Plan Your Visit

 

READ FIRST: Modified Operations Due to Novel (New) Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Due to COVID-19, we are currently under modified operations. We highly suggest you begin by visiting the Online Virtual Ranger Station and Operational Updates to get the most up-to-date information about what is available at the time of your visit.

 

Use the selection of links below, or the full navigation above to help plan your next visit to the park.

• Operational Updates (What's Open, What's Closed)
  Be informed! Get updates on all modified operations due to COVID-19 that may affect your visit.

• Online Virtual Ranger Station
  Although the cliff dwellings are currently closed, there is still much to see and do. Use our Virtual Ranger Station to plan your visit to the park.

• Self-guided Tours
  There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the park on your own, including magnificent cliff dwelling tours and hiking trails.

• Mesa Top Loop Drive Audio Tour: A Pueblo Perspective
  Use this link to download and listen along in your car as you drive the 6-mile (10km) Mesa Top Loop, or on your phone as you explore the ten stops along the way. You will join Park Ranger TJ Atsye from Laguna Pueblo, as she leads you along the footsteps left behind by her Pueblo ancestors.

• Basic Information Find links to basic information for visiting the park, including directions, entrance fee, operating hours & seasons, and more.

• Directions & Transportation
  Are you looking for Wetherill Mesa? Planning to visit to Cliff Palace or drive the Mesa Top Loop? Perhaps you just want to know how far it is to drive from the park entrance to see Spruce Tree House. A map might be just the thing you need.

• Places to Go
  There are many places to go in the park. You will want to make your first stop at the Mesa Verde Visitor & Research Center, near the park entrance.

• Things to Do
  Whether you are spending a half-day or three days, preplanning will help you make the most of your visit to Mesa Verde National Park. You can also make the most of your time by downloading the latest visitor guide.

• Visiting a Cliff Dwelling
  Mesa Verde is famous for the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings constructed within its cliff alcoves. Check out the cliff dwellings page to find out what sites are open, and whether they are available on a self-guided or guided-tour only basis. You can also watch these videos to help you decide which cliff dwelling you'd like to visit.

• Purchasing Cliff Dwelling Tour TIckets
  The cost and location for purchasing tickets vary, depending on the type of ranger-guided tour. Find out the best place or method to purchase your tour tickets.

• Eating and Sleeping
  Learn where to eat, lodge, and camp in the park. A cafe is open year-round. Others, such as Far View Lodge, Morefield Campground, and additional restaurants are available in late-spring, summer, and early-fall.

• Safety
  We want your visit to Mesa Verde to be a safe and enjoyable one. Please become familiar with a few safety tips and keep them in mind while exploring the park.

• Accessibility
  Mesa Verde National Park has some accessibility limitations for people with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments. Learn what these are and some of the special features that are available.

• Field Trip Planning for Schools
  Are you a teacher planning a field-trip to Mesa Verde? Check out the field trip planning information before your school's visit.