Mesa Top Loop Audio Tour:
A Pueblo Perspective on Mesa Verde
"Welcome to this special place. My name is TJ Atsye. I am a park ranger at Mesa Verde and am Laguna Pueblo, a direct descendant of the people who used to live here. Please join me as we follow the footsteps left behind by my Pueblo ancestors." Download the audio tour on the National Park Service app or as a podcast on your smart phone and listen in your car as you drive the 6-mile (10 km) Mesa Top Loop. Make sure to fully download the audio tour before beginning the drive, as there is little service along the Mesa Top Loop. You can also listen from home or school to explore Mesa Verde virtually. The entire audio tour lasts 43 minutes.
A podcast series exploring the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people, connecting the experiences of people from the past with people of today. To download, visit Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or SoundCloud.
The series is developed in partnership with KSJD Public Radio, Mesa Verde Museum Association, and Mesa Verde Country.
In partnership with Mesa Verde National Park, CyArk documented Balcony House over two days in February 2017 using LiDAR and terrestrial photogrammetry. The two technologies were combined to generate a textured 3D model of the site which was then sliced to generate drawings.
The result is a new, immersive tour of Balcony House that is available for free through CyArk's online digital portal. Now you can discover Balcony House from your home with an interactive ranger-guided virtual tour.
Videos
Cliff Dwelling Tours
For those trying to decide which cliff dwelling to visit during a trip to Mesa Verde, check out these amazing videos. All have particular aspects that help transport you back over 700 years to when they were home to the Ancestral Pueblo people.
Mesa Verde National Park can be divided into two sections: Chapin Mesa and Wetherill Mesa. Wetherill Mesa provides opportunities for hiking, biking, hiking with pets, and both self- and ranger-guided hikes through spectacular archeological sites, such as Long House, Step House, and Badger House Community Sites.
Check out this short video to help you prepare for a trip out to Wetherill Mesa.
Duration:
5 minutes, 18 seconds
Ranger Shorts Video Series
2016 was a landmark year for the National Park Service (NPS) as we celebrated 100 years! So in honor of the NPS Centennial, the park posted a number of videos of rangers sharing their love for parks and what working for the National Park Service means to them. We hope these videos continue to inspire.
The forces of nature that formed the shelters containing Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings are still active, and the alcove surrounding Spruce Tree House has become particularly unstable. Learn about the history and reasons behind the current Spruce Tree House closure.
Duration:
3 minutes, 39 seconds
Spruce Tree House can be seen from overlooks near the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. Rangers are available to answer questions. There are many other things to see and do while in the park including a visit to the Museum; visiting sites along the Mesa Top Loop with views of other cliff dwellings, including Cliff Palace; exploring Far View Sites; and hiking trails. In the late-spring, summer, and early-fall months, tours of other cliff dwellings such as Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Long House, and Step House are available. Please check thepark scheduleto see what is available at the time of your visit.
