Mesa Verde National Park

Canyons of the Ancients Tour with Durango RiverTrippers

As stated above, the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings are the primary attractions of the park, being some of the most notable and well preserved of their kind in all of North America. For almost a hundred years, many of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples lived in the alcoves of the area, farming the mesa tops and expanding the cliff villages.

Today, five major cliff dwellings are available for sightseers to visit:

• Balcony House
• Cliff Palace
• Long House
• Spruce Tree House
• Step House

All but Step House require a ranger guide in order to visit. On Chapin Mesa some of the cliff dwellings can be viewed from afar from overlooks situated along the park road.

You can learn more about the cliff dwellings and ranger guided tours by visiting the official Mesa Verde website at https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm 

or book a private tour with Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours. Click the "Learn More" button for details.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

Being of great cultural significance to a number of Native tribes, Mesa Verde National Park periodically hosts cultural dances, performances, and demonstrations by members of these tribes.

Not only do these performances and demonstrations help maintain the vital connections between the land and the Native tribes, they can also help connect visitors with the cultures and traditions of the tribes.

All performances are free with a park pass or entrance fee.

Cultural Performances

For those interested in astronomy, you’ll be pleased to find Mesa Verde offers one of the darkest skies in the mainland United States. A combination of high elevation, climate, sparse population, regularly clear skies results in exceptional stargazing. 

Visitors will be able to see a similar sky as ancient peoples saw thousands of years ago. In fact, the park was named as the 100th International Dark Sky Park, recognizing the great lengths of care to preserve the quality of  night sky viewing

While much of the park is closed during the night, there are still plenty of great locations to gaze at the heavens. Far View Lodge and the Morefield Campground are the two most promoted areas to stargaze, but there are also numerous overlooks along the park road that will allow just as unfettered and expansive views of the stars.

Stargazing in Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde National Park is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who love hiking. 

Due to how large the park is, there are plenty of trails to explore. These trails can vary widely in length and difficulty. There are even paved trails for those looking for a more leisurely hike.

Due to the National Park area being sacred to 26 Native American tribes, the park does have strict rules in place, such as no off trail hiking and no smoking on the trails. It is also advised to bring and drink plenty of water as well as eat salty snacks due to the hot, arid climate.

All in all, every hiker should show the proper respect that this area deserves. To get a more comprehensive list of hiking rules and regulations, visit the park website.

Hiking in Mesa Verde