High
Storm risk
$8/person
Tour tickets
267 sites
Campground
$30
7-day fee
Certified
Dark sky park
UNESCO
World heritage site
Storm & Elevation SafetyAfternoon storms▾
Park Entrance & Fees1 entrance · $30▾
Only Entrance
Usually Open
US-160, between Mancos & Cortez, CO
A single entrance road off US-160 — about 35 miles west of Durango. From the entrance station, it's another ~21 miles (roughly an hour) south along a steep, narrow, winding park road to reach Chapin Mesa and the cliff dwellings.
💡 Fill up on gas before entering — services inside the park are limited, and the drive to the mesa top is long.
NPS directions ↗
Visitor Center
At Entrance
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
Right at the park entrance off US-160 — the place to buy cliff dwelling tour tickets in person, get current road/weather conditions, and pick up maps before the long drive in.
💡 Cliff dwelling tour tickets are also available online at Recreation.gov, 14 days in advance.
Visitor center hours ↗
Cliff Dwelling Tours$8/person▾
Cliff Palace Ticket Required ▾
Capacity50 people/tour
Duration~45 minutes
Difficulty4 ladders, ~100 ft elevation change
NotesThe largest known cliff dwelling in North America
Balcony House Ticket Required ▾
Capacity35 people/tour
Duration~1 hour
Difficulty32-ft ladder + narrow tunnel crawl
NotesNPS's own "most adventurous" tour — not for the claustrophobic
Long House Ticket Required · Seasonal ▾
Capacity30 people/tour
Duration90 min · 2.25 mi round trip
DifficultyTwo 15-ft ladders
NotesWetherill Mesa · second-largest dwelling · open May 22–Oct 21, 2026
Step House No Ticket Needed ▾
AccessSelf-guided
Duration~1 mi round trip
NotesWetherill Mesa · ranger present when staffed · open May 22–Oct 21, 2026
Square Tower House Overlook Only ▾
AccessView from Mesa Top Loop Rd
NotesNo ticket needed for the overlook — a separate strenuous ranger tour with 3 ladders exists seasonally
Spruce Tree House Closed Since 2015 ▾
StatusClosed to visitors
ReasonOngoing rock fall danger; stabilization work in progress
NotesStill viewable year-round from an overlook near the Mesa Verde Museum
Campground Availability267 sites▾
Morefield Campground Reservation Only ▾
Total Sites267
Breakdown235 dry tent/RV · 15 full-hookup RV · 17 group
Location~4 mi from park entrance, NOT near Chapin Mesa
SeasonSpring–fall (closed in winter)
AmenitiesCamp store, showers, coin laundry, gas nearby
Book on Recreation.gov ↗
Morefield is the park's only campground. It sits near the entrance, well before the ~20-mile drive further in to the cliff dwellings and museum — plan for a full day if you want to camp and tour dwellings on the same trip.
Landmarks & Museum4 stops▾
Chapin Mesa2 stops▾
Mesa Verde MuseumAncestral Pueblo exhibits, orientation film, store & café8:30am–4:30pm
Spruce Tree House OverlookYear-round view of the closed dwelling, adjacent to the museum~10 min
Park Point & Wetherill Mesa2 stops▾
Park PointHighest point in the park · historic fire lookout tower · 360° Four Corners views8,572 ft
Wetherill MesaLong House, Step House & Badger House Community · 12-mi winding access road, vehicles under 25 ft/8,000 lbs onlyOpen May 22–Oct 21
Stargazing & Night Sky100th IDSP▾
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In 2021, Mesa Verde was certified as the 100th International Dark Sky Park in the world. High mesa-top elevation and distance from major cities make for excellent stargazing away from the Morefield Campground area lights — the mesa-top overlooks near Chapin Mesa and Park Point offer the darkest, most open views. NPS night sky info ↗
Park Contact Information