Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Contact Us Preserving the “Works of Man” Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from AD 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Mesa Verde National Park | Vacations, Lodging, Campgrounds, Hiking in Southwest Colorado | visitmesaverde.com Be a part of it Go In 1978, Mesa Verde National Park was named a World Heritage Site in recognition of its exceptional archaeological relevance. Protecting thousands of archaeological sites, including hundreds of cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park is perched high in Southwest Colorado where the air is thin, the history is rich, and the views are spectacular. Mesa Verde Colorado, USA Mesa Verde National Park | Utah.com Mesa Verde National Park A room with a view. Explore massive stone cities ancient Puebloans built into canyon cliffs.

Along with the Grand Canyon, Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park earns honorary Utah citizenship, joining Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands as cousins of the Colorado Plateau. Mesa Verde is one of the smaller parks, focused on preserving and displaying an unmatched density of Native American archeology. Thousands of Ancestral Puebloan sites dot the forested plateau (Mesa Verde means “green table”) with 600 cliff dwellings forming dramatic focal points in natural scenery that was pretty impressive to begin with. Read more... THINGS TO DO Mesa Verde is considered the premier archeological site in the United States, with 4,000 points of interest for the part of you that wishes the Indiana Jones movies focused a little more on his fieldwork. Cliff Palace is a stunning metropolis built in/under an overhanging cliff. Most of the park’s dwellings are small with just one or two rooms, but 100 Puebloans lived and worshipped in Cliff Palace’s 150 rooms and 23 kivas. Balcony House has similar large-scale stone-mortar-beam construction.

Hikes out of Morefield, Chapin Mesa and Wetherill Mesa Trailheads show off the canyon’s beauty as they carry you to more points of historical significance. ANCIENT CULTURE ON DISPLAY Mesa Verde is a World Cultural Heritage Site, sheltering major archaeological and cultural sites from the Puebloan era. The preservation of its ancient structures gives visitors a startling and intimate look into prehistoric life in the semiarid southwest. Ancestral Puebloans lived in the area from approximately 600–1300 CE, graduating from nomadic hunting to smaller pueblos on the mesa top to elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls. Buildings and artifacts tell the story of a lasting civilization who hunted, gathered, raised corn and beans, painted murals, made pottery and planned farming and religious ceremonies around astronomical observations. The most famous structures in the park are the cliff dwellings, which represent the last 75 to 100 years of occupation at Mesa Verde. In the late 1200s, within the span of one or two generations, drought and subsequent warfare drove the Puebloans toward Arizona and New Mexico.

LOCATION & WHERE TO STAY Mesa Verde is near Cortez, Colorado, about an hour from Monticello, Utah, to the northwest and 40 minutes from Durango, Colorado, to the east. It fits nicely into a tour of the Monument Valley–Four Corners area. Mesa Verde Park is open year-round but some guides and services are limited in winter. Camping and hotels in or near the park is usually available, but book a little early for dates from late spring to fall. Mesa Verde National Park - Red Cliffs Lodge Mesa Verde National Park Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area Canyonlands National Park Dead Horse Point State Park Fisher Towers Mesa Verde National Park Cliff dwellings—the last occupation Mesa Verde, Spanish for “green table,” offers an unparalleled opportunity to see and experience a unique cultural and physical landscape. The culture represented at Mesa Verde reflects more than 700 years of history. From approximately A.D. 600 through A.D. 1300 people lived and flourished in communities throughout the area, eventually building elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls.

Today most people call these sheltered villages “cliff dwellings.” The cliff dwellings represent the last 75 to 100 years of occupation at Mesa Verde. In the late 1200s within the span of one or two generations, they left their homes and moved away. A score of rugged canyons Mesa Verde National Park was established in 1906 to preserve the archeological sites which “Pre-Columbian Indians” built on the mesa tops and in the alcoves of a score of rugged canyons. The park, containing 52,073 acres of Federal land, is a unit of the National Park System and is administered by the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior. Mesa Verde, Spanish for “green table”, rises high above the surrounding country. For about 1,300 years, agrarian Indians occupied the mesa and surrounding regions. From the hundreds of dwellings that remain, archeologists have compiled one of the most significant chapters in the story of prehistoric America. If you are able to leave your modern self behind and think only in the past, you may be able to understand and enjoy a fascinating story of life in earlier times.

Four thousand archeological sites To fully enjoy Mesa Verde National Park, plan to spend a day or two exploring its world-class archeological sites as well as its beautiful landscape. The entrance to the park is 9 miles east of Cortez and 35 miles west of Durango in Southwestern Colorado on US Highway 160. There are more than four thousand known archeological sites in Mesa Verde National Park. Approximately 600 of these are cliff dwellings. Only a few of these sites have been excavated. Unoccupied for many centuries, they have been weakened by natural forces. Some were badly damaged by looters before the area was made a national park. Maximum protection must be given to the dwellings in order to preserve them. One regulation is strictly enforced: Visitors may enter cliff dwellings ONLY when accompanied by a Park Ranger. However, there are over 20 mesa top sites and viewpoints which may be visited on your own. Some sites are closed during winter. Archeological sites accessible to visitors Sites range from pithouses built during the 500s to the cliff dwellings of the 1200s.

The cliff dwellings are the most spectacular, but the mesa top pithouses and pueblos are equally important. Seen in their chronological order, these sites show the architectural development of Mesa Verde. The Mesa Verde area was inhabited for about 800 years by agricultural people who began to drift into the area shortly after the beginning of the Christian Era. We call the first farming people in the Mesa Verde area the Basketmakers (A.D.1-400), because weaving excellent baskets was their outstanding craft. At this early date, the people did not make pottery, build houses, or use the bow and arrow. No sites dating from the early Basketmakers have been found within the boundaries of Mesa Verde National Park. Around the year A.D. 400, the people began to make pottery and build roofed dwellings. Around the year A.D. 750, they began to use the bow and arrow. Although the people were still the same, the culture was changing. Archeologists call these people the Modified Basket-makers (A.D. 400-750). The pithouses were built in alcoves and on the mesa tops.

