Mesa Verde National Park
Mancos, CO
Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings tucked under canyon overhangs. Ranger-led tours reach Cliff Palace.
Established in 1906, Mesa Verde was the first US national park created specifically to protect the works of people, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Nearly 5,000 archaeological sites survive here, including about 600 cliff dwellings that ancestors of today's Pueblo peoples lived in beneath rock overhangs from roughly the late 1190s until about 1300. Cliff Palace, the largest in North America, has 150 rooms and 23 kivas and housed more than 100 people. You can enter it only on a ranger-led tour booked in advance on recreation.gov; tours run from about early May into the second half of October.
From the entrance on US 160 it is 34 km (21 miles) of winding mountain road to the museum on Chapin Mesa, and about an hour's drive to Cliff Palace. Trailers are not allowed beyond Morefield Campground; there is a large parking area at the entrance. The seasonal road to Wetherill Mesa is limited to vehicles under 7.6 m (25 ft) long and 3.6 t (8,000 lb).
- Nearest town
- Mancos, CO
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 37.1838, -108.4887
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July–August. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
© Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Canyons and cliff dwellings of the Four Corners
Photo by Andrew Svk on UnsplashSan Juan Skyway
© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0Red rocks, ancient villages and big skies: by camper through Four Corners and the Navajo Nation
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Morefield CampgroundCampsite9 mi from Mesa Verde National Park · 267 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterWi-Fi
- Sleeping Ute RV ParkMotorhome stopover11 mi from Mesa Verde National ParkMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposal
- America's Tent LodgesCampsite12 mi from Mesa Verde National Park
- Sundance RV ParkMotorhome stopover12 mi from Mesa Verde National ParkMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- McPhee CampgroundCampsite22 mi from Mesa Verde National Park
- House Creek CampgroundCampsite23 mi from Mesa Verde National Park
All campsites in Colorado · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Mesa Verde National Park?
Mesa Verde National Park is in Mancos, CO, at GPS 37.1838, -108.4887. It is about 13 mi from Cortez.
Can you camp near Mesa Verde National Park?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Mancos Canyon Campground, about 7 mi away; within 25 mi there are 15 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Mesa Verde National Park?
Mesa Verde National Park is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Canyons and cliff dwellings of the Four Corners, San Juan Skyway and Red rocks, ancient villages and big skies: by camper through Four Corners and the Navajo Nation.
What is there to see near Mesa Verde National Park?
Places worth a stop nearby: Four Corners Monument (33 mi), Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot (34 mi), Aztec Ruins National Monument (36 mi) and Telluride (64 mi).
When is the best time to visit Mesa Verde National Park?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)