan ahead and purchase tickets in advance.
Mesa Verde tours are one of the best ways to see the park, and there are many options. If you’re not sure which one is for you, consider the following as you continue to read about the Mesa Verde tours:
- 1) Do you want to go with a ranger?
- 2) Is it important to see sites other than cliff dwellings?
- 3) What level of difficulty would be appropriate for your hiking experience and physical fitness?
- 4) How much time do you have?
- 5) Are there children in your party who might need more assistance on hikes?
- 6) Does anyone in your group have accessibility needs such as mobility limitations or visual impairments that require special accommodations?
Ranger-Led Mesa Verde Tours
Cliff Palace & Balcony House
Cliff Palace was recently closed, but is now open for tours again! Beginning in mid-May, rangers will lead groups on a 45-minute tour of this ancestral site, once home to over 1,000 people.
Tours are generally offered every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
You will need to climb over 100 feet down a steep stone staircase. The full tour also includes climbing 8 to 10-foot ladders.
Reserve your tickets on Recreation.gov.
Long House
Considered a ranger-assisted tour rather than a guided tour, visiting Long House is done at your own pace. This allows for social distancing and lowers crowds on sensitive cultural resources.
Yet, visitors are still able to talk to park rangers and learn more about the Puebloan people and their homes. On this ranger-assisted tour of Mesa Verde, park rangers are located along the trail and ready to answer questions.
Long House is the second-largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park. Visitors will see kivas, a small spring, a dance hall, and majestic canyon views.
Tickets are required for this timed-entry experience and can be purchased on Recreation.gov. Tickets are $8 per person.
Tours are offered daily from Memorial Day through late October. Tours occur every half hour between 9:30 and 3:00 with a break from 11:00 to 1:00.
Long House is located on Wetherill Mesa about 1.5 hours from the park entrance. Visitors will need to descend 130 feet to the cliff dwelling, climb two 15-foot ladders, and ascend 130 feet back to the trailhead. The roundtrip hike is 2.25 miles (3.6 km).
Mug House
Twice per day, rangers lead a backcountry tour to this quiet cliff dwelling. Along the way, visitors can also experience an Adobe cave, rock art, and spectacular canyon views.
Mug House was once home to 80-100 residents. When discovered, three mugs were found hanging from a rope made of yucca in one of its rooms, giving the dwelling its name.
The hike to reach Mug House is considered strenuous. The trail includes a section of rock scrambling over boulders along the 2.25-mile roundtrip journey. The trail also has steep drop-offs and switchbacks as it descends 100 feet.
Tickets are required for this timed-entry experience and can be purchased on Recreation.gov. Tickets are $25 per person.
Spring House
Mesa Verde tours to Spring House are offered occasionally throughout the summer, usually only a few days per season.
Spring House is the largest unexcavated cliff dwelling in the park. It contains 86 rooms and 7 kivas. Because of its extremely fragile nature, visitors on this tour will not enter the site. It’s similar to the nearby Yucca House National Monument, another of the national parks in Colorado, in its unexcavated nature.
At the end of your 4-mile (one-way) trek, you’ll end at a spectacular view over the dwelling from a platform. The 8-hour adventure does include views of other cliff dwellings as well as you traverse mesas and canyons on this very strenuous hike. The trail also includes one short ladder.
Tickets are required for this timed-entry experience and can be purchased on Recreation.gov. Tickets are $45 per person.
Square Tower House
Square Tower House includes the tallest standing structure in the park, a 4-story tower constructed by the Puebloans. Additionally, you’ll find rock art, a kiva with an intact roof, and original plaster and paint. All of this makes Square Tower House one of the most impressive cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde.
The hike is a strenuous 1-mile roundtrip walk that takes about 90 minutes. Visitors will descend 100 feet on an uneven path with two ladders, switchbacks, and steep drop-offs. There may also be rock scrambling.
Each summer, tours are offered once every morning. It’s important to plan ahead and get your ticket for this special experience.
Tickets are required for this timed-entry experience and can be purchased on Recreation.gov. Tickets are $25 per person.
If you’re unable to get a ticket, you can also view Square Tower House from above along the scenic Mesa Top Loop Road.
Self-Guided Mesa Verde Tours
Cedar Tree Tower
Open from 8 a.m. to sunset every day, the Cedar Tree Tower features the tower and a kiva complex. This is viewable from a small parking area near the Farming Terrace Loop Trail. The trail is a short 1/2-mile roundtrip and will take hikers to ancient dams.
Spruce Tree House
Unfortunately, due to concerns about rock falls, this cliff dwelling is no longer accessible. You can still view it from the Museum on Chapin Mesa.
Step House
Located on Wetherill Mesa near the Long House trailhead is Step House. Currently, this is the only cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde that you can enter without a park ranger.
There’s a short trail through the dwelling as well as a short ladder used to peek into rooms.
It takes about one hour to walk the trail and explore the dwelling, so plan accordingly. Plan to hike about 1-mile roundtrip with a 100-foot descent. Step House may not be open during periods of low staffing.
Mesa Top Sites
Additionally, there are a few things to see besides cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde that you can explore on your own.
The Badger House Trail on Wetherill Mesa showcases surface sites where the Puebloans lived above the canyon. Similar sites can be seen at the Far View Sites Complex and along the Mesa Top Loop Road.
Pin Our Overview of Mesa Verde Tours
Mesa Verde features a variety of tours and activities for visitors, including several different ways to experience the cliff dwellings. We hope this post helped you decide which Mesa Verde tours are best for you during your visit. If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send us an e-mail. Safe travels!