Scores of pithouse villages have been found on the mesas, and two pithouses have been reconstructed at Mesa Verde. Starting about A.D. 750, the people grouped their houses together to form compact villages. These have been given the name of pueblo, a Spanish term meaning village. The name, Developmental Pueblo (A.D. 750 – 1000), simply indicated that during this period there was a great deal of experimentation and development. Many types of house walls were used; adobe and poles, stone slabs topped with adobe, adobe and stones, and finally layered masonry. The houses were joined together to form compact clusters around open courts. In these courts were pithouses which grew deeper and finally developed into ceremonial rooms we now refer to as kivas. During their last century, some Pueblo Indians of Mesa Verde left the mesa tops and built their homes in the alcoves that abound in the many canyon walls. This last period marks the climax of the Pueblo culture in Mesa Verde and is known as the Classic Pueblo Period (A.D. 1100 – 1300).

The exact number of dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park is unknown, but over 600 cliff dwellings have been documented. Beginning in A.D. 1276, drought struck the region. For 23 years precipitation was scarce. One by one the springs dried up and the people were in serious trouble. Their only escape was to seek regions which had a more dependable water supply. People left village after village. Before the drought ended, these people had left Mesa Verde area. 1765: Don Juan Maria de Rivera, under orders from Tomas Velez Cachupin, then governor of New Mexico, led what was possibly the first expedition of white men northwest from New Mexico. Rivera set out from Santa Fe to the San Juan River, crossed the southern spur of the La Plata Mountains, then traveled down the Dolores River, crossed eastward over the Uncompahgre Plateau and then down the Uncompahgre River to the Gunnison River. 1859: Professor J. S. Newberry, in his geological report of an expedition under the leadership of Captain J. N. Macomb to explore certain territory in what is now the State of Utah, makes the first known mention of Mesa Verde.

It seems quite evident from his description that Newberry must have climbed to one of the highest points of Mesa Verde, possibly Park Point, and the manner in which he uses the name Mesa Verde suggests that the name was in common usage. Newberry must not have explored much of Mesa Verde because he makes no mention of cliff dwellings. 1874: The first cliff dwelling in the Mesa Verde area known to have been entered by white men, was Two-Story Cliff House in Ute Mountain Tribal Park, discovered by W. H. Jackson in September. Jackson was a photographer for the U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey. He had heard of ruins in Mesa Verde from miners and prospectors. One of these prospectors, John Moss, led Jackson into Mancos Canyon where the cliff dwelling was discovered. Jackson found other small cliff dwellings in the canyon, but Two-Story Cliff House was the only one he named. 1875: The second cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde area to be named was Sixteen Window House. It was discovered by W. H. Holmes, leader of another government survey party that passed through Mancos Canyon. 1884: Balcony House was entered by a prospector, S.

E. Osborn. His name and the date March 20, 1884, were found in a dwelling in lower Soda Canyon. 1886: The first known suggestion that the area be set aside as a National Park appeared in an editorial in the Denver Tribune Republican, December 12, 1886. 1888: On December 18, Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law, Charles Mason, rode out on what is now Sun Point in search of lost cattle and first saw Cliff Palace. That afternoon, Richard found Spruce Tree House, and the next day, the two men discovered Square Tower House. Al Wetherill, Richard’s brother, saw Cliff Palace sometime the year before, but he did not enter the dwelling, so the credit for discovering the dwelling has been given to Richard Wetherill and Charles Mason. 1889: Four of the Wetherill brothers returned to Mesa Verde to explore and dig in the ruins. In a 15 month period, they claimed to have entered 182 cliff dwellings, 106 in Navajo Canyon alone.

1890: In the January 1, 1890 issue of the Durango Herald, there is an article on Montezuma County, expressing the idea of setting aside the Mancos Canyon cliff dwellings as a National Park. Between 1887 and 1892 the Wetherills made several trips into Mesa Verde primarily for collecting archeological material. There were at least eight individual collections assembled by the Wetherills during this period, several of which were later combined and sold as four collections. 1891: Baron Gustaf E. A. Nordenskiold, of the Academy of Sciences, Sweden, visited Mesa Verde in 1891. He is credited as being the first scientist to visit the cliff dwellings. He made a collection of about 600 items which were sent to Sweden and are now in the National Museum in Helsinki, Finland. 1901: The first bill introduced before Congress to create a National Park in the Mesa Verde was introduced February 22. The bill provided for the creation of the Colorado Cliff Dwellings National Park. It never returned from the Public Lands Committee.

1901 to 1903: Two bills were introduced during the 57th Congress in the House of Representatives for the creation of the park. Both bills died in committee. Congressional authority was secured, however, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to negotiate for the relinquishment of the Mesa Verde tract from the Utes and an appropriation for the survey of the area. 1903 to 1905: Two more bills were introduced in the 58th Congress for the creation of the Colorado Cliff Dwellings National Park. One of the bills (the Hogg bill) was reported back from committee with several amendments but did not receive any further action. 1906: The first bill for the creation of Mesa Verde National Park was introduced in the 59th Congress in 1905. This bill was subsequently passed on and Mesa Verde National Park was created June 29, 1906. It was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. Another bill passed by the 59th Congress was an Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities, commonly referred to as the Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906.

This Act made it a Federal crime to collect or destroy any historic or prehistoric object or building on federally owned land. 1908: Two years after the establishment of the park, excavation and repair of the major sites was begun so that visitors could see and enjoy the park. Most of the early work was done by Jesse Walter Fewkes, archeologist, Smithsonian Institution. 1959 to 1972: The Wetherill Mesa Archeological Project is underway. Excavation of three cliff dwellings (Long House, Mug House, and Step House), a survey of Wetherill Mesa, and excavation of selected mesa-top sites are completed. Open All Year Mesa Verde National Park – Travel guide at Wikivoyage History[ edit ] "Anasazi" or "Ancestral Puebloans"?

