Reviews of Mesa Verde National Park (Park)

Stephanie Iannapollo

First time visiting Mesa Verde and it is absolutely beautiful! Garrett and the female ranger were great, knowledgeable, funny, and respectful. We went to Long House and Cliff Palace on a Wednesday and our group was fairly small about 10 people in each. Everyone went there own pace and enjoyed the history and beauty of Mesa Verde!

Yvonne Marschall

Very friendly staff at the visitor centre and very competent guided tours. We liked this interessting site very much. You have to visit this site.

Mo Copeland

Mesa Verde is one of those magical places that has the ability to transport you back in time. Amazing scenery, indigenous architecture and the subtle beauty of nature make this one of my faves. Be prepared to pay for walking tours to the actual cliff dwellings and to meet an interesting international blend of people.

Eric Bertone

A beautiful national park that stands out historically due to the native American heritage. While a lot of national parks in the region are unique for their beautiful landscapes like arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, and Zion, Mesa Verde showcases the growth of a more primitive human culture. Truly amazing to see settlements on dazzling cliff sides.

Derek Bennett

Absolutely unbelievable. Some of the dwellings leave you breathless, and give you an appreciation for our native American culture. Zoom in for formations. Have been their many times now over the years and never gets old. This year their were more people from other countries across the world to see what we have in our own back yard. I Definitely respect this place and feel a sense of peace and emotional well being. This is definitely a sacred place.

Nirja Desai

Great experience, definitely call ahead to make reservations for a tour, as the morning of they will pretty much already be booked up for the day.

Brendan Crawford

An amazing experience of how people ages ago used to live, perfectly preserved for newer generations to observe, and interact with. There are small police do you have to crawl through and you must bring plenty of water. You'll have to climb a tall ladders to reach different sections of the reserve. Would recommend it to anybody I know 100%.

Hellshake Yano

Long drive but worth the haul. Tent campgrounds are nice with some shade. Close access to restrooms, trash disposal and fresh water. The sites are breathtaking.

Sandra Nagy

Absolutely incredible cliff dwellings. A world heritage must see sight.

Eric Pitts

Great rangers that were that helpful and knowledgeable. The sites are beautiful. If you elect to visit the sites, be prepared to hike, climb and crawl. If your afraid of heights, narrow uneven steps on the side of a rock face or tall ladders than you might elect to just view from the observation platforms.

James Bowkett

More driving than anticipated but amazing sights. Lots of facilities so fairly easy with children, but the driving is a drag for little ones. Traffic is such that rising wouldn’t work and the sites are widely dispersed to its not walkable. It’s definitely a full day out from Durango, you could perhaps do shorter trips from Mancos.

coMMand 003

Wow, wow, wow! Such a great place to visit. Most might associate this park with cliff dwellings but there's so much more to this special place! The views along the main road are breathtaking. So glad i visited this place. Visit this place and give yourself at least a full day or more to explore and to book a tour.

Kourtney D Butler

Great experience taking my kids here. The negative part was some of the hikes into the ruins you had to pay extra for, and aren't easy with little kids, but we knew that before hand. The ruins that are self guided, have been closed for years, but the park doesn't let you know this until you get down to them. Along with one of the mid-way buildings and lookout points Which is why I gave it 4 stars.

Audrey Brooks

A unique experience driving throughout the region of the ruins. The variety of topography is also interesting. Take plenty of water, we walked over 5 miles getting to all the ruins. Most are visible from the road, some are around a mile from the road. There are a few places to get food and drinks, but come prepared.

Traci Bird

Great place to visit! Be sure to take one of the tours! Very informative and beautiful!

Ellis M

We did the Balcony house tour and was well worth it! Our guide was amazing and it’s definitely not as strenuous as it was made out to be

Ness Lucas

This National Park isn't like the others. There's a cliff dwelling that's simply marvelous and you get to your them/learn a bit of history I'm sure you had no idea about. Would definitely come back to show my family

Jane & Oliver

Fascinating, educational and beautiful. Make sure you have plenty of petrol for your vehicle since there’s lots of driving once you enter. The eastern side of the park (Wetherill Mesa) is dog friendly. The western side is not.

