Mesa Verde National Park, located in southwest Colorado, is a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States, including cliff dwellings, pottery, and other artifacts.
Visitors to the park can explore these ancient ruins, hike through canyons, and enjoy spectacular views of the Four Corners region. The park offers a really amazing experience and is one of our favorite family trips in Colorado.
Also Read: Southwest Colorado Road Trip Itinerary
The park can be easily reached from Cortez, Mancos, or Durango on a day trip. However, we recommend spending minimum of 2 to 3 days in the park to explore all of the main attractions.
You should also read our Ultimate Guide to Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado which covers best time to visit the park, best hiking trails, and more information to plan your trip.
Here are the best things to do in Mesa Verde National Park on your next trip.
Best Things to do in Mesa Verde National Park
Looking an adventure? Plan a visit to Mesa Verde National Park!
It is one of the most popular national parks in the United States.
It is also amongst the top Colorado attractions.
Millions of visitors come here every year to see attractions like Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and the Chapin Mesa Museum.
On a trip, you can not only explore ancient ruins and learn about the Ancestral Puebloan tribes that once lived in this area but also hike scenic trails, enjoy starry skies at the campground, and see wildlife.
Here are the best things to do in Mesa Verde National Park on your Colorado road trip.
Also Read: 17 Best National Parks and Monuments in Colorado
Begin your visit at the Visitor and Research Center
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center, located just near the park entrance, is a great place to begin your trip.
Here you can learn about park history, get information on what to do during your stay, and ask for park maps.
Kids can get a Junior Ranger booklet as well as the Junior Ranger Badge on completion of activities at the center.
The Ancient Ones sculpture outside the visitor center is also very beautiful.
Drive the Cliff Palace Loop Road
Most major attractions of Mesa Verde are located on the Cliff Palace Loop Road, also called the Mesa Top Ruins Road.
This road is 6 miles long and is closed for the season in winter .
The paved road starts at the Chapin Mesa area and curves through the park, passing by several ancient ruins such as Cliff Palace, Balcony House, House of Many Windows Overlook, and so much more.
You can stop to take a look at each ruin or simply drive around to get a feel for this majestic landscape.
The loop road also offers amazing views of the surrounding canyons and cliffs.
For the best experience, stop by the Mesa Verde visitor and Research center before starting the loop to pick up a map.
Tour the majestic Cliff Palace ruin
One of the reasons most people visit Mesa Verde is the Cliff Palace guided tour!
Cliff Palace is the largest and best preserved cliff dwelling in the park that is open to visitors.
The ranger led tour is an immersive experience, allowing visitors to step back in time and explore the ancient dwelling of the Ancestral Pueblo people.
The Cliff Palace house is an architectural marvel, with over 150 rooms and 23 kivas.
You can admire the intricate craftsmanship of the dwellings from up close and wonder at their precisely balanced location on the side of the cliff.
The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes and features steep ladders and narrow passages.
The tickets are released 15 days prior and get sold out very fast, so plan well in advance to purchase tour tickets on your day of arrival.
Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring water for the journey!
Admire the view from Cliff Palace Overlook
A short trail of 0.4 miles from the Cliff Palace parking lot will take you to Cliff Palace Overlook.
From here, you can enjoy a birds eye view of this stunning ruin.
The view is breathtaking – you can spot the many rooms as kivas on the cliffside below.
It’s an awesome place to take photos and really soak up the beauty of the area.
This is also where you meet the ranger for guided tours.
If you are not able to get a visit to the Cliff Palace tour, we recommend admiring the sheer ingenuity of this ruin from the overlook.
Go on an adventure at Balcony House
The Balcony House tour in Mesa Verde National Park is an unforgettable experience.
The Balcony House ruin dates back to the 13th century and is a testament to the creative genius of the Ancestral Puebloan people.
The ruin is much smaller than Cliff Palace, with just over 38 rooms and 2 kivas.
It is said to have supported about 30 people.
The Balcony House tour involves a more challenging hike than the Cliff Palace tour.
The tour takes approximately one hour, during which visitors will have to climb ladders and crawl through a 12 feet long narrow passageway to explore the ancient dwellings.
The highlight is the 32 foot long ladder needed to reach the ruin – hence its name!
You can explore the granaries, kivas, and other rooms in the ruin while learning about the Mesa Verde civilization.
While the tour is challenging, the adventure is well worth the impressive structure.
Visitors should plan to bring plenty of water, wear sturdy shoes, and prepare themselves for a physical challenge.
Hike the Soda Canyon Overlook trail
The Soda Canyon Overlook trail is a 1.2 mile long hiking trail on the Cliff Place Loop Road.
This easy loop takes hikers across the canyon, through juniper trees and pinon pines, providing outstanding views of the mesas and cliffs of Mesa Verde National Park.
At the overlook point you can marvel at the breathtaking Balcony House as well as other cliff dwellings.
The trail is a great short hike for all ages and fitness levels.
Make sure to bring along your zoom camera or binoculars to marvel at the ruins.
See the exhibits at Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum
The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in learning more about the Ancestral Puebloan culture.
It is located along the Mesa Top Ruins park road, about 20 miles from the park entrance.
Visitors can browse through an extensive collection of artifacts, pottery, and photographs preserved by the National Park Service.
The museum also has screens a 20 minute video, ‘Footprints of Our Ancestors’ which describes the fascinating history of this park.