For decades, the people that once lived in these dwellings have generally been referred to as the "Anasazi." However, in recent years there has been an effort to stop referring to them as "Anasazi", as it is believed the term translates to "ancient enemy" or "enemy ancestor." Instead, the term "Ancestral Puebloans" is favored, and is the term you will see on most park displays and information signs. This is a fairly recent change though, so there is still a fair amount of confusion regarding the two terms. The name of the park is Spanish for "green table", referring to the vegetation found at the tops of the plateaus in this area. The Ancestral Puebloans chose Mesa Verde as their settlement 1,400 years ago, establishing small pithouses (large holes in the ground with a wooden roof overhead) on the mesa tops. Back then they were more nomadic, and hunted game with spears and were skilled basketmakers. Over time they began to farm the mesa tops, learned how to create pottery, and fashioned bows and arrows instead of spears.

As the population grew, the Ancestral Puebloans moved from pithouses to pole-and-adobe houses built above ground. The pithouses became kivas (ceremonial rooms) as the mesa top villages became larger and more complex. Stone masonry replaced the poles and mud of earlier houses, as villages rose two or three stories high, became more compact, and had many rooms. During this time, pottery replaced baskets as a more desired craft. Around the year 1200, the Ancestral Puebloans began to move under overhangs found in the cliffs of the canyons. Here, they built cities with multi-storied structures that housed 100-400 people. However, the Ancestral Puebloans only used these incredible constructions for less than 100 years. By the year 1300, they had left the area for reasons unknown, traveling south into New Mexico and Arizona. Landscape[ edit ] About 100 million years ago, Mesa Verde and the surrounding area were covered by a shallow sea, and sand deposits cemented into the sandstone layers that make up much of the park's geology.

As the sea withdrew to the south, uplift in the area created the high plateau that is Mesa Verde. Over time, small streams have cut channels into the plateau, creating steep canyons which separate the individual mesas. Traveling south, the mesa extends like fingers into the desert. From the park entrance in Montezuma Valley, the elevation climbs steeply to the rim of the flat mesa top. Elevations in the park range from about 6,100 feet (1,860 meters) to about 8,400 feet (2,560 meters) above sea level. After a spring storm, melted snow drips from the cliff tops at Spruce Tree House and refreezes on the trees below. Spruce Tree House is the only cliff dwelling in the park open year round. Flora and fauna[ edit ] There is a lot of wildlife in the park. Mule deer are a common sight, as are wild turkeys since the park service reintroduced them. You might also see squirrels, skunks, or an occasional black bear around the campground.

Other mammals seen in the park include coyote, gray fox, mountain lion, black bear, elk, marmot, porcupines, and wild horses. There is also a wide variety of birds in the park (Mesa Verde even has a bird checklist). In the canyons you could find warblers, flycatchers, woodpeckers, jays, hawks, chickadees, titmice, and other species. Hawks, golden eagles, and peregrine falcons can be seen on the rim of the mesa along the Montezuma Valley. Mesa Verde is in the Upper Sonoran Life Zone, which is characterized by semi-arid climate, moderately high altitude, and pinyon-juniper forests. Big sagebrush, Douglas fir, and Ponderosa pine are quite common. Gambel oak is in abundance around the Morefield Campground. Watch for poison ivy , particularly around Morefield Campground and in the canyons.

Incidentally, if you've never seen poison ivy in the wild, the park's brochure for the Petroglyph Point trail—see below under "Do"—helpfully points out a place along the trail where it grows perennially, so that you can see what it's like. Look but don't touch! See Mesa Verde's 7 day forecast Data from NOAA (1981-2010) Mesa Verde is a four-season park, with a dry high-desert climate. Summer can get hot, with temperatures sometimes reaching into the 90s, (so drink plenty of water), but the evenings are quite cool (summer lows average in the 50s). Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Winters are rather mild (with average temperatures in 40s), but Mesa Verde is at a high elevation so snow can happen as early as October and as late as May. Orientation[ edit ] The major attractions in the park can be seen in just a half day, while longer visits will allow time to explore some of the less busy ruins and to take time to visit rock writings. Mesa Verde is something of a seasonal park.

While it is open year round, to get the true experience it is best to visit when the park is fully open, from April through October. The only places open year-round are at the central part of Chapin Mesa: the museum, the Spruce Tree Terrace restaurant and Spruce Tree House. Keep in mind that the drive from the park entrance to the top of the mesa is quite long and steep and, even during the summer months, can be a bit of a treacherous drive as there aren't always guard rails. It may be too daunting during the winter for many visitors. Direct access to the main archaeological sights is only available on Park Ranger-guided tours. Tickets must be purchased at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. Otherwise, plan on viewing the sights from overlooks. By car[ edit ] Driving is just about the only way to get to Mesa Verde. The entrance to the park is 9 miles east of Cortez and 35 miles west of Durango on US Highway 160 (formerly US Highway 666).

Keep in mind that the road into the park is steep, narrow, and winding, so make sure your car is in good shape, that ot has plenty of gas, and that its brakes are in property working order. A gas station in the park is located at the Morefield Campground, which is still several miles from the top. By plane[ edit ] Cortez has a small airport with daily flights to Denver on Great Lakes Airlines. Durango has a larger airport with daily flights to Denver on United Express, and to Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix on American Eagle. Rental car outlets are available at both airports. Fees/Permits[ edit ] A 7-day entry pass to the park costs $10 per private vehicle fall-spring, and $15 per vehicle during the summer months. Motorcyclists and individuals on non-commercial buses pay $5 per person fall-spring and $8 per person during the summer. An annual pass, just for Mesa Verde, is available for $30. There are several passes for groups traveling together in a private vehicle or individuals on foot or on bike.

These passes provide free entry at national parks and national wildlife refuges, and also cover standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. These passes are valid at all national parks including Mesa Verde National Park: The $80 Annual Pass (valid for twelve months from date of issue) can be purchased by anyone. Military personnel can obtain a free annual pass in person at a federal recreation site by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID. U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over can obtain a Senior Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person at a federal recreation site for $10, or through the mail for $20; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and age. This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park amenities. U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities can obtain an Access Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person at a federal recreation site at no charge, or through the mail for $10; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and permanent disability. This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park amenities.

Individuals who have volunteered 250 or more hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program can receive a free Volunteer Pass. 4th graders can receive an Annual 4th Grade Pass that allows free entry for the duration of the 4th grade school year (September-August) to the bearer and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle. Registration at the Every Kid in a Park website is required. In 2017 the National Park Service will offer ten days on which entry is free for all national parks: January 16 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), February 20 (President's Day), April 15-16 & April 22-23 (National Park Week weekends), August 25 (National Park Service's birthday), September 30 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11-12 (Veterans Day weekend). Ranger-led tours of the Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Long House areas cost $3 per person per tour.

