Park Brochure

Attractions

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Park Point offers superb views of the entire Four Corners region. The fire lookout station here is staffed during the fire season. A brochure available at the Visitor Center describes the natural features of the area.

Far View offers many services for the visitor. The visitor center, open from mid-April through mid-October, displays contemporary Native American arts and crafts, and can assist visitors in planning their visit at Mesa Verde National Park. The visitor center is also the ONLY location where tickets for Ranger-guided tours may be purchased. Commercial tours of Chapin Mesa leave from Far View Motor Lodge. The motor lodge is open from mid-April through October. For reservations, write ARAMARK Mesa Verde, Box 277, Mancos, Colorado 81328. Telephone: 970-529-4421 or 1-800-449-2288. There is a restaurant at the lodge and a cafeteria nearby.

Wetherill Mesa is accessible during the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day) by private vehicle between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Vehicles over 8,000 pounds GVW and/or over 25 feet in length are prohibited. The 12-mile mountain road to Wetherill has sharp curves and steep grades. Please obey the posted speed limits. Roadside pullouts offer spectacular views of the Four Corners region.

Two cliff dwellings, Step House and Long House, are open to the public. Long House requires a ticket to enter. Purchase Long House tickets at the Far View Visitor Center before heading out to Wetherill Mesa. Badger House Community, a mesa top complex near Long House, is accessible over a 3/4 mile trail. Rangers are on duty to interpret the sites. You can buy snacks and cold drinks at Wetherill Mesa.

Chapin Mesa has three major cliff dwellings -- Spruce Tree House, Cliff Palace, and Balcony House. They are open in season for visits, and many others are visible from the Mesa Top Loop Road. An archeological museum with dioramas interprets the life of the Ancestral Puebloan people who once lived in the area. In summer, Rangers conduct tours through Cliff Palace and Balcony House. Current schedules are available at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum or Far View Visitor Center.

Two hiking trails lead into Spruce Canyon. The Petroglyph Point Trail, 2.8 miles, and Spruce Canyon Trail, 2.1 miles both begin along the exit trail from Spruce Tree House Trail. Hikers must register at the Museum or the trail head before walking these trails.

Other cliff dwellings can be seen from canyon-rim vantage points by taking either the self-guided Mesa Top Loop Road or Cliff Palace Loop Road. Wayside exhibits interpret the development of the Ancestral Puebloan culture from the Basketmakers through the Classic period. These roads are open from 8 a.m. until sunset. During winter, the mesa top loops are open as weather permits. When snow conditions permit, visitors may snowshoe or cross-country ski on roadways. When there is snow, cliff dwellings are closed and cannot be entered. Check at the museum for information and conditions.

In winter, rangers lead guided tours (three a day) of Spruce Tree House, weather and trail conditions permitting. Spruce Tree Terrace, selling light snacks, gifts, and souvenirs, is open year-round.

A guidebook for disabled visitors is available at all ranger stations, the visitor center, and the museum.

For Your Safety

Visits to cliff dwellings are strenuous. Altitudes in the park may vary from 6,000 to 8,500 feet. Trails may be uneven; one must frequently climb steps and ladders to see certain sites. Hiking or touring cliff dwellings is not recommended for persons with heart or respiratory ailments. You can view most of the major cliff dwellings from overlooks.

Parents should be alert for their children's safety when near the canyon rims. Do not throw rocks or other objects into the canyons, there may be people below.

Bicycling is permitted on all park roads except those on Wetherill Mesa, but lanes are not designated. Organized bicycle groups are not permitted due to the narrow nature of the park's roads.

Emergency first aid is provided at the Chapin Mesa and Morefield ranger stations. Park roads and trails may be hazardous in winter. Stop at the entrance gate for current information on road conditions and tour schedules.

Trailers and towed vehicles are prohibited beyond Morefield campground. All towed vehicles must be parked at the entrance parking area or at Morefield Village parking area.

Crime Prevention

Park visitors can be the target of professional thieves who rob campsites and locked vehicles. Take your valuables with you or leave them in a secure place. Locked cars and trunks are not completely safe. Report all thefts immediately to the nearest ranger station.

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