We recommend keeping an hour aside for the museum.
Learn about the history of the Spruce Tree House
Curious to know just how fragile Mesa Verde ruins are?
Take the time to learn about the Spruce Tree House!
It is the third largest as well as one of the best preserved cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park.
The 20-room ruin is nestled in a side canyon off Spruce Tree Canyon and perched on a ledge just below the rim of Chapin Mesa.
The NPS offered tours of the ruin till 2015 but now it can only be seen from above because of the crumbling sandstone rock above the cliff dwelling.
This incredible example of Ancestral Puebloan architecture is a beautiful reminder of how conservation efforts are essential to preserve our heritage.
Make sure to view Spruce Tree House ruins from Spruce Treehouse Overlook Trail behind the museum, which offers stunning views of both the ruin and canyon!
Explore the park geology on Spruce Canyon trail
The Spruce Canyon trail is a 2.4 mile long loop in the Spruce Tree House area behind the Chapin Mesa museum.
It takes you deep within the Spruce Canyon and offers a chance to understand the parks unique geology.
The moderate nature trail starts at Spruce Treehouse Overlook and then continues through spruce and fir trees.
You can see the native plants and trees as well as spot wildlife including deer, squirrels, and plenty of birds.
See the petroglyphs in Mesa Verde
Starting just near the Spruce Canyon trail, you will find the Petroglyph Point Trail.
This is one of our favorite hiking trails in Mesa Verde National Park.
The trail is 2.4 miles long and involves rock steps as well as some scrambling.
The trail takes you to the Petroglyph Panel at 1.4 miles.
This is a beautiful 30 feet wide archeological site with lots of rock art made by the Ancestral Puebloans.
You can walk around and identify the petroglyphs like handprints, spirals, animal figures – there are hundreds of them!
Drive the Mesa Top Loop Road
The Mesa Top Loop Road is perfect for those who want to explore many ruins in a short amount of time.
The road is open year round and quite popular.
It is a 6 mile long road that takes you through the most popular sites of the Mesa Verde National Park, including the Sun Temple and the Square Tower House Overlook.
You can also spot wildlife including mule deer, bobcats, and rabbits on the route.
The views from various overlooks along the road are simply stunning – you can spot the entire Cliff Palace in one frame from the Sun Temple.
We recommend keeping an hour to hour and a half for the drive.
Admire the views from Park Point Fire Lookout
The Park Point Fire Lookout Point is the highest point in Mesa Verde National Park.
It has an altitude of 8572 feet and is very popular to visit.
The observation points are accessible by a short walk of 0.2 miles from the parking lot – to reach, you need to take the detour from Mesa Top Ruins Road.
At Park Point Fire Lookout, visitors can enjoy unparalleled views of both the La Plata Mountains and Mesa Verde Plateau – you can even spot Pagosa Springs and Durango if it’s a clear day!
This is a great spot to catch sunrise or sunset views.
Go off the beaten path at Wetherill Mesa
Chapin Mesa with its museum and popular ruins is the most visited area of Mesa Verde National Park.
If you are looking for more solitude and a unique experience, consider visiting Wetherill Mesa area.
Here you can hike to Step House cliff dwelling on a self guided tour or take a ranger led tour of Long House, the second largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde.
Long House can also be seen from an overlook.
Wetherill Mesa is open only from spring to fall and requires significant walking or biking to access the cliff dwellings.
Enjoy a stay at Far View Lodge
The Far View Lodge is the only hotel located inside Mesa Verde National Park.
It has breathtaking views of the La Plata Mountains and overlooks several cliff dwellings.
The lodge also has a restaurant, gift shop and is an excellent place to stay.
We highly recommend spending a few days here to really experience all that Mesa Verde has to offer.
The best part? You can take a short walk and visit the Far View Sites near the lodge – a group of ruins that includes some of the earliest Ancestral Puebloan buildings!
Camp under the stars at Morefield Campground
The Morefield Campground is located on the west side of Mesa Verde National Park, just off HWY 160.
It’s a great spot for camping, hiking and even stargazing!
The campground offers several sites that can accommodate tents or RVs and has full hook-ups.
There are also picnic tables and fire pits.
Several hiking trails also start at the campground.
Enjoy star gazing in Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is one of the best places to go star gazing in Colorado!
It is designated as an International Dark Sky Park and is free from light pollution, making it ideal for stargazing.
At night, you can admire the stars and constellations – an experience that offers visitors a unique perspective of the park.
The best time to stargaze in Mesa Verde is in the summer months when there are no clouds and the moon can be seen due to its low position in the sky – so make sure you bring your telescope!
Admire Mesa Verde in winter
Mesa Verde transforms into a winter wonderland during the colder months.
Despite the cool temperatures, visitors are rewarded with a unique and unforgettable experience.
With fewer crowds and off-season discounts, the park is a peaceful escape where visitors can hike untouched snow-covered trails and see the ancient ruins of the Anasazi culture.
The winter landscape, blanketed in snow, creates an ethereal atmosphere that only adds to the mystical allure of the cliff dwellings.
Mesa Verde is one of the most unique national parks in America.
Its name literally translates to ‘green table’ – a verdant plateau that preserves these rich historical ruins in southwestern Colorado.
No matter what you’re looking for – adventure, stunning views, and cultural insights – Mesa Verde is an amazing place to visit.
What is your favorite part about visiting Mesa Verde National Park? Let us know below!