Nova Seewald

I’m glad I was finally able to make this trip. I lived in Colorado my entire life and never has the opportunity to make it here. Now that I did, I’m sooo happy to add this to my list of amazing places. Thank you for preserving this park. ❤️❤️❤️ Also my tour guide of cliff palace was very informative and nice.

Aurora Parkinson

Despite being deathly scared of nights this was worth it, good history lesson. The guides know what they're doing but if you have a health issue of any kind I would not recommend this at all. In sone areas it is extremely easy to fall

Luke Garrison

The cliff dwellings are remarkably well preserved. We found the rangers' tours to be hit or miss, but largely exceptional. Be prepared to drive quite a ways from the park entrance to each of the different cliff dwellings. The different dwellings are not close to each other - they are in very different parts of the park

alexa hackett

This place is famous for a reason! You need to be there for at least 2 days to see most of it. The ranger guided tours are a must and only $5.

Joe Schaul

This Was A Spectacular Glimpse Back To A Primitive, Metal Free Moment In Time From 1150AD-1270AD When Tribal Construction Building Trades Peaked Out and Dead Ended Technologically, as Europeans Built Cathedrals To God.

Bev Cummins

The natural beauty is overwhelming. We booked the balcony house tour and Mark, our guide was great. He respected the history of the Pueblo people and helped the kids learn the importance of it. Honestly a bucket list destination!

Jeremy Smith

Love the views and the cliff dwellings. Dont forget to stop and get some food while your there. Good quality and product for their location

Gayle Golder

Gorgeous, amazing, awe-inspiring. My trip across the country has taken me to some amazing places and there is so much more to see and do! I can’t wait to get back out this way in a few weeks I’m the fall! The history of the area is incredible. The park rangers can tell you so much about the area!

Teri Geddes

This is more than a national park, it's a world class and national treasure. Cave dwellings are so incredibly interesting. The park is well maintained and the staff are helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Great trip for the family.

Laura Jones

We stopped at the overlooks from the visitor center down to Cliff Palace, where we took the tour. The guide was definitely knowledgeable and took the time to talk and answer questions. The stairs going down to Cliff Palace were fine, steep in a few places. A member of the tour group had to go back out due to intense vertigo. The Cliff Palace was amazing to see. The view looking out was great too. Lots of sand, a favorite for the 3-yr old. In order to get back out, you climb up thru rocks and I was extremely claustrophobic, but made it out, shaking. The weather turned and we had a flash flood, lightning, in which case they cancel tours. We went to the visitor's center and did the Junior Ranger program offered there. There is a whole other side of Mesa Verde we did not have time to get to. You definitely need a full day or two to see it all.

Edgar Moran

Striking view of culture and history that was here long before any European settlers. The tour guides are cool, informative, and each one has their own cool set of stories and ideas behind Mesa Verde.

Ray Brown

We enjoyed a wonderful day in the park. We found a pleasant shaded table for a picnic at Park Point Overlook. The staff were helpful with suggestions at the visitor center.

Rosie Pratt

Awesome! Unfortunately the largest dwelling was closed due to rock slides. That being said, we didn't have much time so we only went to one dwelling. We will return when we have more time. It was still a great stop!!

Erin McCann

I first visited Mesa Verde as a girl many years ago. Today, I was able to bring my husband and children with me. Such an amazing place! It was definitely helpful to go through the museum and watch the video before our tour - It added depth and understanding to what we were seeing along the way. This is a very family friendly experience. The *only* reason I gave it 4 stars was because the tours sold out very quickly, and we couldn't stay into the late afternoon, (had to leave by 5pm). We were very happy with everything else though!

