Mesa VerdeNational Park

Trip Planning Links

Operating Hours and Seasons

Visiting in Spring

Visiting in Fall

Alerts Closures and Conditions

Cliff Dwelling Tours

Mesa Verde National Park is Open Year-round

For current weather forecasts please visit the National Weather Service .

A printable park map along with area maps are found on the Maps page. Go to winter activities for winter trail maps.

Learn the best ways to visit with your pets .

Physical Address

This address is for the Visitor and Research Center which is the first visitor contact location after exiting Hwy 160. Mesa top ancestral sites, Cliff dwellings, tours, the Mesa Verde Museum and park headquarters are 20 to 21 miles (approximately 45 minutes) south along the park road.

Operating Hours & Seasons

Current forecast and average temperatures

If you already have an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, that's the only entrance pass you need. Seniors, military, visitors with a permanent disability, and families with a 4th grader are eligible for a free or discounted America the Beautiful pass. If you do not possess any valid pass, click the link for information about entrance fees and passes.

Internet & Cellular Access

Internet & Cellular Access Details

Morefield Campground

Campground Features

Fire/Stove Policy

Operating Hours & Seasons

Contact Information & Directions

Phone number (Voice)

Mailing Address

Physical Address

Additional Information & Regulations

Additional Information

Cell Phone Additional Information

Internet Additional Information

NPS/Spencer Burke

Accessibility Links

Physical/Mobility

Deaf/Hearing Loss

Blind/Low Vision

Visitor and Research Center

When you enter the park request an accessibility brochure from the entrance station, Visitor and Research Center, or the museum. Download the National Park Service App for accessible information.

Service Animals

Service animals are allowed anywhere that you are allowed to go in Mesa Verde National Park including cliff dwelling tours. However, on tours with ladders, service animals must be carried in a pack or able to climb ladders on their own. Visitors must have both hands free for climbing ladders. A service animal is any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal.

Places in the Park

Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center

The Visitor and Research Center is open year-round with accessible parking and road crossings, and a paved walkway. There are audio described, wheelchair accessible, and tactile exhibits. A braille park brochure is free at the ranger desk. Additional features include push button entry, ADA restrooms and drinking fountain, WiFi, and ask about wheelchair availability.

Mesa Verde Museum

The Mesa Verde Museum is 20 miles from the park entrance. Visitors can watch the 17-minute, captioned park film and request an assisted listening device. Wheelchairs are available to borrow. There are ramps throughout the museum where a selection of ancestral and modern-day cultural items are on display. With 24-hour advance request, pottery samples can be made available to touch. WiFi is provided by the Mesa Verde Association Park Store.

Spruce Tree House

Spruce Tree House is the best preserved and third-largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park. It is best viewed from the covered back porch (see top photo) of a historic building to the right of the Museum. A closer vantage point is from an overlook down a paved steep path.

Morefield Campground

Some camp sites are accessed by steps or are located on uneven terrain. There are several designated, accessible camp sites and comfort stations (with flush toilets) available along the Apache Loop. See Camping for more information.

The Lodge has seven ADA 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.

All of the restaurants in the park—the Far View Terrace, Spruce Tree Terrace, the Metate Room, and Far View Lounge—are fully accessible.

Overlooks Along the Way

Mancos Overlook: On the left four miles from entrance, paved walk to exhibit and covered picnic table.

Montezuma Overlook: Near milepost 6, no designated parking but curbless access to vault toilets, two exhibits, and a covered picnic table.

Park Point: Near milepost ten on the right, accessible parking, restrooms, and picnic tables. From the parking area, the highest point in the park at 8572 feet (2613 m) elevation is reached via a very steep hike on pavement. Once on top, there are two viewpoints and a historic fire lookout.

Geologic Overlook: Between mileposts 12 and 13, vault toilet, no designated parking, curbless area, paved walkway, exhibits. A steep incline to the second viewpoint

Cliff Dwelling Tours

Driving Tours and Self Guided Sites

Mesa Top Loop Road

Mesa Top Loop is 6-miles (10 km) with 12 ancestral sites and viewpoints, and two stops with toilets. A printed guide is found at the first and last sites, and exhibits are at all stops. Excavated sites are protected with a roof. The accessibility brochure which is available from the entrance station, Visitor and Research Center, or the Museum offers brief descriptions of the access to each ancestral site. Download an audio tour on the National Park Service app and save Mesa Verde off line. Then go to "Self-guided Tours" and listen to the Mesa Top Loop Audio Tour as your explore the sites. Or, download the audio tour as a podcast on your smart phone and listen in your car as you drive. Download the audio tour on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , or Spotify . Make sure to download before entering the park, because service is limited within the park.

