A Journey Through Time

Whether you're a history buff, an adventure seeker, or simply an explorer looking for your next big adventure, Mesa Verde has something to offer.

Established in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, Mesa Verde stands apart as the first National Park dedicated to preserving human history.

With over 5,000 Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites, including intricately carved petroglyphs, long houses, pit houses, and iconic cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde is like taking a trip back in time.

Experience Mesa Verde with Shaka Guide

On Shaka Guide's Mesa Verde National Park Tour, we'll lead you through the ancient wonders of this archaeological treasure.

Explore the cliff dwellings, hike through stunning landscapes, and discover the rich history of the Ancestral Pueblo people.

With Shaka Guide, you'll explore at your own pace—no rush, no crowds. You're in control, so take your time to soak in the beauty and history of Mesa Verde!

Planning Your Visit

For those just passing through, the park's highlights can be experienced in a single, action-packed day.

However, to truly appreciate the depth and breadth of this archaeological treasure, we recommend spending two to three days exploring its hidden corners and lesser-known gems.

Get ready to embark on a journey through time, where every stone tells a story and every vista holds a secret.

Itinerary

1. Mesa Verde Entrance Sign

• Duration: 5 minutes

When visitors first enter the park, they can take a quick photo at the entrance sign to commemorate their visit.

2. Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 30 minutes

The Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center is full of artifacts, artwork, and displays for visitors to enjoy. You can also have a chat with the rangers or grab a map to plan your trip easily.

3. Entrance Station Kiosk

If you don't purchase your entrance pass prior to entering the park, this is where you'll purchase it.

4. Mancos Valley Overlook

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 5 minutes

This first roadside overlook offers beautiful views of the Mancos Valley.

5. Morefield Station and Campground

The Morefield Area, besides being home to the park's only gas station, hosts the Ranger Station, Campground, and several well-loved trails for visitors to explore.

6. Prater Ridge Trailhead

• Duration: Entire Trail- 4 hours

The Prater Ridge Trail crosses the Prater Ridge between Parater and Morefield Canyons. offers two hiking loops:

• the North Loop, spanning 3.6 miles (5.7 km), and
• the shorter South Loop, covering 2.4 miles (3.9 km).

Hiking both loops completes the entire Prater Ridge Trail, totaling 7.8 miles (12.6 km).

7. Knife Edge Trailhead

NPS, Mesa Verde

• Duration: 1 hours

This historic Trail follows the historic route of the Knife Edge Road and offers beautiful views of Montezuma Valley. This relatively level trail clocks in at around 2 miles or 3.4 km.

8. Point Lookout Trailhead

NPS, Mesa Verde

• Duration: 2 hours

Ascending steep switchbacks on the west side of Point Lookout, the 2.2-mile (3.5 km) roundtrip trail offers hikers magnificent views of the historic entrance road and mesa.

9. Montezuma Valley Overlook

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 5 minutes

The Montezuma Valley Overlook showcases the valley, Cortez, and is also a great place to watch the sunset.

10. Park Point Overlook and Fire Lookout

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 15 minutes

This short, paved walk leads to the highest elevation point in the park and includes several overlooks, informational signs, and the park fire watchtower.

11. Geologic Overlook

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 5 minutes

A short walk leads to an overlook and wayside exhibits, showing insights into the area's geology.

12. Far View Visitor's Area

• Duration: 15 minutes

This section of the park includes the Far View Lodge, as well as a now-closed Visitor Center, and the Terrace Café and gift shop.

13. Far View Sites

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 45 minutes

This easy, .8 mile (1.3 km)hike includes several Ancestral Puebloan sites, such as Far View Terrace, Far View Reservoir, the Pipe Shrine House, and the Far View Tower.

14. Cedar Tree Tower

NPS, Mesa Verde

• Duration: 30 minutes

Cedar Tree House is an Ancestral Puebloan Tower Kiva complex just a few steps from the parking lot.

The Farming Terrace Trail is a short, easy 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) that showcases some ancient farming terraces.

15. Spruce Canyon Trail

• Duration: 3-4 hours

The Spruce Canyon Trail is a moderately difficult 2.4 miles (3.9 km) point-to-point trail, starting and ending at the Chapin Mesa Museum. It's one of the park's best trails for wildlife-watching, particularly birding.

16. Petroglyph Point Trail

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 3-4 hours

An absolute must-do trail, this 2.4-mile (3.9 km) loop trail is moderately difficult and rock, with some mild scrambling at one end.

It's more than worth it however, as hikers are rewarded with not only a stunning petroglyph panel, but also the remnants of an Ancestral Puebloan dwelling, and beautiful views of Spruce Canyon throughout.

17. Spruce Tree House

MARELBU

• Duration: 5 minutes

The Ancestral Puebloan Spruce Tree House is currently off-limits to in-site visitation due to structural instability, but visitors can still get a great view of the site from the balcony behind the museum.

Extra-lucky visitors may also be able to catch a ranger program about the site. Check the museum for details.

18. Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 30 minutes

The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum is an essential stop for all park visitors.

There, visitors can enjoy a film on the history of the park, and several exhibits, and get information on ranger talks and tours.

19. Mesa Verde Assoc. Bookstore

• Duration: 15 minutes

The Mesa Verde Association Bookstore and Gift Shop offers souvenirs as well as educational materials to park visitors. Profits go to programs that benefit the park.