Sean McCambridge

Mesa Verde is a place that doesn’t compare to anywhere I’ve ever been. The magnitude of the cliff dwellings leaves you breathless (if the altitude doesn’t). This is one of a few archaeological sites in the US that immerses you into an entirely different society where you can see plainly what was. You can feel the presence of the spirits that made this beautiful place their home. I wasn’t planning to visit until some friends convinced me to go. It’s a beautiful landscape. But witnessing the architectural wonder of what is basically a thousand-year-old high-rise built into a cliff .. you won’t see that at any other national park

Linz Howell

Amazing National Park! Extremely clean. Lots of bathroom options, picnic areas, and places to take pictures. Bring food because it takes several hours to get though but worth the wait. Wish we would have done the guided tour.

C. Str.

Fascinating place. Still can't really imagine how people could have lived there. Our tour guide Pete was awesome. He explained everything with enthusiasm and in an understandable way for us foreigners.

Aida Awad

Make sure you get your tour tickets early, the day before is best. There are overlooks where you can view the cliff dwellings, but yours are the best as you can get up close. Plan to spend the whole day. It takes a good 45 mins to drive in.

Nick Hellmich

Very cool to drive through and see all the great rock formations. The cliff dwellings are amazing as are the mesa dwellings. Do stop by the cafe.

AChilds Haunting

Great place to explore and see the ancient Indian dwellings. We did the ranger guided tours and they were so worth it. Only cost $5 per person and you get to go down and walk around and right up to the dwellings. Highly recommend this. It was hot and just hot so bring water. Recommend that you bring a small back pack to carry your water in so you have your hands free for the ladders. We also got free ice fullups from the cafe for our hydro flasks. Wear syn screen too. A place we will come back to. We went end of August and hardly any people so great for the off season.

Lien D

Amazing! We spent 3 half days here, hiking, driving, and doing 2 tours. Exhibits are super informational and interesting. They have a lot to protect here - the history, the environment, the land. Many landscapes to enjoy.

Prashast Kumar

Amazing ancient caves and houses. It’s really good for hiking also. Some of the trails are medium level and can be completed in 2 hours and you will get an amazing view

Mary Jane Clarson

I love Mesa Verde National Park! Highly appreciate the display of the Native American Culture! I gives of a sense of peace and relaxing vibe specially when you see the whole place which the view could really take your breath away!. I highly recommend you bring a lot of water and wear something comfortable when you go her. I hope to be back again!

Elizabeth Bennett

Gorgeous park full of amazing historical sites. Quality world heritage location. (Enjoyed this one more than Stonehenge.)

Andrew Cynova

What a great National Park. We only spent one day there but two or three would have been better. Late September and the weather couldn't have been any nicer low to mid 70s.

Joel Leusink

Awesome place to visit. They do a great job upholding the mission of the National Parks. Also have very educated staff to explain history and geology.

MERCY FLORES KILLINS

Came today July 1, 2019 and took the 2:30pm for cliff palace tour (1 hr tour). We only paid $25 for our party of 5. The tour guide is real friendly and informative. I would recommend to take the earliest tour hours possible to avoid hotter weather. The place is amazing and has lots of history. Highly recommended.

Matthew Long

Very cool place the only down negative comments I have is that to get close I had to pay more like I already payed to get into the park why should I have to pay again to take a tour of what I payed to see already? And they will not let you pay at the gate you have to buy them in advance at the visitors center. We had no idea about this till we drove over an hour back to the Viewing areas.... this needs to change or the person at the gate needs to inform people. So be advised if you want to get close you need to buy a tour which only goes at certain times so you have to work on parks times for them.

Forestpixie

Amazing trip!! Would highly suggest taking the Balcony and Cliff Palace tours. Both rangers were wonderful. Very knowledgeable, friendly and respectful. Take time to walk some of the trails on your own time. Make sure you drink LOTS of water and pace yourself!!! Also stayed at the campground and everyone at the counter were VERY helpful and sweet. Ate the all you can eat pancake breakfast at the cafe next door and it was really good!!!