Cliff Palace Loop

Cliff Palace Loop Road is 6-miles (10 km) with viewpoints. Binoculars are helpful to see cliff dwellings across the canyons.

Far View is an ancient farming community where people lived from the CE 700s into the early 1200s. A ¾-mile (1.2 km) dirt trail, sometimes rutted, muddy, and uneven, passes by five villages and a reservoir. A supplemental, archeolgical, trail guide is found near the trailhead. Two sites may be seen from your vehicle.

Cedar Tree Tower

Cedar Tree Tower is located less than 5 yards (4.6 m) from the parking area and can be viewed from your vehicle. In the same area is the 0.5 mile (0.8km) Farming Terrace Loop Trail. This is an opportunity to view an example of check dams built by Ancestal Pueblo farmers.

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 accessible paved overlook at Sun Temple on the Mesa Top Loop.

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.

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.

Please contact us if you need additional information, have questions, or if you experience difficulty accessing the information on this webpage.

Email us to assist with planning your visit.

Interpretive Rangers PO Box 8 Mesa Verde, CO 81330

Key Information

Get an entrance pass All visitors must have one of these entrance passes: Pass Price Standard Pass $15.00–$30.00 Annual Pass $55.00 America the Beautiful Pass (includes Senior Passes) FREE–$250.00 Help me choose an entrance pass

Plan to go cashless This park does not accept cash.

Choosing an Entrance Pass

Do you have or qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful Pass?

If you already have an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, that's the only entrance pass you need. Seniors, military, visitors with a permanent disability, and families with a 4th grader are eligible for a free or discounted America the Beautiful pass.

America the Beautiful Pass

How often do you plan to visit national parks in the next 12 months?

If you don't qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful pass, we recommend choosing an entrance pass based on your trip plans.

Entrance Passes

Standard Entrance Pass

If you enter the park in a motorized vehicle, your entrance pass covers both you and your passengers. Your passengers do not need a separate pass.

Private Vehicle (May 1-Oct 22) $30.00

In-person Purchase Locations

Item no longer exists Credit/Debit Only

Motorcycle (May 1-Oct 22) $25.00

Private Vehicle (Oct 23-Apr 30) $20.00

Motorcycle (Oct 23-Apr 30) $15.00

For Individuals without a Vehicle

If you enter the park on a bicycle or on foot and are at least 16 years old, you need your own entrance pass. Children under the age of 16 don't need an entrance pass.

Per Person (May 1-Oct 22) $15.00

Per Person (Oct 23-Dec 31) $15.00

Annual Entrance - Park

Details: Fee good for a year, beginning from the date of sale.

US citizens and residents

America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at lands managed by

National Park Service

US Fish & Wildlife Service

US Forest Service

Bureau of Land Management

Bureau of Reclamation

US Army of Corps of Engineers

Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers One private vehicle fee or Four per person fees

America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen . Passholders must show valid photo identification (ID) with each pass.

How to Get an America the Beautiful Pass

Physical passes can be purchased or picked up at over 1,000 federal recreation sites.

Purchase and pickup locations

To receive your pass by mail, order online at the USGS Online Store . Online orders are for physical passes, not digital passes, and may take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Order receipts may not be used in place of a physical pass. We recommend ordering at least three weeks in advance of your visit, or picking up a pass in person instead.

Skip the wait! Get a Digital America the Beautiful Pass through recreation.gov. Your digital pass can be saved to a mobile device and used immediately.

Get a Digital America the Beautiful Pass

2026 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to US citizens and residents (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

February 16 : Presidents Day (Washington's Birthday)

May 25 : Memorial Day

June 14: Flag Day/President Trump's birthday

July 3–5: Independence Day weekend

August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service

September 17: Constitution Day

October 27 : Theodore Roosevelt's birthday

November 11: Veterans Day

Entrance fees are credit/debit only.

Can I use contactless payments such as Apple Pay or my pre-paid Wallet phone App?

Yes, you can use Apple Pay and other contactless payments systems at the entrance stantion.