In addition, the concession-management company Aramark, which also operates the restaurants and inn in the park, offers considerably pricier -- in the $40 per person range -- guided bus tours of the park that take visitors around to all the major sites while offering history and commentary. Get around[ edit ] There are four main areas of the park: Morefield Campground is just inside the park, 4 miles from the entrance. Another 11 miles in is Far View, where you can drive another 6 miles to Chapin Mesa or turn right and drive 12 miles to get to Wetherill Mesa. For the most part you will need private transportation in order to move throughout the park. The only public transit available is on Wetherill Mesa, where a tram services the area that is otherwise inaccessible to automobiles. The roads are steep, narrow, and winding, so make sure your car is in good shape and has plenty of gas. You can get gasoline at the Morefield Campground store. Watch out for rocks that may have fallen on to the road and take it slow. Be courteous to other drivers and stick to your side of the road.

Keep in mind that the Park Rangers enforce safe driving on this road and will not hesitate to hand out tickets for unsafe driving. Trailers and towed vehicles are not permitted beyond Morefield Campground. If you're not camping, you can park these vehicles in the parking lot located near the entrance station. The road to Wetherill Mesa (open Memorial Day to Labor Day) has sharp curves and steep grades, so vehicles on this road are restricted to less than 8,000 pounds and 25-feet in length. See[ edit ] Spruce Tree House 37.3368 -108.4086 1 Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center . mid-April to mid-October, 8AM-5PM daily. Located at the entrance of the park before the fee gates. Tickets for guided tours of Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House on Wetherill Mesa must be purchased here. Self-guided tour brochures for Mesa Top Road, Far View Sites, etc. can be purchased here as well. Exhibits, bookstore. The park has many scenic vistas where you can observe the natural beauty of Mesa Verde.

Just off the main park road is 37.2965 -108.4416 2 Montezuma Valley Overlook, 37.2815 -108.4621 3 Park Point Overlook, and 37.2776 -108.4835 4 Geologic Overlook. There are also good views from the Far View area, the Chapin Mesa Museum viewing deck, and the two loop roads on Chapin Mesa. Chapin Mesa sights[ edit ] Historic District (21 miles from the park entrance). Most of Mesa Verde's old park service buildings can be found here, with many of the structures here dating back to the 1920s. The park headquarters, Spruce Tree Terrace restaurant, post office, museum, and a picnic area are located here. Self-guided tour maps are available. 37.18460 -108.48826 5 Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. April–October 8AM-6:30PM, October–April 8AM-5PM.

Archeological exhibits about the culture of the Ancestral Puebloans, with artifacts from the region and dioramas illustrating life in Mesa Verde centuries ago. A 25-minute orientation film is shown every half-hour. 37.18394 -108.48695 6 Spruce Tree House. Starting at the Chapin Mesa Museum, you descend 100 feet into Spruce Tree Canyon, where you'll see Mesa Verde's "best-preserved cliff dwelling". As well as seeing the cliff house, you can climb down into a reconstructed kiva. Rangers are at the site to answer questions (or make good conversation). In the winter (early-November through early-March), you may only visit the site by free ranger-guided tours, during the rest of the year you can explore it on a self-guided tour. Walking distance is 1/2-mile (1 km) round trip. Sun Temple Mesa Top Loop Road. A 6-mile (10 km) driving tour with short, paved trails to several excavated mesa-top sites.

Also along the tour is a short trail to the 37.1657 -108.4916 7 Square Tower House Overlook, 37.1621 -108.4748 8 Sun Point View (a spectacular overlook where you can see 6 or 7 cliff houses at the same time), and 37.1647 -108.4755 9 Sun Temple, a mesa-top ruin which boasts a spectacular view of Cliff Palace. 37.2379 -108.5042 10 Far View Sites. Located off the road in-between the Far View district and Chapin Mesa. An unpaved 3/4-mile loop trail leads to five separate mesa-top villages and a dry reservoir. Interesting exhibits along the trail show what the villages may have looked like. 37.1985 -108.4825 11 Cedar Tree Tower. Located off the road in-between the Far View district and Chapin Mesa. An ancient kiva complex and tower, the purpose of which isn't entirely known.

Wetherill Mesa sights[ edit ] Wetherill Mesa is only open seasonally. The Wetherill Mesa road opens at 9AM and closes to incoming traffic at 4:30PM every day, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At the end of the road is the 37.1957 -108.5373 12 Wetherill Mesa Kiosk, 12 miles from Far View. You cannot drive beyond the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk; instead, there is a special tram service which takes you to a few sites on Wetherill Mesa. The tram departs from the kiosk every half-hour on the half hour from 10AM-5PM, making stops at the Long House trail (accessible only by guided tour), the Badger House Trail, and the 37.1761 -108.5307 13 Kodak House Overlook and 37.1851 -108.5348 14 Long House Overlook. The Kodak House is a series of structures built between crevices in the horseshoe shaped cliff-side.

There are two levels of structures which reach an elevation of approximately 75 feet high. 37.1974 -108.5360 15 Step House. Starting at the Kiosk, trail descends 100 feet to the Step House cliff dwelling. A ranger is on-site to answer questions. Walking distance is 3/4-mile round trip. Do[ edit ] Ranger guided tours[ edit ] Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Long House are some of Mesa Verde's greatest and most outstanding cliff dwellings. Guided tours are the only way to get up-close with them. Tickets cost $4 per person, per tour, and must be purchased at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. The one exception is in the fall, after the Visitor Center has closed, when tours of Cliff Palace must be purchased at the Chapin Mesa Museum. Due to the popularity of the Cliff Palace and Balcony House tours, visitors may be limited to only one of these two tours per day in summer (Long House can be visited on the same day, however). Try to arrive early for ranger-guided tours as they tend to fill up quickly, particularly in summer.