Kool Kid

You will need minimum of a day to see the whole Mesa Verde if you make sure to be at the visitor centre on/before 9am. They have multiple houses throughout the mountains and a minimum of an hour drive between the houses. All the attraction points begin after the visitor centre. Make sure to book your tickets at the visitor centre and stop there food / snacks. Drink plenty of WATER only, as the air gets thinner and water is your best source of oxygen. Enjoy the Mesa !

Rat On Stilts

Not a great hotel, beds were uncomfortable and felt like I was sleeping on rocks. They kicked me out for trying to sleep in the provided houses. Hard to get to. (sarcasm) Great place, great giftshops and places to visit, very wheelchair accessible.

Michele Flodeen

Beautiful park! We only got to spend a day but it was pretty amazing and we got to see a lot! Our kids loved the cliff dwellings and thought they were pretty cool!

Kris Turner

Every American needs to visit one of these sites in their lifetime. Mesa Verde isn't the only 'city' ruins in the region, but it's probably the most dramatic. The local peoples left these settlements and moved elsewhere in the region (and are still living in the area) ~400 years before Columbus set sail accidentally 'discovering' America. There are a lot of parks with beautiful scenery, this is one of those with a history not commonly known.

Larry Overton

Several sites of Pueblo Cliff Dwellings. Spent one day driving the park. If taking a guided tour book in advance for best times. Must book in person up to 2 days in advance. Campsites include 15 sites with full hookups.

James Ray

Nice place to visit for a few hrs. Pretty crowded though at the structures. Be prepared to pay for tickets to see anything cool.

Katie Klas

I would give 10 stars! We were humbled and in awe. The ranger led tours of Balcony House and Cliff Palace were Well worth it. You need two days if you want to do the other road to the Long House, on our to do list now, as we only planned one day. We entered the park when it opened and we're in the first tour. Campground was nice and would be nice to stay in the park there or in the hotels. Visitors Center is over an hour from all the ruins. Nice little cafeteria like restaurant near the museum. Be sure to get out and check out each site. Go in Fall or Spring.

Michelle Wenk

It was an incredible experience. To get to and from the site you need to using a ladders, which make it part of the adventure. Once your are in the there it feels surreal; it feels like the native people are still leaving there.

Cliff Coburn

We didn't get a guided tour as our time was limited. We did drive and hike a lot. We had five kids ages 6 - 15 and all of them wanted to return and spend more time, taking guided tours. Excellent opportunities for photography! You should take the opportunity to visit the nearby Four Corners Monument on the Navaho Lands.

lissette nunez

Very awesome, a must see for sure. The road is not for the faint of heart tho so keep that in mind if ur afraid of heights or something. Definitely a must see tho. Also when u go up to where the city is. Look on the other side inside the mountains there's some hiding in there to

Josh Mitchell

Gorgeous! Only word for it. We tent camped down pueblo rd in Moorefield camp ground. Saw plenty of deer, and the views are incredible, as well as the history. Highly recommend.

Andy Wetmore

Great rangers. I learned so much history I did not know. This is a really fascinating place! (And the restrooms are super clean! )

Scott Rensel

Beautiful ancient cities! Staff is cheerful and helpful...even chatty if you ask questions. However, here is where i stop. Don't come... this county is extremely abusive to citizens and probably ten times more to the native peoples. I guess if you only want a soda and a picture you're safe...and if you're white.

kaleb kralicek

Absolutely worth the drive, would gladly come again! If you’re considering coming here definitely do it! Cliff dwelling tours were probably one of the highlights of my trip and my life

Clint Johnson

I was here in the 80s and it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen as far as ancient cultures... So coming back 30 years later was a great memory any chance to relive that time... The Park Service does a fantastic job with the place and makes visiting this incredible cultural site very accessible... And informative... Once you see these places you will never forget them.