Can I use cash inside the park for food and gifts?

Yes, cash and cards are accepted inside the park for purchases.

How are my fee dollars used?

Entrance Fees: Commercial Tours

Commercial Tour Fees good for 7 days only if tour maintains the same group of people for each re-entry.

Entrance Fees - Non-Commercial Tours

A per-person fee is charged for organized non-commercial groups in vehicles with a capacity of more than 16 persons. Organized non-commercial groups include church groups, college/school groups, scouts, service organizations, etc. All holders of America The Beautiful Interagency Passes, Golden Passports, Annual Mesa Verde passes, and those under 16 years of age will be exempt from payment of fees. ( The above-named passes allow free entrance to individual pass holders under the conditions stated on the pass .)

The total fee charged for an Organized Non-Commercial Group will not exceed the charge for a commercial tour fee.

Non-Commercial Group Fee (based on vehicle capacity) Non-Commercial Group Fee good for 7 days only for the same group of people for each re-entry.

Less than 16 Person Capacity

16-25 Person Capacity

26+ Person Capacity

Mesa Verde National Park is in Southwestern Colorado. The park entrance is along Highway 160 between the towns of Mancos and Cortez, Colorado and about 35 miles west of Durango, Colorado. Once you enter the park, the first view of a cliff dwelling is 21 miles (approximately 45 minutes) along a steep, narrow, and winding road.

Getting Here by Car The Mesa Verde Headquarters and Chapin Mesa area (which includes the cliff dwellings and the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum) is a one-hour drive from Cortez, Colorado, heading east on Highway 160 to the park turnoff. It is a 1.5 hour drive from Durango, Colorado, heading west on Highway 160 to the park turnoff.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles - Do you plan to travel to the park in an alternative fuel vehicle? If so, good for you! Your actions help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce petroleum use. Plan your trip with the Alternative Fueling Station Locator from the Department of Energy (search using zip code 81330).

Getting Here by Plane The nearest airports are Cortez, Colorado; Durango, Colorado; and Farmington, New Mexico.

Getting Here by Bus The closest bus terminal is located in Durango, Colorado. Car rental is needed to get from the bus terminal to the park. The entrance to Mesa Verde is 35 miles from Durango.

Getting Around in the Park A vehicle is needed to explore Mesa Verde National Park. Please see our Getting Around page for information on driving and bicycling in the park.

You can help preserve the park's unique resources by knowing and following these basic regulations. More policies, such as the Superintendent's Compendium, can be found on the Laws & Policies page.

Park Rules • Mesa Verde’s backcountry is closed. It is illegal to hike off trail. • Camping is allowed only in designated campground. • Marijuana is illegal on federal land, including national parks. • Drones are illegal in national parks. • Archeological resources are fragile and protected. Please do not touch, climb, sit, or lean on ancient walls. Plan Ahead You will drive at least 50 miles (80 km) to visit Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings. Don't run out of gas. Morefield Campground is the only place in the park to fill up. Most of the park is remote and without reliable cell service. Share the Road

Park roads are steep, narrow, and winding. Do not stop on the roadway; use pullouts or overlooks. Watch for wildlife, pay close attention to your speed around curves, and obey all traffic signs.

Bicyclists use caution! The road is steep and paved shoulders are rare. Ride in single file and stay as far to the right as possible. Bicyclists, like motor vehicle drivers, must comply with traffic regulations. From sunset to sunrise, your bicycle must exhibit a white light on the front visible from 500 feet and a red light or reflector on the rear visible for 300 feet. You must also use your lights in the tunnel.

Please note that bicycles are not allowed on pedestrian trails or on the Wetherill Mesa Road. Once out on Wetherill Mesa, the 5-mile Long House Loop is open for bicycles. Some additional trails on Wetherill Mesa are open for bicycles, while others are for pedestrians only. Please check signs at trailheads before taking your bicycle on any trail. Bicycles are not permitted on any trail except those marked as open to bicycles.

Can You Hear Me?

Once you drive through the park entrance, cell phone service is limited. You can find telephones at park facilities. Wi-Fi service is available at the Morefield Campground Store, Far View Lodge, Far View Terrace, and Spruce Tree Terrace.

