Mesa Verde offers a unique chance to walk in the actual footsteps of the vanished
Anasazi civilization. Little has changed since 600 AD, when Ancestral Puebloans
thrived in this mysterious collection of cliff dwellings. Explore everything
from simple, one-room berths to villages of more than 200 adobe buildings.
The ceremonial houses, or "kivas," reveal thousands of well-preserved
artifacts. Along with ancient petroglyphs, the kivas help tell the story of
the Anasazi people. Mesa Verde has been designated a World Cultural Heritage
Site by the United Nations. It was also rated the #1 "Historical Hot Spot" by
Historic Traveler magazine.
Most cliff dwellings and mesa-top sites are visible year-round from roads
looping through the park. Services are available May - October at Moorefield
Campground, Far View Lodge is open April - October.
Park Fees: Entrance fee is $10.00 per passenger car. Fees vary for commercial
vans and tour buses. Additional fees will apply for guided tours.
Half-Day Tour: The morning tour examines why a nomadic people
chose to settle in this unique cliff environment.
We will visit pit houses, early sites, view cliff
dwellings from the mesa rim and explore the Spruce
Tree House (the third largest and least restored cliff
dwelling). The morning tour leaves from the campground
at 8:30 am and the Lodge at 9:00 am, returning to
the Lodge at 12:00 pm and the campground at 12:30
pm. The afternoon tour leaves from the Lodge at 1:00
pm and returns at 4:00 pm.
Full-Day Tour: Covers the entire 700 year occupation of Mesa
Verde and the rich cultural history and evolution
of the Puebloan society. Included are all the sites
seen in the half-day tour in addition to the Cliff
Palace (when open). We explore the outstanding achievements
of the Mesa Verdeans in the face of their growing
environmental difficulties and draw some fascinating
parallels to our own contemporary society.