Barbara McGee

We enjoyed the Cliff Palace tour. Spent all day exploring the area. The 23 minute movie was very informative, glad we saw it. We plan to return and camp in the park. We will be going on every tour next time, might take a week, oh well.

Frank Gallegos

Love this place ... been there 5 times and always enjoy coming back and seeing this I didn't see before. There is way to much to fit it all into one or two full day tips.

Kayce F

Beautiful park that wasn't too crowded. There were a few tour bus groups. Most sites can be seen in a very short walk just off the road. We only had half a day at the park but could definitely spend a whole day or more than one day here.

Inglis Reynolds

What a place! It is an amazing combination of Native America art and building, wide open dessert landscapes, vistas of clouds and cliffs, and fun surprises! To choose a tour you need to select a tour- 3 different sites and a time. Cost is $5. The folks at the visitors center will describe each site. Bring water.

Heidi Betschart

The visitors' centers and on-site attractions are well maintained. The signage and map made all of the Park's attractions very easy to find. We had great weather for our day, so we were able to see quite a bit. Paying for the guided tour of the Cliff Palace was worth it ($5 per person!), as well as being the least strenuous of all the three guided tours.

Caroline Wilford

Such an under rated national park. The palace is only $5 dollars to tour and it's worth every penny.

Sarah Garman

Very neat!!! We didn't do any tours but definitely would have if we had been able! If you can, do, especially of the Cliff Palace. You can see a lot just by driving too.

Kailer Paterson

Great place to go learn about the history and lota of trails you can go down to and see first hand the culture. I personally went sown there with my family and everyone enjoyed it.

Sandy Riddles

Great history. Well preserved. Missed tour guide service due to online ticket sales. Really didn't need one anyway. Good day trip.

Ian Hargrove

Very cool. Lots too see and you can pay to go up close. We just went thru the gate and drove to all the different parts next each other. Easy to drive thru for. The day and stop and peak views.

Ginger Morris

Not much to see for free and it cost $25 to get in and they charge $5 per person per tour. It was interesting but pricey. Only one place was open for self guided tours.

Mahesh Siddappa

Ranks high among the National Parks I have visited. The dwelling areas on the cliffs are just amazing. It rained while we were there, and you have to accept it is a perfect shelter.

eunice caselman

All the staff made it a very educational visit. They could answer any questions that were asked of them to the best of their ability. We also had a good time joking around it was like we known them forever. Thank you all for making the last stop on our trip the best!

Tomicah Tillemann

With the possible exception of Constitution Hall, no national park provides greater insight on the infinity ingenuity and creativity of humankind. Take. The. Tours. Seriously. As many as you can. They're amazing.

Dan Begley

This is a must see. The march of time is clearly evident and humbling. The ingenuity, engineering and astonishing effort it took to build this community and to thrive there boggles the imagination. We are not more intelligent than they were.

Kris Heyler

My favorite national park! Beautiful sights, lots of history, friendly knowledgeable rangers and staff. Loved it, will be coming back again and again!!!

Kristy Farr

Such an amazing place to visit with such great history. Roads to dwellings were very narrow and curvy and did cause car sickness for my family. It will take at least half a day or longer for this adventure but it is well work and the Indian bread is amazingly delicious!!!! We cod have eaten so much more!!! Lots of different options and walking tours so plan ahead and call or visit the visitor center first.

Candice Lewis

So beautiful there. This was our first time and we all had a blast. The campground was beautiful, the staff was great and the wildlife was amazing. There was deer always around the campground. We will be returning next year.

Wisco Simple

What an experience! There are so many ruins here and their all amazing. Come early and spend the whole day. Make sure you make tour reservations in advance. Most people olny know about cliff palace but there's an abundance of prehistoric treasures here. Mesa verde will transport you back in time to a beautiful past your never knew.

sean ivey

The structures and views were fantastic. Unfortunately the guide/ranger we got was snooty and abrasive. Many people in the group of 55 people commented the same. The ranger said she was from Missouri. Hopefully she will read this and work on her people skills.