Keep wildlife wild! Feeding wild animals is dangerous to you and unhealthy for them. Wild animals can carry deadly diseases, including hantavirus, plague and rabies. Repeated human contact with wildlife may cause animals to lose their natural fear of humans and become aggressive. Always view wildlife from the safety of your car or from a distance. Do not approach animals to feed or take photographs, and teach children not to chase, tease, or pick up animals. Please report any animal that may appear sick or injured.

Keep your food, cooking equipment, and garbage in your vehicle with the windows closed, hard-sided trailer, or food locker, especially in the campground.

Carry and drink plenty of water. Dehydration and altitude sickness are common causes of illness at Mesa Verde. Elevations range between 7,000 and 8,400 feet (2134 m and 2560 m), and the climate is dry. Carry water with you everywhere, and drink it. You can fill your reusable water bottle at all park facilities. Water is also available at Cliff Palace and the Wetherill Mesa Information Kiosk during the summer months.

Pets Need to Be Protected Too

Leashed pets are allowed on roads, parking lots, and some paved areas (Mesa Top Loop, Park Point, Long House Loop, and the Nordenskiöld Site #16 Trail). Pets are not allowed on trails, in archeological sites, or in buildings. Do not leave pets unattended. Please remember that your pet is as susceptible to the heat as you are. Keep your pet hydrated and cool. Pets should be left unattended within motor vehicles only with proper ventilation and water, and only in weather that is not hazardous to the animal. With daytime temperatures at Mesa Verde ranging from 80° to over 90° from late-spring to early-fall, the temperature in a car can rise to 120° in a matter of minutes, even with the windows cracked opened. Shady parking places are rare and even on cooler days, temperatures within the car can quickly rise to dangerous levels.

Plan your route carefully, and always inform a friend or family member of your planned route and expected return time. Check the weather forecast before departing for your hike. Be especially prepared if you are hiking alone. Depending on the distance of the hike and time of year, we recommend that individuals carry and drink at least a gallon of water each day.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the summer months and can approach quickly. The safest place to be in a thunderstorm is a building, and the next safest is your vehicle. If you are in your car during an active thunderstorm, the best position is to sit with hands on your lap, not touching the door or the dash. If you’re caught outside in an active thunderstorm, do not take cover under trees, avoid being the tallest object, and don’t stand near other tall objects (i.e. lone trees). Keep moving towards a safe place. If you are in a group, try to leave about 15 feet of space between each person. These storms pass quickly but should NOT be taken lightly.

Visiting Cliff Dwellings

Visiting a cliff dwelling can be strenuous. The cliff dwellings are at 7,000 foot (2134 m) elevation. Please consider your physical health before hiking or going on tours. Trails are steep and uneven, with steps and ladders. Visiting cliff dwellings or hiking is not recommended for those with heart or respiratory problems.

Children on Tours Parents, please watch your children at all times - especially on trails, in the cliff dwellings, and near canyon rims. Although there are no height or age restrictions for tours, children must be capable of walking the extent of the trails, climbing ladders, and negotiating steps independently. All infants must be carried in backpacks while on tours and adults carrying children in backpacks must be able to maintain mobility and balance.

Judgment Your safety depends on your own good judgment, adequate preparation, and constant attention. Learn about the physical nature of the tours BEFORE you go. This information is on the website, in the visitor guide handout, at the visitor center, and described by rangers before selling tour tickets and leading the tours. Don't ruin your vacation by having an accident. Your safety is your responsibility.

Winter Visitors

Be prepared and plan for the seasonal conditions of your trip. Temperatures can be in the teens and low 20s from December to March. Visitor services are limited in the winter months, so be prepared with water, snacks, and layers of warm clothing.

Icy roads are common during the winter. The main park road is steep and winding, with shady curves that may be icy any time of day. Drive slowly. Snow tires, all-wheel drive, or chains may be required; if so, signs will be posted near the entrance station. Be sure to watch for and yield to snowplows that may be operating on park roads. Always drive with caution. There are many pull-outs along the road where you can stop for photos or to let other drivers pass.

In Case of Emergency

Contact a ranger or dial 911.

NPS/Spencer Burke

Trail Regulations

It is illegal to hike off trail in Mesa Verde. Hiking is allowed only on designated trails.

Pets are not allowed on trails, except for Nordenskiöld Site #16, Badger House Community, and Long House Loop.

Please do not smoke on trails. Mesa Verde is subject to devastating wildfires.

For winter hiking opportunities, go to our Winter Activities page.

