Mesa Verde National Park

An anthropologist’s haven, Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the red, windblown mesas and on the cliffs of Mesa Verde National Park for over 700 years. The 600 cliff dwellings that remain are among the bestpreserved — and most notable — on the North American continent. Atop the mesas, you can see everything from a ceremonial temple to a farming community and several tower sites.

Offering a remarkable glimpse into the past, the UNESCO World Heritage-designated national park preserves the cultural heritage of 26 tribes, which you can gain further insight into at the park’s Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum.

An International Dark Sky Park, Mesa Verde is home to several species found nowhere else on earth, and over 1,000 species in total.

Yaroslav Muzychenko

The Flora and Fauna

Situated in the Colorado Plateau Province, the high-elevation park is marked by deep canyons and an arid climate. The resulting plant communities — mixed herb grasslands, pinyon-juniper woodlands and mountain shrubland — contain 640 species of plants that support a wide array of resident and migratory wildlife. The Audubon Society’s Colorado Important Bird Area (IBA) has two Protected Activity Centers and three breeding Core Areas spanning 5,312 acres, dedicated to the threatened Mexican spotted owl.

Likewise, The Nature Conservancy and The Colorado Natural Heritage Program have classified the entirety of the park within its Network of Conservation Areas (NCA) given the exceptional rare plant and animal species within. Beyond nativeamphibians and fish, it protects the rare black swallowtail butterfly, its larvae feeding on the park’s rare, endemic Mesa Verde wandering aletes.

The Weather

Like many parks out west, Mesa Verde experiences varying weather conditions that can quickly change. Although winters tend to be mild, snowstorms have occurred as late as May and as early as October. The months of June through September are warm to hot, though evenings turn pleasantly cool. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August, ushering in potentially hazardous lightning.

Keep on top of road, trail and weather conditions on the national park website.

The Hikes, Drives and Viewpoints

Laura Seaman

Many of the park’s easiest loops pass by cliff dwellings, which you can explore while observing the ancient art within.

Petroglyph Point Trail

Get your heart pumping on the Petroglyph Point Trail, which descends 2.6 miles into Mesa Verde’s Spruce and Navajo canyons before rising back up, with scrambles, stunning viewpoints and narrow passages en route.

Take a ranger-led tour along the Cliff Palace Loop to climb eight-10-foot ladders, entering Balcony House and Cliff Palace. The latter is thought to have once contained 150 rooms and 23 kivas, not to mention a population of about 100 residents.

Step House Trail

Short and mostly paved, the .9-mile, self-guided Step House Trail features a 100-foot descent and ascent on a winding path, culminating in an exploration of its namesake dwelling that supported the work of two occupations, basketmaking and masonry. This hike is led by rangers in the winter when other sites are closed.

Long House Tour (Ranger Led)

For a two-hour, ranger-led tour of Long House, head to Wetherill Mesa in the western portion of the park, reached by a steep, winding, 12-mile road beyond the Far View Lodge near mile marker 15.

Far View Sites Complex

Not to be overlooked is the Far View Sites Complex, an .8mile stroll, where 50 villages have been identified within a half-square-mile area.

Ladder to Balcony House

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About the Park

Location - Southwest Colorado

Established - June 29, 1906

Area - 52,485 acres