By mid-morning you should be prepared for at least an hour long wait for a place in a tour group. Be forewarned that each tour does involve traversing uneven stairways and tall wooden ladders. While the overall distance you travel on the hiking tour isn’t very far, the nature of the trail, high altitude, and extreme temperatures all combine to make the hike a little grueling for the average couch potato. 37.1667 -108.4732 1 Cliff Palace (Chapin Mesa). early-April through early-November. Tour starts at the Cliff Palace overlook on the Cliff Palace Loop Road. This one-hour tour descends 100 feet to Mesa Verde's largest and most famous cliff house. Along the way you must climb five 8–10 ft ladders. $4. 37.1626 -108.4649 2 Balcony House (Chapin Mesa). late-April through early-October. Tour starts at the Balcony House parking area on the Cliff Palace loop road.

Balcony House is more "adventurous" than the other tours, for on this one-hour tour you have to climb a 32 ft ladder, crawl through a 12 ft-long tunnel, and to get out climb a 60 ft stairway carved out of a steep rock face. If you enjoy heights, this tour is for you; if you don't, you might want to pass on this one. $4. 37.1867 -108.5356 3 Long House (Wetherill Mesa). Memorial Day through Labor Day. Tour starts at the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk, where you take a tram to the Long House trailhead. This 90-minute tour involves climbing two 15 ft ladders. $4. Manos and metates -- mortar stones the Ancestral Puebloans used to grind maize into flour. Guided bus tours[ edit ] Aramark operates half-day bus tours of Mesa Verde spring through fall. National Park Service Rangers provide information on short trails, overlooks, and a tour of Cliff Palace.

Tickets may be purchased for $38-48 (adults) at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center, Far View Lodge and Terrace, or the Morefield Campground Village. Half-day tours begin at the Far View Lodge at 8:00am and 1:30pm. Hiking trails[ edit ] Mesa Verde offers several designated hiking trails. Backcountry hiking or overnight backpacking is not allowed, so as to protect the natural and archeological sites in the park. All the trails (except Soda Canyon Overlook and Knife Edge) are strenuous and involve steep elevation changes. Some trails offer little shade, and it can get pretty hot in the summer, so be sure to take along lots of water. Morefield Campground trails: 37.2968 -108.4185 4 Prater Ridge Trail. 7.8 miles round-trip. Beginning on the west end of Morefield Campground, the trail ascends Prater Ridge and follows a loop around the top of the ridge. 37.3043 -108.4255 5 Knife Edge Trail. 2 miles round-trip.

Starting at the northwest corner of Morefield Campground, this trail follows the old Knife Edge Road, which was built in 1914 as the main access into the park. Great view of Montezuma Valley at the end. Trail guides are available. 37.3073 -108.4203 6 Point Lookout Trail. 2.2 miles round-trip. Starting at the northeast corner of Morefield Campground, this trail switchbacks up the side of Point Lookout, the mesa you will see on the road into the park. Preserved through the centuries, a rare pictograph and red paint decorate an Ancestral Puebloan dwelling. Chapin Mesa trails: 37.1718 -108.4942 7 Petroglyph Point Trail. 2.4 miles round-trip. Starting at the Spruce Tree House trail, this trail travels down Spruce Tree Canyon, then climbs to the rim of Chapin Mesa and winds back around to the museum. This is the only trail in Mesa Verde where you can see petroglyphs. Registration (free of charge) is required to hike this trail. Trail guides are available.

37.1823 -108.4920 8 Spruce Canyon Trail. 2.4 miles round-trip. Beginning at the Spruce Tree House trail, this trail goes down the bottom of Spruce Tree Canyon and winds back around to Spruce Canyon, then climbs back up to Chapin Mesa at the picnic area. Registration (free of charge) is required to hike this trail. 37.1677 -108.4698 9 Soda Canyon Overlook Trail. 1.2 miles round-trip. Starting about a mile north of the Balcony House parking area on the Cliff Palace loop road, this trail winds around the canyon edge and ends at an overlook of Balcony House. Wetherill Mesa trails: 37.1894 -108.5407 10 Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail. 1 mile round-trip. Starting at the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk, this trail ends at an overlook of Nordenskiold Site No. 16, one of the first excavated sites in Mesa Verde.

37.1889 -108.5330 11 Badger House Trail. A combination gravel and paved trail to the mesa-top Badger House sites. Trail starts at the Kiosk, and is 2.5 miles (4 km) round-trip. However, you can take the tram and shorten your walking distance to 1.5 miles. Buy[ edit ] The Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center and the Chapin Mesa Museum have a bookstore, and gift shops are located in the Spruce Tree Terrance (near the museum) and the Far View Lodge. Buying postcards of the sites will save you the hassle of trying to get perfect shots of the sites with nobody else in them and allow you to focus on getting great photos of you having fun. There are also Native Americans in the parks that sell their arts and crafts. Take a look if Southwestern jewelry and art interest you. For groceries, camping supplies, and gasoline, the camp store at the Morefield Campground is the only place in the park. They also have a laundromat. Eat[ edit ] A pine pole ladder sticks out of the top of a kiva, or place of meeting and worship.

In the background, keyhole-shaped doors lead to multilevel dwellings. Food is available at four locations in the park: 37.25671 -108.50097 1 Far View Terrace Café . May–October, 7AM-7PM. A variety of somewhat-overpriced food in several styles (burgers, pizza, Southwestern, Native American, etc.) is available in this cafeteria. The dining room has a large window facing some of the mesas and canyons of the park. 37.1860 -108.4887 2 Spruce Tree Terrace Café (near the Chapin Mesa Museum). Daily 11AM-3:30PM (extended hours in the summer). Burgers, sandwiches and salads. $4–$8. The Metate Room (within Far View Lodge). May–October, breakfast 7AM-10AM, dinner 5PM-9:30AM (dinner & breakfast). A surprisingly sophisticated dining experience located in the otherwise mediocre Far View Lodge.

