MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
Mesa Verde, Spanish for "green table", offers an unparalleled opportunity to see and experience a unique cultural and physical landscape that 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. These "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.
The archeological sites found in Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Mesa Verde National Park offers visitors a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Scientists study the ancient dwellings of Mesa Verde, in part, by making comparisons between the Ancestral Pueblo people and their contemporary indigenous descendants who still live in the Southwest today. Twenty-four Native American tribes in the southwest have an ancestral affiliation with the sites at Mesa Verde.
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.
ENTRANCE FEES
| Park Entrance Fee for Private Vehicles | |
| Fees | $10.00 - 7 Days |
| Commercial Tour Fees for 1-6 Person Vehicle Capacity (not including driver) | |
| Fees | $25.00+Fee for Each Person - 7 Days |
- National Parks Pass - May be purchased at the Entrance Station for a single fee of $50, entitling the bearer and anyone in the private vehicle entrance to ANY National Park that charges an entrance fee. This pass is valid for one full year from first use in a National Park.
- Golden Eagle Passport - For an additional $15 over the cost of a National Parks Pass, a Golden Eagle hologram may be purchased and affixed to a National Parks Pass to cover entrance fees at not only national parks, but also at sites managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U. S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. This may be purchased at the Entrance Station. This passport is valid until the expiration of the National Parks Pass to which it is affixed.
- Golden Age Passports - May be purchased at the Entrance Station for a one time fee of $10 to visitors that meet age and residency requirements.
- Golden Access Passports - May be obtained for no fee at the Entrance Station for visitors who meet requirements for this pass.
For detailed information on the above mentioned passes, please go to THE NATIONAL PARKS PASS web page.
There is a $2.75 tour fee per person to enter Cliff Palace, Balcony House or Long House. Tickets are available at the Far View Visitor Center ONLYduring the summer season, on a first come, first served basis. You may buy tickets for the same day or one day in advance of the tour. The Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the summer season. In the fall season, ticket sales are available at the Mesa Verde Archeological Museum for tours of Cliff Palace after tours close for Balcony House. Please see schedules for actual time periods that tour tickets are available at the museum.
Food Service in the park:
Spruce Tree Terrace, across from the Chapin Mesa Museum, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sandwiches, salads, burgers and specials are offered. Far View Terrace, across from the Far View Visitor Center, is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. April through October. The Terrace is a full service cafeteria offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Metate Room, Far View Lodge, is open for fine dining (casual dress) from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Morefield Campground
Open from April 24 To October 16, 2004
Phone
1-800-449-2288
Join us for a night or two in Morefield Campground, just 4 miles inside Mesa Verde. With 435 sites, there’s always plenty of space! The campground rarely fills. Each site has a table, bench, and grill. Camping is open to tents, trailers and RVs.
