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How to Visit Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado: Complete Guide
Mesa Verde is not only one of the most incredible National Parks in Colorado, it is the only cultural national park in the US. Imagine seeing circular ceremonial rooms, three-story towers and bricked storage facilities all built in deep alcoves in the side of cliffs, only reached by hand and foot holds carved into the sheer rock face.
These days, there are ladders and chains to help you – and many you can see from overlooks on top of the mesa – but they are no less extraordinary than they were 800 years ago.
However, while visiting Mesa Verde, Colorado is an extraordinary experience, it can be confusing. Which is why I’ve created this detailed guide with all you need to know to visit Mesa Verde, Colorado.
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Before we get into too many details, it is helpful to know where is Mesa Verde located. It’s in the southwest corner of Colorado (near the Four Corners intersection of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.
The nearest towns are Cortez and Mancos, though Durango, which is just 45 minutes away, is nicer and has more to do.
What is unique about Mesa Verde National Park?
If you are wondering “Is Mesa Verde worth seeing?” given that it is not super close to any of the other national parks, the answer is a resounding “yes”. The main reason to visit is to see the incredible cliff dwellings and they are fascinating.
How long does it take to see Mesa Verde? While it is possible to see the highlights in just one day, I recommend spending at least a couple of days and nights there. That will give you a chance to explore inside a couple of the cliff dwellings, go on a hike, explore all the mesa-top sites and viewpoints, and include Wetherill Mesa.
However, if you want to fly right in, the closest airport to Mesa Verde, CO is Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although it is the nearest airport to Mesa Verde National Park, it is still four hours away. The other main airport near Mesa Verde National Park is Salt Lake City. It’s six hours away but the road between the two does pass Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, so you can visit them easily too.
Can you tour Mesa Verde on your own? Yes, you can easily see all that the park has to offer by yourself. The Chapin Museum and the Mesa Verde Visitor Center are great sources of information, there are signs at the mesa-top sites and you need to be accompanied by a ranger (or they will be stationed nearby) when visiting the dwellings.
However, for a deeper insight into the area’s history and culture, you can take a half-day tour with a guide. The four-hour tours leave in the morning and afternoon from Far View Lodge and include the major mesa top sites, plus a visit to one of the dwellings.
The cliff dwellings are open from mid-spring to mid-fall.
➡️ Read my detailed Guide to Visiting the Cliff Dwellings for information on what dwellings you can visit, how to visit them, how to get tickets for Mesa Verde tours of the cliff dwellings, what to expect on each visit and more.
What are the Mesa Verde National Park hours of opening?
The Mesa Verde National Park Visitor Center is open daily:
January 2 – December 31: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, DAILY Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
The Chapin Museum is open daily:
May 2 – May 5: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm May 6 – October 22: 8:30 am to 4:30pm October 23 – December 31: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
The Mesa Verde hours for the roads are:
The main road up to Far View Lodge is open all hours all year.
The Mesa Top Loop Road (Chapin Mesa) is open 8:00AM to sunset daily.
The Cliff Palace Loop Road (Chapin Mesa) is open 8:00AM to sunset daily.
The Wetherill Mesa Road is closed each year October 31 (or earlier) to May 2 (or later) and open:
There is no shuttle in Mesa Verde National Park, so you’ll need to drive. The national park has three main areas.
1) The bottom of the mesa
First up is the park entrance gate (there is only one entrance to the park). From there, it is a short drive to the Visitor Center and Research Center. Stop off there to check in for back country tours, pick up a map and learn more about the park.
Next up is the Morefield Campground, which is the only camping area inside the park. There is an amphitheater there also, where there are nightly ranger presentations in season.
The last major place at the bottom of the mesa is a large parking area for trailers, just past the campground. Because the road up to the top of the mesa is narrow and winding, you can’t take trailers or towed vehicles, and will need to park them there.
2) Chapin Mesa
There is only one road from the bottom up to the first of the two mesa, Chapin Mesa. The road is narrow and winding. The road to Chapin Mesa is open all year round (weather permitting). There is a tunnel between miles 4 and 5, with a height restriction of 20.5 feet / 6.25 m.
The Mesa Top Loop Road and Cliff Palace Loop Road (Chapin Mesa) are open 8:00AM to sunset daily.
At the top of Chapin Mesa is Far View Lodge, the only lodge/ hotel inside the park. There are also some historic sites nearby, and a café and restaurant.
3) Wetherill Mesa
Between Far View Lodge and the Far View Terrace Café (near Mile 15) is the road, off to the right, to the other mesa in the park, Wetherill Mesa. The 12-mile road to Wetherill Mesa is also steep, narrow and winding.
The road is open early May to late October. Your vehicle must weigh less than 8,000 pounds and be less than 25 feet in length to go on this road.
Drive times
From
To
Drive Time
Park Entrance (bottom of mesa)
Cliff Palace (Chapin Mesa)
1 hour
Park Entrance (bottom of mesa)
Balcony House (Chapin Mesa)
1 hour
Park Entrance (bottom of mesa)
Long House (Wetherill Mesa)
1.5 hours
Cliff Palace (Chapin Mesa)
Long House (Wetherill Mesa)
1.25 hours
Balcony House (Chapin Mesa)
Long House (Wetherill Mesa)
1.25 hours
When is the best time to visit Mesa Verde National Park?