The Metate Room offers an excellent dinner service and as well as gorgeous views that can extend as far as 100 miles out on a clear day. The food is an innovative take on Southwest cuisine, with dishes such as the Blue Corn and Pinenut Dusted Trout ($22) and Marinated Grilled Quail with Chili Polenta ($27) combining upscale dining with regional ingredients. The restaurant also offers a great list of Colorado wines. Casual dress. $15–$30. 37.29821 -108.41539 3 Knife Edge Cafe (next to the Morefield Campground store). May–September, 7AM-10AM. Open for breakfast during the summer months. Drink[ edit ] You can purchase soft drinks, juices, and drinking water at any of the restaurants and cafes around the park, including at Chapin Mesa, Far View, the Morefield Campground store, and the ranger station on Wetherill Mesa. There is an espresso bar at the Far View Terrace & Marketplace.

For alcohol, there's just about only one place in Mesa Verde where you can get it, and that's at The Metate Room restaurant in the Far View Lodge, which offers an extensive wine list. Lodging[ edit ] 37.25824 -108.49372 1 Far View Lodge , near the Far View Terrace Marketplace, toll-free: +1-800-449-2288 . Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. Open May–October. This is the only hotel in the park and it's best described as "rustic." There are 150 rooms in a motel-type layout, all non-smoking and with private balconies. There are no TVs in the rooms and the property is showing its age. Although the rooms can be quite pricey during peak season, don't expect luxury. However, if you're OK with clean, no-frills lodgings in a very convenient location, it's a good bet.

When booking, request a room at the front of the lodge (rooms numbered in the 100s); many of these do indeed have breathtaking "far views." However, many of the rooms toward the back of the property have their views obscured by other buildings or trees, which the hotel operators can't remove as they're protected within a national park. $110-$140. Lodging is also available in the nearby towns of Cortez , Dolores , and Mancos and farther away in Durango . Camping[ edit ] 37.2979 -108.4156 2 [dead link]Morefield Campground . This is the only campground in the park. The campsites are quite nice, most of them with lots of trees for privacy (and the campground rarely fills up), and all of them have a table, bench, and grill. There are also 15 RV sites with full hookups (recommend reservations if you wish a full hookup site). The restrooms are clean, and there are free showers.

At the entrance to the campground is a store (where you can get gas, groceries and camp supplies), an RV dumping station, and a 24-hour laundromat. Open mid-May through mid-October. $24+Tax/night (RV sites with hookups $34+tax/night). Check-in is anytime during open hours and check-out is at 11AM at the campground store. Backcountry[ edit ] Backcountry camping or overnight backpacking is not allowed in Mesa Verde to protect the scenic and archaeological sights in the park. Stay safe[ edit ] The quality of the Ancestral Puebloan's stonework varied greatly from building to building. Visits to cliff dwellings can be strenuous; many require climbing uneven steps and ladders, involve large elevation changes, or are near steep cliffs. Almost all of the trails in Mesa Verde are difficult. It can get very hot in the summer, and even in the winter it can be quite warm, so drink lots of water and put on the sunscreen. Be careful while driving, as the roads are filled with sharp curves and often fallen rocks.

Make sure your car is in good shape, especially your brakes, and make sure there's plenty of gas in the tank, as there is only one gas station in this large park, and that's at Morefield Campground near the base of the mountaint. Many portions of the roads are up against cliffs, so keep an eye out for rocks that may have fallen onto the road. To protect the fragile archaeological sights in the park, don't sit, stand, lean, or climb upon anything at the sights (that includes ancient walls, structures, ruins, etc.). For current and constantly updated park information, you can tune your radio to 1610AM. Go next[ edit ] Durango is a charming city with a quaint and bustling, Old West downtown, an active skiing community, and a number of attractions including a historic narrow gauge railroad that does day trips into the mountain town of Silverton. Cortez is located about 10 miles west of the park entrance. This small (population: 10,000), working-class town doesn't offer much in the way of culture or entertainment, but it's small downtown does offer a few decent, casual restaurants and bars and it has several affordable lodging options.

The Cortez Cultural Center , also located downtown, has an outdoor theater and hosts cultural events such as art exhibitions, flute playing and Native American dancing demonstrations during the summer. Hovenweep National Monument is a quiet park located nearby, and contains the ruins of several Puebloan-era villages. Routes through Mesa Verde National Park Mesa Verde | Mesa Verde Museum Association $17.95 Leave this field blank: They stood empty for centuries, simple dwellings, small villages, and large complexes in the mesa and canyon country of what is now Southwest Colorado. The forces of weather and geology had taken their toll, but many remained remarkably intact. In the late 19th century they were explored, excavated, and plundered for the pottery, baskets, tools, and even human remainsthey contained. Establishment of Mesa Verde National Park was their only hope for long-term preservation, but it would be a never-ending challenge. Dirt, Water, Stone is the story of that challenge, from the earliest preservation projects to the lessons still being revealed by the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde today. They stood empty for centuries, simple dwellings, small villages, and large complexes in the mesa and canyon country of what is now Southwest Colorado.

The forces of weather and geology had taken their toll, but many remained remarkably intact. In the late 19th century they were explored, excavated, and plundered for the pottery, baskets, tools, and even human remains they contained. Establishment of Mesa Verde National Park was their only hope for long-term preservation, but it would be a never-ending challenge. Dirt, Water, Stone is the story of that challenge, from the earliest preservation projects to the lessons still being revealed by the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde today. Publication Date: $5.99 Leave this field blank: Mesa Verde National Park was established in 1906 to protect and study the large concentration of Anasazi Indian sites on the mesa tops, cliffs and canons. Although most of the thousands of visitors to the Park are attracted by the archaeology sites, the spectacular scenery certainly enhances the enjoyment of this area. This book provides first, a road log with brief descriptions of the geology at many viewpoints. The second section contains a more detailed geologic history of the region from some two billion years ago to the present, along with the explanation of some of the basic geological processes at work.

References are given throughout the road log too more detailed discussion of specific topics in the second section of the text. A glossary at the end of the book may help with unfamiliar terms. A geological map of Mesa Verde also accompanies this book. Pictorial Glossy softcover published by Lorraine Press 1990. 88 Pristine Pages with Map. $5.95 Leave this field blank: Today, Mesa Verde is relatively remote and most of us reach it only after hours of driving. It might be difficult to unbend enough to appreciate such a place if it were truly trapped in the past, but Mesa Verde is very much alive. The plants and creatures familiar to the people who lived here long ago are all around us still. This book of images and journal like entries of the author beautifully illustrates dwellings and natrual resources of Mesa Verde. Each title in this beautiful, affordably priced series features spectacular color photography and exquisite reproductions. Expanded interpretive captions and beautifully written essays provide in-depth information on the human and natural histories of the park or region covered.