20. Spruce Tree Terrace Café

• Duration: 30 minutes

If you aren't planning on packing a picnic lunch, consider stopping by the Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe for a quick snack or a hot meal.

21. Pithouse

• Duration: 5 minutes

The first stop on the Mesa Top Loop Road, an Ancestral Puebloan Pithouse built around 550 C.E.

22. Navajo Canyon View

• Duration: 5 minutes

This roadside viewpoint offers stunning views of the Navajo Canyon and the Echo Cliff House.

23. Square Tower House

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 5 minutes

This is the tallest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde--a 4 story structure. The overlook is free, but tickets are required to visit Square House.

24. Pithouse and Pueblo

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 10 minutes

This stop allows visitors to appreciate the changes in Ancestral Ouebloan architecture over time, from the earliest pithouses to the more modern pueblos.

25. Mesa Top Sites

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 5 minutes

These sites show beautiful Ancestral Puebloan kivas and chimney airflow systems.

26. Sun Point Pueblo

• Duration: 5 minutes

This 30-room village was one of the last structures to be built by the Ancestral Puebloans before their departure.

27. Sun Point View

• Duration: 5 minutes

A viewpoint with a viewing scope overlooking several cliffside dwellings.

28. Oak Tree House

• Duration: 5 minutes

This roadside stop overlooks the 1250 C.E. Oak Tree House, a large cliff village.

29. Fire Temple

• Duration: 5 minutes

This overlook peaks out at the Fire Temple, which boasts several homes, a fire pit, and a central plaza.

30. Sun Temple

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 10 minutes

Sun Temple, an uncompleted Ancestral Puebloan ceremonial structure, has been puzzling anthropologists as to its exact function since its discovery.

31. Cliff Palace

Rachel Ennis

• Duration: 45 minutes

Cliff Palace is one of Mesa Verde's most popular stops--and for good reason. 150 rooms and 23 kivas make up this cliffside wonder. Visitors to this site must schedule a ranger-guided tour in advance.

32. House of Many Windows

Axcordion at English Wikipedia

• Duration: 45 minutes

This "House of Many Windows" is actually swissed by countless small doorways, which are often mistaken for windows.

33. Hemenway House

• Duration: 5 minutes

This carefully perched cliff house was built in the early 1200s as part of the larger Balcony House Community.

34. Balcony House

• Duration: 1 hour

Visitors will want to get advance tickets for this ranger-guided tour. The Balcony House is made of 38 rooms, 2 kivas, and a plaza.

To visit, visitors need to be in relatively decent health, as they will need to climb through a small tunnel and climb several ladders.

35. Soda Canyon Trailhead

• Duration: 1 hour

This short and easy 1.2-mile (2 km) out-and-back trail is ideal for wildlife spotting.

Along the way, you'll enjoy several views of the cliff houses dotting the adjacent cliffside.

Be sure to walk all the way to the Soda Canyon to look for the best view of the canyon.

36. Window to the Past Picnic Area

• Duration: 5-30 minutes

Wetherill Mesa's geologic overlook and picnic area is a great stop in the afternoon for a quick snack while you take in views of Montezuma Valley.

37. Fire Recovery Viewpoint

• Duration: 10 minutes

This quick stop is a great place to look for raptor birds soaring above the cliffs. Visitors can also read the educational displays explaining the area's fires.

38. Mc Elmo Canyons View

• Duration: 5 minutes

This is the final roadside viewpoint for enjoying Montezuma Valley overlook along Wetherill Mesa Road and is another excellent spot for birding.

39. Rock Canyon Tower View

• Duration: 5 minutes

The Rock Canyon Tower is a stop you'll want to pull out your binoculars for. The tower structure is located on the opposite canyon wall.

40. Wetherill Mesa Kiosk

Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

• Duration: 10 minutes

The Wetherill Mesa Station Kiosk should be your first stop before heading to the Long House Trail.

This informative hub, located at the end of Wetherill Mesa Road, provides visitors with essential details about the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and archaeological sites in the area.

Offering maps, interpretive exhibits, and trail information, the kiosk helps visitors plan their ideal route through the surrounding, intersecting trails.

41. Wetherill Mesa Sites

Gerd Eichmann

• Duration: 2-5 hours

The Wetherill Mesa Sites include Step House, Kodak House, Long House, Nordenskiold Site 16, and Two Raven House.

The hikes here can total up to or over 4.5 miles if you visit all the sites. Visitors should prioritize the Nordenskiold Site and Step House, as well as the ticket-only Long House.

42. Long House

Gerd Eichmann

• Duration: 2 hours

This is the only Ancestral Puebloan site on Wetherill Mesa Road that requires a ranger guide to visit. This sprawling structure consists of 50 rooms, 21 kivas, and several upper storage rooms.

Explore Mesa Verde with Shaka Guide

To make the most of your visit and truly immerse yourself in the park's rich history and culture, consider enhancing your exploration with a Shaka Guide tour of Mesa Verde.

This audio tour companion can provide in-depth insights, fascinating stories, and expert narration as you navigate the park's roads and trails.

With Shaka Guide, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the archaeological treasures and natural wonders that surround you, making your Mesa Verde experience as memorable as Mesa Verde itself.

Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Mesa Verde National Park Tour!

We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.

For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Mesa Verde National Park Know Before You Go article.

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