Health and Fitness

Prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.

Prevent altitude sickness, by acclimating to the area before engaging in any activity.

Be Safe & Visit with Respect

All of Mesa Verde is an ancestral home that is sacred to 27 tribes. Please visit with respect by staying on trails and leaving cultural and natural resources where you find them.

Morefield Canyon

Knife Edge Trail Difficulty: Easy Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 60 feet (18 m) Trailhead: Morefield Campground The trail follows a section of the historic park road, built in 1914 along Mesa Verde’s north escarpment. Views to the northwest make this trail a great place to enjoy sunset and the ecosytems are birding hotspot. A serious rockfall occurred along the last quarter of Knife Edge Trail. Please do not enter the rockfall area. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Point Lookout Trail Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 2.2 miles (3.5 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 400 feet (122 m) Trailhead: Morefield Campground Steep switchbacks climb from Morefield Canyon to the top of Point Lookout, the iconic geological formation towering above the park entrance. Hikers are rewarded with views of the San Juan and La Plata Mountains and the Mancos and Montezuma Valleys. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Prater Ridge Trail Difficulty: Strenuous Distance: 7.8 miles (12.6 km) roundtrip North Loop: 5.7 miles (9.2 km) roundtrip; South Loop: 4.6 miles (7.4 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 675 feet (205 m) Trailhead: Morefield Campground After climbing 1.1 miles (1.8 km) to the top of Prater Ridge, hikers may choose to hike either or both loops. Turn right for the longer north loop (3.6 miles/5.7 km), to follow the mesa’s edge high above Montezuma Valley, or left for the south loop (2.4 miles/3.9 km), which looks over Prater and Morefield Canyons. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Petroglyph Point Trail It is highly recommended the trail be hiked counterclockwise. Difficulty: Very Challenging—unmaintained with a narrow passage, stone stairs, steep edges, loose rock, scrambling required. Distance: 2.4 miles (3.9 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 227 feet (69 m) Trailhead: Spruce Tree House Overlook, by the Mesa Verde Museum A rugged and adventurous trail with steep drop offs. Hikers traverse the side of Spruce Canyon, squeezing between boulders and descending narrow stone staircases to reach a large petroglyph panel at 1.4 miles (2.3 km). From here, hikers must climb a 100-foot (30 m) cliff, scrambling up rocks and uneven sandstone steps to the mesa top, before returning through pinyon-juniper forest on the mesa top to complete the loop. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Spruce Canyon Trail Difficulty: Strenuous Distance: 2.4 miles (3.9 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 558 feet (170 m) Trailhead: Spruce Tree House Overlook, by the Chapin Mesa Museum This scenic trail leads hikers down swithchbacks and through shady Spruce Canyon, showcasing Mesa Verde’s diverse ecosystems. A steep climb leads out of the canyon and then passes through the picnic area to return to the museum. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Soda Canyon Overlook Trail Difficulty: Easy Distance: 1.2 miles (1.9 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 70 feet (21 m) Trailhead: on the Cliff Palace Loop, 0.5 miles (0.8 km) past Balcony House A level out-and-back trail that winds through pinyon-juniper forest to three overlooks, where hikers are rewarded with views of Balcony House and other cliff dwellings across Soda Canyon. Trail map and profile (jpg, 2 mb)

Farming Terrace Trail Difficulty: Easy Distance: 0.5 miles (0.8 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 150 feet (45 m) Trailhead: on the Cedar Tree Tower road This short trail drops into a side drainage of Soda Canyon past a series of well-preserved check dams built by Ancestral Pueblo farmers.

Far View Sites Difficulty: Easy Distance: 0.75 miles (1.2 km) roundtrip Trailhead: Far View Sites parking area, along main park road, four miles north of museum. Parking is limited to vehicles under 25 feet. This mesa-top community includes Far View House, four other villages, and a dry reservoir. In ancient times, the community was a place of modest homes interspersed with small farm fields. It was a place filled with people, vibrant life, and constant change. As you follow the woodland trail among the six sites, read the trailside signs to learn about Ancestral Pueblo life in the surrounding landscape between 900 to 1300 CE.

All Wetherill Mesa trails pass through areas burned in the 2000 Pony Fire. There is no shade.

Bicycles are not permitted on the 12-mile road the pavillion. From the parking lot, bicycles, including e-bikes are permitted to overlooks and trailheads.