$17.95 Leave this field blank: Originally published in 1988, "Mesa Verde National Park: Shadows of the Centuries" is an engaging and artfully illustrated history of an enigmatic assemblage of canyons and mesas tucked into the southwestern corner of Colorado. Duane A. Smith recounts the dramatic 1888 "discovery" of the cliff dwellings and other Anasazi ruins and the ensuing twenty-year campaign to preserve them. Smith also details the resulting creation of a national park in 1906 and assesses the impact of more recent developments - railroads and highways, air pollution, and the growing significance of tourism - on the park's financial and ecological vitality. This revised and completely redesigned edition includes more than 50 illustrations and will be enjoyed by readers interested in environmental, Western, and Colorado history. Publication Date: $24.99 Leave this field blank: Mesa Verde, with its stunning landscapes and cliff dwellings, evokes all the romance of American archaeology. It has intrigued researchers and visitors for more than a century.

But Mesa Verde represents more than cliff dwellings its peoples created a culture that thrived for a thousand years in Southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah. Archaeologists have discovered dozens of long-buried hamlets and villages spread for miles across the Great Sage Plain west and north of Mesa Verde. Only lately have these sites begun to reveal their secrets. In recent decades, archaeologists have been working intensively in the Mesa Verde region to build the story of its ancestral Pueblo inhabitants. The Mesa Verde World showcases new findings about the region s prehistory, environment, and archaeological history, from newly discovered reservoir systems on Mesa Verde to astronomical alignments at Yellow Jacket Pueblo. Key topics include farming, settlement, sacred landscapes, cosmology and astronomy, rock art, warfare, migration, and contemporary Pueblo perspectives." Publication Date: $17.95 Leave this field blank: They fought fires, built roads, constructed dioramas, and put Dolores’s jail in the river. They were Mesa Verde’s CCC Boys. In 1932 at least one out of every four workers in the United States was jobless, perhaps as many as one-third. Slashed paychecks and shortened hours confronted many of the rest.

One of the major problems proved hard to solve: So many of those out of work were young men, with few prospects and limited skills. In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched his New Deal. He would tinker, change, and experiment to save American capitalism and democracy. One of his most successful experiments was the Civilian Conservation Corps, the CCC, aimed at those desperate young men at home and wandering about the country. They fought fires, built roads, constructed dioramas, and put Dolores's jail in the river. They were Mesa Verde's CCC Boys. In 1932 at least one of every four workers in the United States was jobless, perhaps as many as one-third. Slashed paychecks and shortened hours confronted many of the rest. One of the major problems proved hard to solve: So many of those out of work were young men, with few prospects and limited skills. In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched his New Deal. He would tinker, change, and experiment to save American capitalism and democracy. One of his most successful experiments was the Civilian Conservation Corps, the CCC, aimed at those desperate young men at home and wandering about the country.

Publication Date: $17.95 Leave this field blank: Fifteen years before Mesa Verde became a national park, a young Swedish scientist explored and photographed its landscape and cultural sites. Clambering up and down sheer cliffs while hauling heavy, cumbersome equipment, Gustaf Nordenskiöld produced vivid images. Publication of his comprehensive study of the ancient ruins the following year brought worldwide attention to the area. For the centennial year of Nordenskiöld’s work, two couples carefully recreated his photographs. The resultant images contrast the natural and human-inflicted damages of centuries with the stabilized structures visible today. Photographing Mesa Verde presents those images along with a fascinating narrative about Nordenskiöld’s work at Mesa Verde. Fifteen years before Mesa Verde became a national park, a young Swedish scientist explored and photographed its landscape and cultural sites. Clambering up and down sheer cliffs while hauling heavy, cumbersome equipment. Gustaf Nordenskiold produced vivid images. Publication of his comprehensive study of the ancient ruins the following year brought worldwide attention to the area. For the centennial year of Nordenskiold's work, two couples fully recreated his photographs.

The resultant images contrast the natural and human-inflicted damages of centuries with the stabilized structures visible today. Photographing Mesa Verde presents those images along with a fascinating narrative about Nordenskiold's work at Mesa Verde. Publication Date: $39.99 Leave this field blank: This book is the most up-to-date interpretation of one of the largest cliff dwellings in North America, Cliff Palace. Water seeping into Cliff Palace in late November 1995 threatened the integrity of the site. Part of the mitigation plan included architectural documentation of the most threatened areas in Courtyard Complexes M and J during the winter of 1995-96. This architectural documentation study revealed that there were 151 rooms, 75 other architectural spaces, and 21 kivas in Cliff Palace from AD 1278-1280. Only 25 of the rooms had hearths, implying that they were the only ones used as living rooms. The author thinks these were the residential quarters of a small caretaker population of 25-30 households. Other rooms and open areas may have been used by people who came from other areas and used Cliff Palace for only a short period each year.

Included with this report is a full color poster map of Cliff Palace.This book is not eligible for member discounts. $11.95 Leave this field blank: Discover the mysteries of Mesa Verde! A high quality photographic reference for Mesa Verde National Park. The author Susan Lamb shows-off her interpretive skills of the ancestral and modern Puebloan people and natural and human history. This book explores the ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde. Where did they go and why? What made them leave behind their extensive dwellings. Includes detailed maps and descriptive text. The proceeds from this book are donated to Mesa Verde National Park. This stunningly beautiful, oversized (10x13) book is lavishly illustrated with breathtaking color imagery by American's leading landscape photographers. In addition to the stunning photography, the book also includes detailed maps of the park and region and insightful, heartfelt narratives detailing the park's natural and human histories. Publication Date: $17.50 Leave this field blank: When Kenneth Wright went hiking through Mesa Verde National Park with his wife, he didn't expect to be pulled into a research project on ancient waterworks. But he was. It started with a structure called the Morefield Mound.

