Balcony House Educational Tours
Left: Visitors entering Balcony House via 32 ft. ladder. Top middle: North Courtyard. Top right: Exit ladder and stone steps. Bottom middle: Looking back at the Kiva Courtyard. Bottom right: Exit tunnel.
NPS PHOTO
The majority of the park is self-guided. However, subject to availability and staffing, Mesa Verde National Park is able to offer a 1- 1/2 hour, curriculum-based, ranger-guided tour of Balcony House, at no cost for 3rd to 12th grade educational groups. Group size - 10 students minimum to 30 students maximum per tour. Each tour must have at least one (and no more than three) adult for every ten students. The Balcony House tour is an adventurous cliff dwelling tour that involves climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft (20m) open rock face with two 10ft (3m) ladders to exit the site. Programs are available April to mid-May, and September to mid-October. If you are planning an educational visit to the park during these times, and would like to request a tour, please contact the education coordinator at (970) 529-5079.
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Did You Know?
In 1891, Swedish scientist Gustaf Nordenskiold studied, explored, and photographed many of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings. Considered by many to be the first true archeologist at Mesa Verde, his book, "The Cliff Dwellers of the Mesa Verde," was the first extensive record of its cliff dwellings.