Mesa Verde National Park guides
12 in-depth guides to Mesa Verde National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Mesa Verde National Park overview.
The 21-Mile Climb to Chapin Mesa
Most visits to Mesa Verde begin at the Visitor and Research Center, which sits just off Highway 160 near the park entrance.
Winter at Mesa Verde: Snowshoes and Closures
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are both popular in winter. With most of the trees bare, wildlife is easier to spot, and you may find animal tracks pressed into the snow.
Cliff Palace and Ranger-Led Cliff Dwelling Tours
Cliff Palace is the best-known of the more than 600 Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde and the largest known cliff dwelling in North America.
Mesa Top Loop Road Overlooks
The Mesa Top Loop Road is a 6-mile drive that traces 700 years of Ancestral Pueblo life. Twelve archaeological sites and overlooks line the route, and together they show how Pueblo building changed over the centuries.
Petroglyph Point and Spruce Canyon Trails
The Petroglyph Point Trail is a 2.4-mile round-trip loop that starts just behind the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, on the paved path toward Spruce Tree House.
The World's 100th International Dark Sky Park
In 2021, Mesa Verde National Park was certified as the world's 100th International Dark Sky Park.
From Basketmaker Pithouses to Cliff Villages
The Basketmaker culture comes early in this story. Archaic groups here gave up their nomadic habits and settled into permanent pithouse villages, combining foraging with farming.
Not a Mesa: The Cuesta and Its Alcoves
Despite its name, Mesa Verde is not a true mesa. The first Spanish explorers called it one, yet a genuine mesa has a top that is nearly level, and this land tips toward the south.
Virginia McClurg and Saving Mesa Verde
Virginia McClurg was a persistent advocate for the ancient homes that now lie within Mesa Verde National Park.
Birding Where Rockies Meet Colorado Plateau
More than 200 bird species live in the park, and its birds include those tied to the Rocky Mountains as well as those of the Colorado Plateau.
Wetherill Mesa: Tram, Step House, Long House
Wetherill Mesa is a stretched-out, narrow table of land on the west side of Mesa Verde National Park, with deep canyons on either side.
Morefield Campground and Prater Ridge Hikes
Morefield Campground lies inside the park, about four miles along the Main Park Road from the highway entrance.