The use of this structure had been debated by scientists all over the world. Using the science of paleohydrology--the study of water use and water handling by ancient people--Wright and his researchers were able to prove that this and other similar sights in the park were in fact reservoirs for ancient peoples who lived in Mesa Verde. This enthralling book meticulously recounts the intelligence, the ingenuity, and the forethought of our ancestors. Publication Date: $17.95 Leave this field blank: Following in the wake of what one noted scientist called “transients who neither revered nor cared for the ruins as symbols of the past,” the Wetherill family became the earliest students of Mesa Verde. Their careful excavations and record-keeping helped preserve key information, leading to a deeper understanding of the people who built and occupied the cliff dwellings. As devout Quakers, they felt they were predestined to protect the prehistoric sites from wanton destruction – a role that would not be assumed by the government or other major institutions until years later. Based on decades of meticulous research, author Fred Blackburn sets the record straight on these early protectors of Mesa Verde.

Following in the wake of what one noted scientist called 'transients who neither revered nor cared for the ruins as symbols of the past, ' the Wetherill family became the earliest students of Mesa Verde. Their careful excavations and record-keeping helped preserve key information, leading to a deeper understanding of the people who built and occupied the cliff dwellings. As devout Quakers, they felt they were predestined to protect the historic sites from wanton destruction - a role that would not be assumed by the government or other institutions until years later. Based on decades of meticulous research, author Fred Blackburn sets the record straight on these early protectors of Mesa Verde. Publication Date: $11.95 Leave this field blank: This book is a visitor's guide to some of the more commonly seen plants of Mesa Verde National Park. It was inspired by Stephen Wenger's wonderful book, Flowers of Mesa Verde National Park, that was published over thirty years ago by the Mesa Verde Museum Association. To facilitate identification of the plants, both a close-up of the flower or cone as well as a photo of the entire plant are included for each of the featured wildflowers, tree, shrubs, cacti, and grasses.

Uses by Indians and ecological information have been incorporated into the book. There is a place at the bottom of each page to record when and where each plant was first seen. Invasive plants that have created problems in the area are discussed in a special section at the end of the book. $19.99 Leave this field blank: In 1933, only days after his inauguration, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched a new program, the Civilian Conservation Corps, which put three-quarters of a million young men to work restoring forests and farmland, building infrastructure, and fighting fi res in America's national parks, monuments, and forests. Many workers were sent far from home, including thousands who came west to the Colorado Plateau. In this high, dry, and lonesome setting, they encountered natural beauty unlike anything they had ever seen as well as challenges they could not have imagined. Incorporating the men's own reminiscences, With Picks, Shovels, and Hope tells their story. To this day, visitors reap the rewards of the CCC's work.

With Picks, Shovels, and Hope reveals how our public lands in the Colorado Plateau came to be the magnifi cent, visitor-friendly places they are. Dozens of beautiful color photographs and historical black-and-whites illuminate this engaging history. Publication Date: $17.95 Leave this field blank: Who saved Mesa Verde? Women did. Who created the national park? Women did. Women to the Rescue is their story. From the 1890’s into 1906, a group of determined, dedicated women did all in their power to preserve the ruins, make the public aware, and arouse Congress to action to establish a park. Then, at the moment of victory, they split into two factions and that is the rest of the story. Who saved Mesa Verde? Women did. Who created the national park? Women did. Women to the Rescue is their story. From the 1890's into 1906, a group of determined, dedicated women did all in their power to preserve the ruins, make the public aware, and arouse Congress to action to establish a park. Then, at the moment of victory, they split into two factions and that is the rest of the story.

Publication Date: Cliff Dwellings - Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Cliff Dwellings Cliff Dwellings Cliff Dwellings The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the North American Continent. Sometime during the late 1190s, after primarily living on the mesa top for 600 years, many Ancestral Pueblo people began living in pueblos they built beneath the overhanging cliffs. The structures ranged in size from one-room storage units to villages of more than 150 rooms. While still farming the mesa tops, they continued to reside in the alcoves, repairing, remodeling, and constructing new rooms for nearly a century. By the late 1270s, the population began migrating south into present-day New Mexico and Arizona. By 1300, the Ancestral Puebloan occupation of Mesa Verde ended. Use the links below to learn more about some of the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park. For site locations, go to park maps , or click on the specific map located on each page below. (Note: All maps on the following Cliff Dwelling pages open as pdfs.

You can get the Free Adobe Reader, which is required to read the pdf files, here .) Getting Here | Mesa Verde National Park CO | VisitMesaVerde.com Below is our address and driving distances from nearby cities like Cortez, Durango and airports: No.1 Navajo Hill Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330 From Durango, CO, and Durango-La Plata County Airport (Total distance, approx. 65 miles/1-1/2 hours) Take US-160W to the exit for Mesa Verde National Park. The Entrance Gate is 1 mile from the exit. The Lodge is 15 miles from the Entrance Gate. The museum and Chapin Mesa sites are approximately 20 miles from the entrance gate. From Cortez, CO, and Cortez Municipal Airport (Total distance, approx. 25 miles/1/2 hour to 45 minutes) Take E Main St./US-160E. Take the Mesa Verde National Park exit. The Entrance Gate is 1 mile from the exit. The Lodge is 15 miles from the Entrance Gate. From Farmington, NM, and Four Corners Regional Airport (Total distance, approx.

85 miles/1-1/2 hours) Take 170/140N to Hesperus. Take 160W to the exit for Mesa Verde National Park. The Entrance Gate is 1 mile from the exit. The Lodge is 15 miles from the Entrance Gate. From Telluride, CO, and Telluride Regional Airport (Total distance, approx. 98 miles/2 hours) Take US-160E Take CO-145S to US-160E - 8 miles. Take the exit for Mesa Verde National Park. The Entrance Gate is 1 mile from the exit. The Lodge is 15 miles from the Entrance Gate. From Moab, UT (Total distance, approx 124 miles/2 hours) Take UA-191 / US-491 to Mesa Top Ruins Rd. Take the exit towards Mesa Verde National Park from US-160 E Turn right onto Mesa Top Ruins Rd. The Entrance Gate is 1 mile from the exit. The Lodge is 15 miles from the Entrance Gate.

Question: The Mesa Verde National Park with its ancient cliff cities is found where?
Answer: USA