Spring is a wonderful time to experience Mesa Verde National Park. Parts of the park begin to reopen as the winter chill thaws. Many cliff dwellings, including Cliff Palace (via Sun Temple) and Spruce Tree House, can be seen from overlooks, but they cannot be toured at this time of year. The tour season begins May 12th.
For those interested in snow-related activities including snowshoeing and skiing, check out our winter conditions page here: Winter at Mesa Verde
Visitor & Research Center and bookstore - Open daily 8:30 am-4 pm
Main Park Road - Open 24/7, barring winter storm closure
Chapin Mesa Museum - Open 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Spruce Tree House Overlook
Mesa Top Loop Road - Open daily 8 am to sunset, weather dependent
Cliff Palace Loop Road - Open daily 8 am to sunset, weather dependent
Petroglyph Point Trail and Spruce Canyon Trail - Traction devices (boot spikes, Yaktraks, etc) are highly reccomended
Morefield Campground Trails (Point Lookout, Knife Edge, and Prater Ridge) - Snowshoes or skiis may be required
Mesa Verde Historic Administrative District
Cedar Tree Tower - Open daily 8 am-sunset
Far View Sites - Open daily 8 am-sunset; please see info attached to the gate upon arrival
Park Point - Open daily 8 am-sunset
Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe and Gift Store - 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Closed
Cliff Dwelling Tours - Limited tours starting May 6th, full opening May 12th
Wetherill Mesa - Closed for the 2024 season
Spruce Tree House - Closed due to danger from rockfall
Morefield Camgpround - Primitive camping April 11 - April 25; full services open April 26th
Far View Terrace - Opening April 17th
Far View Lodge - Opening April 17th
All activities depend on road, trail, and weather conditions. Please check with the ranger at the entrance gate for current conditions. We recommend good hiking boots or snow boots, warm layered clothing, a hat, gloves, snacks, sunglasses, and water.
Reservations are not needed to enter the park. There is no overnight camping or lodging in the park at this time. Accommodations are available in nearby communities. Limited food service is available at the Spruce Tree Terrace. Check current hours of operation.
Plan Your Visit
Use the following suggestions to help plan your visit, or ask a park ranger for advice at the Visitor and Research Center.
Drive the Mesa Top Loop Road, a six-mile loop designed as an introduction to the history and culture of the Ancestral Pueblo people at Mesa Verde, and listen to the Mesa Top Loop audio tour (43 minutes). Make sure you download the tour before starting the drive; service is spotty in much of the park.
If you have a day:
Walk the .75-mile (1.2 km) trail through old-growth pinyon-juniper forest between the Far View Sites, a mesa-top farming community with five excavated villages and a reservoir. The gate to Far View will remain closed during snowy conditions. However, visitors are allowed to walk or snowshoe in to visit the Far View Sites during normal open hours, 8 am to sunset.
Visit Park Point, the highest point in the park at 8,427 feet (2,569 m), and enjoy dramatic 360° views of the entire Four Corners region.
Hike the Petroglyph Point Trail, with a cliffside view of old-growth pinyon-juniper woodlands. This out-and-back nature hike is 2.4 miles (3.9 km) roundtrip on rough terrain. Expect icy and/or muddy trail conditions. Traction devices are recommended. Park trails sometimes close during snowy conditions. Please check with a ranger for information on current closures.
Snowshoe or cross-country ski in the park, conditions permitting. Check current conditions and read about skiing and snowshoeing opportunities on our Winter Activities page. Ask at the Visitor Center or Entrance Station about borrowing snowshoes. Please check with a ranger for the most up-to-date information.
Explore more of Mesa Verde's nearly 30 miles of hiking trails. Depending on snow conditions, hiking trails may be closed, or open for snowshoe and cross-country ski use only. Check with a ranger for current conditions and closures.
