Year Established: 1906
Annual Visitors: 548,000
Size: 52,485 Acres
State: Colorado
Best Time to Visit Mesa Verde National Park
June to September
If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks.
Best Experiences in Mesa Verde National Park
- Cliff Palace
- Balcony House
- Petroglyph Point Hike
A Brief History
Mesa Verde (“green table”) is the Spanish name for this forest-covered area. Juniper and other trees cover the landscape. Ancestral Puebloans called the Anasazi previously called this area home, but they left due to severe drought somewhere between 600 and 1300 CF.
In 1888, while seeking for lost cattle, the Wetherill brothers discovered the remnants of an ancient Anasazi settlement: 600 cliff homes that looked dangerously unstable.
Some of these buildings are enormous; one towering 80-room complex is 86 feet high. In contrast, the Cliff Palace offers 151 rooms and 23 kivas (circular religious chambers).
These remarkable homes are only some of the 5,000 archaeological sites found in the park. Mesa Verde National Park was the world’s first archaeological site to be given government protection when it was established by Theodore Roosevelt.
About Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a massive stretch of ancient houses, spanning over 78 square miles with over 5,000 documented archaeological sites connected by over 40 miles of road. The Anasazi, a native American tribe, called this area home between 500 and 1400 BCE.
The first Anasazi to live in this area were skilled basket weavers who lived in pit houses, which were huge holes cut into the ground with a central fire, a front room, and storage. The thatched roof was held by four wooden beams that stood up to the summer sun and winter winds. The walls around the building are stained with smoke, which shows how cold it was for several months at a time. At the park, you can look at the historic pit homes being rebuilt in parts.
The region’s prosperity expanded as people shifted their focus from hunting to farming, and as a result, the locals began constructing their structures out of stone rather than mud.
Cliff Palace is the largest and most well-known of over 600 cliff homes. Seventy-five percent of the cliff houses have between one and five rooms. It offers its guests 150 rooms and 23 kivas (ceremonial spaces). As time went by, it was eventually forgotten. Researchers have yet to nail down a definitive cause, but mounting evidence points to extreme drought and consequent crop failures.
The Spruce Tree House, with its 114 rooms and eight kivas, is the third-largest cliff residence and the finest maintained. Although it was forced to close due to the risk of rock falls, Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum overlooks provide a good view of it. It used to have bright pink, brown, red, yellow, and white plaster on the inside of its walls, but most of that has worn away.
Along with the few cups and pieces of jewelry that have been found that are richly decorated, several paintings also give interesting clues about the culture of a people who did not leave any written records. Love, fights, tragedies, and happiness among the people who live in these houses are still unclear.
Their beautiful architecture, which has been kept, for the most part, is gone, but it gives us a lot of information about how these ancient people lived before Europeans took over.
Mesa Verde RV Camping
If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for Mesa Verde National Park or in Colorado, consider checking out our other post:
Visitor Information
Fees
Only credit cards will be accepted at this time. No cash or checks.
Reservations for timed entry are not required or available at Mesa Verde National Park.
Park Entrance Fee for Vehicles
Winter Fee: $20.00 per Vehicle
Summer Fee: $30.00 per Vehicle
Park Entrance Fee for Motorcycles
Winter Fee: $15.00 per Motorcycle
Summer Fee: $25.00 per Motorcycle
Park Entrance Fee for Bicyclist/Individual
Winter Fee: $10.00 per Person
Summer Fee: $15.00 per Person
All park passes are valid for up to 7 days.
Winter is from November to April
Summer is from May to October
Annual Park Pass
Mesa Verde Annual Pass – $55
Contacting Mesa Verde National Park
Phone Number
(970) 529-4465
Visitor Centers
Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
It serves as the principal hub for information on the park and its surroundings. In addition to archival and museum collections totaling over three million items, the park’s headquarters also serves as a cutting-edge research and storage center.
Address
35853 Rd H.5,
Mancos, CO 81328
Hours of Operation
March 21 to October 22
- 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM Daily
October 23 to December 31
- 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Daily
Mesa Verde Museum Association Bookstore
Books, trail guides, maps, and other souvenirs are available at the Mesa Verde Museum Association bookstore.
The visitor center entrance is close to the restrooms. The parking lot and foyer of the visitor center are equipped with free WiFi as well.
Address
Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum,
Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330
Hours of Operation
March 21 to October 22
- 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM Daily
October 23 to December 31
- 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Daily
Be sure to check for seasonal closures.