Pets are permitted on all trails except for the trails leading into Step House and Long House.

Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 95 feet (29 m) Trailhead: Wetherill Mesa Kiosk Pets allowed Follow the gravel trail south from the Wetherill Mesa kiosk, then turn right at the sign to follow the Nordenskiöld Site #16 Trail to an overlook of a cliff dwelling in Rock Canyon. This village of about 50 rooms is named for the Swedish scholar Gustaf Nordenskiöld, who excavated the site in 1891. Trail map and profile (jpg, 1.5 mb)

Badger House Community Trail Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 2.25 miles (3.6 km) roundtrip Elevation Change: 111 feet (34 m) Trailhead: Wetherill Mesa Kiosk Pets allowed Take the gravel trail south from the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk, pass the junction to Nordenskiöld Site #16 Trail and cross the paved Long House Loop to explore the 1-mile (1.6 km) loop through the Badger House Community—four excavated mesa top villages representing 600 years of Pueblo history.

Download Park Maps

Mesa Verde National Park map (printable 8.5 x 11") (jpg, 5.4 mb)

Chapin Mesa map (jpg, 2.3 mb)

Wetherill Mesa map (jpg, 2.1 mb)

Headquarters and Chapin Museum area map (jpg, 2.3 mb)

Mesa Verde Maps, Harper Ferry Center

NPS/Spencer Burke

Visiting with Your Pet

Pets must be leashed (6 feet/1.8 m or shorter leash) and under controll at all times. Leashed pets are allowed on roads, parking lots, and paved areas on Mesa Top Loop and Park Point but not on trails, in ancestral sites or buildings. At Wetherill Mesa, pets are permitted on all trails except for the trails leading into Step House and Long House.

Leashed pets are allowed on roads, parking lots, and paved areas on Mesa Top Loop and Park Point but not on trails, in ancestral sites or buildings.

At Wetherill Mesa, pets are permitted on all trails except for the trails leading into Step House and Long House.

Do not leave pets tethered or unattended.

You must clean up after your pet.

Service Animals

Service animals are allowed anywhere that you are allowed to go in Mesa Verde. For more information, visit the service animals page.

Keep Your Pets Safe

Keep your pets well hydrated and cool. Water is available at the restrooms in the Park Headquarters area and at the Visitor & Research Center, and seasonally at the Morefield Campground, Wetherill Mesa, and Cliff Palace parking lot. Temperatures at Mesa Verde are often too high to safely leave pets inside vehicles. Leaving a window open is not enough: temperatures inside cars can rise nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit within ten minutes, with with windows cracked. If hiking with your pet at Wetherill, consider not only the air temperature but also the temperature of the paved trails. Hot pavement can injure paws that are not protected.

Sometimes your pets are happier, and safer, staying at home.

A kennel is available in the Morefield Campground. See the kennel section of Aramark's Morefield Campground webpage , or call the kennel at 970-565-2133, for current information on kennel hours and pricing. The following organizations can provide additional information on boarding pets in neighboring communities:

Mesa Verde Country

Colorado Welcome Center Cortez, CO

Mancos Visitor Center Mancos, CO 970-533-7434 Open spring, summer, and fall

Dolores Visitor Center Dolores, CO 970-882-4018

Durango Area Tourism Office Durango, CO 970-247-3500 or 800-463-8726

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The Local Forecast

The closest weather station to Mesa Verde National Park is at the Cortez-Montezuma County Airport at 5,902 feet (1799 m). While in the park, you will be traveling between 7000 feet (2134 m) and 8400 feet (2560 m) in elevation, so expect varying conditions.

Hazardous Weather Conditions

Current Conditions

Humidity Wind Speed Barometer Dewpoint Visibility Wind Chill

Extended Graphical Forecast for This Location

Current Observations

Annual Snowfall recorded by CSU

Weather Conditions Throughout the Year

During the winter, the weather is usually mild, however, snowstorms can occur as late as May and as early as October. June through September are warm to hot, with cool evenings. Daytime summer temperatures can reach into the 90s, so be sure to drink plenty of water. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August and pose a hazard. In case of lightning, the safest place to be is inside your car.

Mean Maximum Temperature

Mean Minimum Temperature

Average Precipitation

Average Number of Clear Days

NOTE: All temperatures are measured in Fahrenheit and all precipitation is measured in inches.