The park is open all year round, but the road to Wetherill Mesa is not. Nor are the cliff dwellings.
Visiting Mesa Verde in winter
It’s possible to visit Mesa Verde in winter, but there are some things you should know.
The road to Wetherill Mesa is closed October 31 (or earlier) to May 2 (or later).
None of the cliff dwellings are open for tours. The dates vary between each dwelling, but there are typically no dwellings open at all from early October to late April – mid-May. However, there are many dwellings that you can see from overlooks (see my Guide to Visiting Mesa Verde’s Cliff Dwellings for more information). There will also be very few people around, and it is very beautiful when the surrounding area is covered in snow.
The lodge and campground inside the park are closed in winter, so you will need to stay nearby.
Where to stay at Mesa Verde National Park
There are a few different options:
Places to stay in Mesa Verde National Park
Far View Lodge Mesa Verde
This is the only lodge inside the national park. It is on Chapin Mesa, 15 miles from the park entrance. It closes in winter and is open April 17 – October 23, 2024.
There is traditional western décor in the lobby and the famous Metate Dining Room, which has wrap around floor-to-ceiling windows.
There are two rooms types – standard (Kiva), which have private balconies, and Kiva Deluxe View rooms, with, naturally, sensational views.
This is the only Mesa Verde National Park camping option inside the park. It is located at the bottom of the mesa, four miles from the park entrance.
All services are open April 26– October 17, 2024.
There is also is limited off-season camping. Mesa Verde has sites available at this time, but with no services other than comfort stations, April 11 – April 25, 2024 and October 17 – October 30, 2024.
It closes for the season for season October 31, 2024.
In addition to campsites, there is a gift shop and grocery store, free showers, coin laundry, gas station and RV dumping station. The Morefield Campground Store is open daily:
April 26 – July 2, 2024: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm July 2 – October 1, 2024: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm October 2 – October 16, 2024: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm CLOSED for season October 17, 2024
There is an amphitheater at one end of the campground where there are nightly ranger presentations in season.
Places to stay near Mesa Verde National Park
Campgrounds near Mesa Verde
Mancos State Park is a good option if you are looking for a nearby campground. Mesa Verde is just 13 miles/ 20 minutes away. Reservations can be made here up 6 months in advance.
Hotels near Mesa Verde National Park
Cortez and Mancos are the two main towns near Mesa Verde National Park. Durango is also not too far away (it’s a 45-minute drive) and is more interesting (in my opinion).
If you’d prefer a vacation rental like Airbnb or VRBO, I have an entire post with a shortlist of the best vacation rentals in and near Durango, just 45 minutes away.
If you prefer to see at a glance where everything, use this map to find Manco and Cortez, CO lodging. It includes hotels, motels and vacation rentals (including options for Airbnb Cortez, CO and Airbnb Mancos, CO).
Where to Eat in Mesa Verde National Park
There are several dining options.
Spruce Tree Terrace Café
🍴 Location: Near the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Spruce Tree House 🍴Options/ style: Casual lunch or dinner. Inside, outdoor patio and to go 🍴Opendaily: 🔹 April 17 – May 15, 2024: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm 🔹 May 16 – August 10, 2024: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 🔹 August 11 – October 23, 2024: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Metate Room Restaurant
🍴Location: Far View Lodge 🍴Options/ style: Formal dinner only 🍴Opendaily: 🔹 April 17 – May 27, 2024: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm 🔹 May 18 – October 23, 2024: 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm 🔹 Reservations are strongly recommended
Far View Lounge
🍴Location: Far View Lodge 🍴Options/ style: Lounge with pub fare 🍴Opendaily: 🔹 May 18 – October 16, 2024: 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Far View Terrace Café
🍴Location: Far View Lodge 🍴Options/ style: Cafe serving breakfast and lunch 🍴Open: 🔹 Breakfast: 🔹 April 25 – May 8, 2024: 7:00 am – 10:00 am (a la carte available at Mesa Moche | omelet station) 🔹 May 9 – October 16, 2024: 7:00 am – 10:00 am 🔹 October 17 – October 23, 2024: 7:00 am – 10:00 am (a la carte available at Mesa Moche | omelet station) 🔹 Lunch: 🔹 April 17 – May 17, 2024: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm 🔹 May 18 – October 23, 2024: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Mesa Mocha Espresso Bar
🍴Location: Far View Lodge 🍴Options/ style: Coffee shop with snacks and ice cream 🍴Open: 🔹 April 17 – May 17, 2024: 7:00 am – 3:00 pm 🔹 May 18 – October 16, 2024: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm 🔹 October 17 – October 23, 2024: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Knife Edge Café
🍴Location: Morefield Campground 🍴Options/ style: Cafe open for breakfast. Lunch and dinner grab-and-go is available in the adjacent store 🍴Open daily: May 15 – October 17, 2024: 7:00 am to 10:00 am
Mesa Verde Map
Enjoy visiting Colorado/ Mesa Verde National Park!
More Planning Resources for Mesa Verde National Park
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James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
