Fun and Exciting Things to Do Mesa Verde National Park

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Mesa Verde National Park is the site of ancient Anasazi Cliff Dwelling ruins. These ancient people are believed to be among the first to inhabit the region of the four corners area that includes, southwestern Colorado, southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.

The ruins found at Mesa Verde have been dated to have been created and lived in from 300-1300 AD. The north side of the cliffs rises to heights of 2,000 feet above the canyon floor, while on the south side of the canyon, the cliffs provided suitable locations for cliff dwellings.

Colorado and the four corners area of the Southwestern portion of the United States teem with ancient Indian archaeological sites. Some of the most beautiful is found in Mesa Verde National Park, southwestern Colorado, located off U.S. Highway 160, between Cortez and Durango. The park was declared a National Park in 1906 and is the only park in the United States that owes its focus to the work of human hands.

Things to Do in Mesa Verde National Park

If you want to stay active during your trip to Mesa Verde, sign up for a ranger-led walk. Although some of the cliff dwellings are accessible through self-guided trails, many are restricted to guided hikes. You can hike at your own pace throughout one of the park’s many trails, or cross-country ski if you visit during the winter.

Pinon and juniper forests sweep through the area, finally on the comeback after forest fires in the summer of 2000 raged through the area. The fires affected none of the historic dwellings, though several new sites were discovered in the aftermath of the burn.

Among some of the prolific dwellings to see in the park is the Cliff Palace, the largest and most well-known dwelling within the park. These ancient homes are multi-storied and are accessible only if you take the summer and fall guided tours. Other ranger-led tours allow visitors to climb replica ladders into the Balcony House. Two other main attractions within the park, the Step House and the Long House can only be viewed in summer. A guided tour of the Spruce Tree House can be enjoyed in the winter months, but be advised that the weather can be bitterly cold.

Weather

Active campers will find plenty to do no matter what time of year they visit, though facilities and some roads may be closed during the winter season, and you will have to camp outside the park. If you can visit in spring or autumn, you will avoid the bigger crowds but still have mild weather for hiking and wildlife watching. Summers on average only get into the mid–80s, even at their hottest so if you don’t mind the crowds, you should still be able to do outdoor activities fairly comfortably.

If you don’t want to take a guided tour, visitors are welcome to explore the park on their own. Multiple turnouts encourage visitors to view the dwellings on both sides of the canyon, which can be easily seen by the naked eye. Another treat for visitors is hiking trails that wind their way down to the bottom of the canyon, where ancient petroglyphs can be seen etched into the canyon wall by ancient hands.

Visitors can view the entire park from the comfort of a car or RV, and there is ample parking for both. For the more adventurous, multiple hiking trails are available. It is always wise to check the park before you plan your visit to make sure all roads are open and accessible.

Trails

The trails aren’t particularly difficult but are advised beforehand that the 7,000-foot altitude may tire those who aren’t used to such altitudes. Also, taking a bottle of water or two along for your hike is a good idea.

For the hiking novice, two short trails are available. The Farming Terrace Trail is a moderate one-quarter-mile jaunt that crosses over a dry riverbed and then loops back to the trailhead. The other trail, the Spruce Tree House trail, is a half-mile long, going both ways.

For those who are up to a little more, the Badger House Community Trail offers a three-quarter-mile hike on Wetherill Mesa. From this same area, a two-mile easy trail takes visitors to Site number 16, a 50-room cliff dwelling. To finish, take the one-half-mile moderate hike to the Step House vantage point.

A favorite among visitors to Mesa Verde National Park, however, is the longer Petroglyph Trail, an almost three-mile trail that winds its way down the canyon below the Chapin Mesa Museum. Follow this trail down, down, and down some more until you reach Petroglyph Point, the sight of ancient artwork by ancient people.

Be advised before you start on that particular trail, to wear good, sturdy shoes and make sure you have water with you. In some places, the trail can be difficult, especially for first-time hikers. But the reward is worth the effort it takes to get there, and then back up. At the Petroglyph, make sure you look up to see the path that will take you back to the museum.

In this area, visitors can also take the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail, a one-and-a-half-mile relatively easy hike, to overlook Soda Canyon and the Balcony House. The two-mile Spruce Canyon Trail will guide visitors to the bottom of the canyon before it loops around into a steep climb back up.

Visitors in summer will also delight in Native American crafts and dancing offered by Hopi dancers who perform in August at the Chapin Mesa Amphitheatre, but contact the Park for specific dates, as they may change.

Camping at Mesa Verde National Park

Southwestern Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park is famous for its well-preserved cliff dwellings. These archeological treasures give visitors a glimpse into the fascinating lives of the ancestral Pueblo people, who lived in an advanced society centuries ago. Mesa Verde is an excellent camping destination for active visitors, who can also hike and wildlife watching in the park. There is one campground inside the park, but you can also stay just outside its borders.

Camping Inside the Park

There is one campground inside Mesa Verde National Park. Morefield campground is open from early May through early October and has sites for tents, trailers, and RVs. The grassy canyon just outside the campground is a good place for walks and bird- and wildlife-watching. Early morning hikes are most peaceful and will give you a greater chance of spotting animals like mule deer.

Camping Outside the Park

If you don’t want to stay in Morefield, camp just outside the park, which will give you easy access to the park’s activities. One option for tents and RVs is the Cortez / Mesa Verde KOA, which has a swimming pool and is also close to Lake Totten, which offers a number of water sports, like fishing and boating. You can also tee off at the nearby Conquistador Golf Course.

RV Camping

If you want to stay at Morefield inside the park and have a hookup for your RV, you’ll have to make advance reservations. If you can’t do this, but still want power for your vehicle, stay at one of the RV parks just outside the park’s entrance along U.S. 160. Two options less than a mile from the park’s borders are the A & A Mesa Verde RV Park, which offers mini golf, a heated pool, and rec room, and the Mesa Verde RV Resort, with a playground, library, and pool.

Park Rangers suggest visitors come earlier in the summer rather than later to avoid huge crowds, stating that July 15- August 15 are the busiest time of the year for them. The park is located roughly 200 miles southwest of Denver and 252 miles northwest of Albuquerque. Entrance fees (Only credit cards will be accepted at this time) into the park are currently $20 per vehicle in the wintertime and $30 in the summertime be advised that the entrance gate is 10 miles off the highway. Guided tours are available for extra fees.