Mesa Verde National Park
For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 Pueblos and Tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past. This World Heritage Site and International Dark Sky Park is home to over a thousand species, including several that live nowhere else on earth.
Mesa Verde National Park is in Southwestern Colorado. The park entrance is along Highway 160, between the towns of Cortez and Mancos, Colorado. It is located 10 miles east of Cortez, 9 miles west of Mancos, and about 35 miles west of Durango, Colorado. Once you enter the park, the first view of a cliff dwelling is 21 miles (approximately 45 minutes) along a steep, narrow, and winding road.
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Food
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Archeology
- Cliff Dwellings
- Native American Heritage
- Schools and Education
- Animals
- Climate Change
- Fire
- Forests and Woodlands
- Geology
- Trails
Cliff Palace
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde's Largest Cliff Dwelling
Step House
Visitors enjoying Step House, on Wetherill Mesa
Balcony House
View of Balcony House from the Soda Canyon Overlook
Square Tower House
Square Tower House from overlook along the Mesa Top Loop
View of Spruce Tree House
Spruce Tree House
Spruce Tree House
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde's third largest and best preserved cliff dwelling
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
Stop by the Mesa Verde Visitor & Research Center at the park entrance where park staff will help you plan your visit.