Event

Cliff Palace Ranger-Led Tours (reservation required) (45-minute tours) 50 people per tour

Mesa Verde National Park

Fee:

General Admission $8.00 Infant (ages 2 and under) $1.00 Cancellation Fee $1.00 per ticket

Location: LAT/LONG: 37.000000, -108.000000


From the park entrance, drive 20 miles (32.2 km) to the all-way stop on Chapin Mesa Road. Turn left. Drive 0.4 miles (0.6 km) and turn left onto the Cliff Palace Loop. Drive 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to the Cliff Palace parking lot. To make sure you arrive on time, allow 75 minutes to drive to Cliff Palace from the park entrance. Meet the ranger at the Cliff Palace Overlook. You MUST arrive 15 minutes early for a safety and logistics briefing.

Repeating Event

Days:

Every day

Dates:

August 06, 2024 to October 22, 2024

Time:

9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM

Duration:

45 minutes

Type of Event

Guided Tour

9:00 am to 11:30 am every ½ hour and 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm every ½ hour


Description

Cliff Palace is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. Built between 1190 and 1280 CE, Cliff Palace was once home to over 100 people. Today, it stands as a testament to the engineering and artistic achievements of the Ancestral Pueblo people. For a virtual tour of Cliff Palace, go to https://go.nps.gov/CPvideo.

What to expect

Each tour is limited to 50 people.

On this 45-minute ranger-led tour, you will descend uneven stone steps and climb four ladders, with an elevation change of 100 ft (30 m). Total walking distance is 1/4 mile (0.4 km). All persons, including children, must be capable of climbing the ladders on their own. Infants must be placed in a carrier and the adults carrying them must be able to maintain mobility and balance while climbing.

Know your physical health before joining a tour of Cliff Palace, especially if you have heart or respiratory problems, or other physical difficulties. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 ft (2134 m and 2286 m) above sea level. You should plan for all weather possibilities because conditions can vary.


More information

Reservation or Registration: Yes

Tour reservations are made only on recreation.gov or by calling the toll free number 1-877-444-6777. Reservations are available 14 days in advance, beginning at 8:00 am MDT and fill up early. However, if someone cancels their reservation these tickets become available and can be purchased only at recreation.gov up to two hours before a tour. Reserving a tour is much easier if you create a recreation.gov account in advance. Go to recreation.gov and select the "Sign Up/Log In" tab in the upper right corner. You will receive digital confirmation and a digital ticket which is your reservation. You will not receive a paper ticket. Please take a screenshot of your reservation or print a paper copy before you arrive at the park and bring it with you to show the ranger before your tour. Without it, you will not be allowed on a tour. Because cell service is extremely limited, reservations cannot be accessed at tour sites. American Sign Language interpreters are available for ancestral site tours upon request. Please make your reservation through recreation.gov then contact the park with a request for an ASL interpreter at least one week in advance of your tour reservation.
Make Reservation or Register