Mesa Verde National Park is committed to providing inspiring experiences to people of all abilities.Whether you are attending an interpretive program, exploring the exhibits at the visitor center, or having an adventure on one of our trails, we strive to make this special place as accessible as possible.
The Visitor and Research Center, Mesa Verde Museum, and many paved trails and overlooks are easily accessible. Other trails do not meet accessible grade limits, but may be accessible with assistance. Cliff dwelling tours involve trails that include steep dropoffs, rough trails, uneven steps, and climbing ladders. Visit Recreation.gov to read more about individual tours.
Below, you can find more information about the relative accessibility of different attractions within Mesa Verde. To check what's currently open, please see Hours of Operation.
Accessible Information
Download the National Park Service App for accessible information. Brochures are available at the Visitor and Research Center, the Mesa Verde Museum, and at trailheads and overlooks around the park. The park film plays daily at the Museum (and ), with captions and audio description. Assistive listening devices are available.from the Museum front desk.
Service Animals
Service animals are allowed anywhere that you are allowed to go in Mesa Verde. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Follow the link fo more information about visiting with Service Animals
Accessibility of Places
FACILITIES
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
Fully Accessible.This location has designated parking, ramps, accessible restrooms, drinking fountains, and wheelchairs for loan.
Mesa Verde Museum
We are currently in the process of renovating our museum to make it fully compliant with ADA accessibility standards. Most of the Museum, including the lobby, auditorium with the park film, the bookstore, and most exhibit galleries are now fully accessible. The park film plays daily at the Museum (and ), with captions and audio description. Assisted listening devices are available from the Museum front desk. Wheelchairs are available to borrow.
Park Headquarters
Accessible with assistance. This location has designated parking, accessible restrooms, drinking fountains, telephones, a picnic area, bookstore. The Spruce Tree Terrace offers accessible food services nearby.
Morefield Campground
Wheelchair accessible campsites are available along the Apache Loop in Morefield Campground. These sites are level and offer easier mobility without obstacles. Two wheelchair accessible restrooms are also available on the Apache Loop. An accessible, portable toilet is also available at one of the group sites. A fully ADA accessible restroom is located next to the Knife Edge Café at Morefield Village. Please ask about availability of wheelchair accessible camp sites when registering or making your reservation.
Far View Lodge
The Lodge has seven ADA-compliant rooms. There are no stairs in any of the Lodge Room buildings, a ramp from the parking lot to the Lodge entrance, and an elevator in the Lodge lobby for access to the upstairs lodge and the downstairs recreation room. Devices available upon request to attach to room phones to flash with incoming calls.
Restaurants
All of the restaurants in the park—the Far View Terrace, Spruce Tree Terrace, the Metate Room, and Far View Lounge—are fully accessible.
SIGHTS
Spruce Tree House Overlook
An accessible overlook of Spruce Tree House can be found at the covered balcony behind the Chief Ranger's Office, adjacent to the Museum. Spruce Tree House is currently closed due to safety concerns relating to rock falls.
Cliff Dwelling Tours
Cliff dwelling Tours, including to Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House, require ticket reservations. Cliff dwelling tours involve trails with steep dropoffs, rough trails, uneven steps, and climbing ladders. Visit Recreation.gov to read more about individual tours. Please carefully read tour descriptions to ensure that your service animal is capable of accompanying you on tours that involve climbing ladders. On tours with ladders, service animals must be carried in a pack or able to climb ladders on their own. Visitors need to have both hands free for climbing ladders.
Scenic Overlooks
Overlooks are available at Montezuma Valley, Mancos Valley, Geologic Overlook, Park Point, Headquarters, and on the Mesa Top Loop and Cliff Palace/Balcony House drives. Overlooks are accessible with assistance, but may fail to meet legal grade requirements.
Cliff Palace Overlook
The Cliff Palace Overlook is accessed by a paved trail and one flight of stairs. Cliff Palace can also be viewed from an accessile paved overlook at Sun Temple on the Mesa Top Loop.
Mesa Top Loop Road
A 6-mile (9.6 km) paved drive with 10 stops, offering accessible parking and paved trails to ancestral homes and overlooks of cliff dwellings. An audio tour for the Mesa Top Loop is available on the park's app.
Far View Sites
Accessible with assistance. Mesa top sites with gravel and dirt paths. An interpretive brochure is available. Portable toilets are available in the summer.
WETHERILL MESA
Wetherill Mesa is open seasonally for day use only. Many sites are accessible with assistance by paved and/or graveled trails. All Wetherill Mesa trails pass through areas that burned in the 2000 Pony Fire, where there is no shade. Be prepared for sun and weather exposure.
Step House
A steep, paved and graveled, 1-mile (1.6 km) round-trip trail to a cliff dwelling. Open seasonally and only when staffed with a ranger. Access for wheelchairs is via the exit trail only. Wide rim wheels are highly recommended. The steep trail does not meet legal grade requirements. Accessible with assistance.
Badger House Community
Relatively level area with a partially paved and graveled trail to a series of mesa-top ancestral homes. Round-trip distance is 2.25 miles (3.6 km). Accessible with assistance.
Long House Loop
This paved road is available for hiking and biking and is accessible. The road loops around the top of Wetherill Mesa to the Badger House Community (2.5 miles/4 km roundtrip), Long House Overlook (3 miles/4.8 km roundtrip), and Kodak House Overlook (4.5 miles/7.2 km roundtrip). Accessible with assistance.
Contact Us
Please contact us if you need additional information, have questions, or if you experience difficulty accessing the information on this webpage.
E-Mail
Email us to assist with planning your visit.
Mail
Interpretive Rangers
PO Box 8
Mesa Verde, CO
81330
Phone
970-529-4465
