• View of Spruce Tree House from overlook

    Mesa Verde

    National Park Colorado

Preserving the “Works of Man”

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

Features

  • Seasonal collage of Mesa Verde National Park images

    2013 Park Schedule

    Mesa Verde is open year-round, but some areas are seasonal. To make the most out of your trip, see what will be available at the time of your visit.

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  • Entrance plaza at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center.

    Get Oriented!

    The long awaited opening of the new Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center has arrived. Please stop in for park orientation... and more.

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  • Visitors with ranger

    Special Backcountry Hikes in 2013

    Mesa Verde offers visitors opportunities in 2013 to learn more about the park through special hikes and tours. See what's available this year.

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  • View from inside Balcony House

    Cliff Palace, Balcony House or Long House

    Want to visit one of these cliff dwellings? You’ll need to purchase a tour ticket first. Learn where to purchase a ticket for a ranger-guided tour.

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  • Visitors encircle a kiva at Cliff Palace

    Preserving Cliff Palace

    Cliff Palace plays an important role in helping us learn about and experience the past. Discover what it takes to preserve this ancient, iconic place.

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  • NPS social media logo

    Follow Us!

    Stay connected and learn what's happening in Mesa Verde National Park. Visit our new Facebook page.

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  • Mesa Verde Museum Association logo, circle with inner geometric designs

    Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA)

    MVMA is a cooperating association and partner of Mesa Verde National Park that provides educational and interpretive material to park visitors.

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  • Mesa Verde Foundation logo, title with illustration of cliff dwelling in background

    The Mesa Verde Foundation (MVF)

    MVF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Mesa Verde National park, including the new Visitor & Research Center opening in late 2012.

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  • Fabric art by artist-in-residence Carol Watkins

    Artists-In-Residence for 2013

    Check out this year's artists-in-residence. Discover when they are presenting their works and join them for their park presentations.

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Did You Know?

The north courtyard of Balcony House

Contrary to popular belief, the Ancestral Puebloan people of Mesa Verde did not disappear. They migrated south to New Mexico and Arizona, and became today’s modern pueblo people.