James Mietchen

In my opinion this is one of our most fascinating national parks. There is a kind of reverent feeling here, and the Museum's and Rangers do a great job of explaining what is known about this vanished culture.

Tommy Diffin

This attraction is beautiful, and massive. But that's about it, you can't truly appreciate everything since its a $35 entrance fee barred behind a paid guided tour or you can only see the structures from very far away whereas some of the aztec ruins to the south are free and you are allowed inside without a guide. It was worth it to be there but it seems like another tourist trap to me

animalsnacks

Mesa Verde is an amazing place to see. A wonder to the eye and a huge brain scratcher to see how they lived without technology or even a tv. Perfect place to get away from all of that. Life is a wonderful thing and i do believe that the ruins of Mesa Verde do just remind us all how wonderful life is.

Andrew Hodgson

Inspiring ruins within the national park. You have to take the guided tour to get up close and personal. The path may not suit all abilities

Kelton Jacobsen

Kind of a necessary experience. Just a heads up, you will drive AT LEAST 100 miles if you stay in the park a couple days. But the palaces and homes were amazing. Truly amazing. Just thinking about how they did it is amazing itself but actually seeing it, wow. You have to buy tickets to do tours, and those tickets are $5/person. But well worth it. And the Rangers there are awesome.

Carolyn LeCroy

This is such a unique national park. Recommendation all the 3 Cliff dwelling tours @$5. Very knowledgeable rangers! Now when I look at mesas I look for possible cliff dwellings.

Daniel Stokes

Amazing dwellings, beautiful canyons, tours of the cliff dwellings definitely not for those with physical disability or health issues. Rangers shared a wealth of knowledge

Eugene Shepherd

This was our second family trip to this wonderful landmark. We took our son there when he was three and now we were able to bring her daughter here she is almost 2. You'll see her climbing her little body through the tunnel. She even thought she was brave enough to go up to 60 footwooden ladder but they would not let her we were smart enough to bring a kangaroo pack to stick her in while I climbed up the ladder with her on my back and my wife ahead of me. From 0 to 99 I recommend all ages come visit this place. You will not regret it

Manuel Ortiz

This park just not all about native Americans dwellings. It provides some real good scenic drive. Red rock mountains to green mountains to snow mountains, we saw all here.Roads are awesomely maintained and signs/Directions boards are all exactly one would need. Well planned national park I would say. Many stops on the way to get the view of the scenery.

Adam Robertson

The park is an amazing showcase not just of the natural beauty of the American southwest but of the incredible heritage of the people who lived there hundreds and thousands of years ago, and whose descendants remain nearby today. Our ranger guide for the Cliff Palace tour, Kayla, turned what would have been a great experience into an unforgettable one. Her knowledge, passion, and ability to communicate both were both impressive and inspiring.

Web Luke

Great national park to bring a family for a day and see the native American ruins. The hikes down maintained trails can be steep but worth it. Bring snacks, lunch, and plenty of water because it can be hot during the summer and services are limited.

Lloyd Keith

A great place to visit. There are many historical site to see. A museum as well. Lodging and campground ranger guided tours of some of the cliff dwelling

D B

Very scenic drive. Be prepared to do some serious walking if you want to actually go into the dwellings but it is very interesting and impressive. Highly recommend if you are into history and ingenuity.

Shannon Fury

This park has a lot to offer! It may be helpful to do some research beforehand to plan out your day/s. I highly recommend the visitor center, museum, guided tours and the overlooks!

Kris Warner

Really awesome place to visit and camp. Be aware that driving the road to the park is not for the faint of heart, especially if you're not used to mountain driving.

Raychel Jayne LeBlanc

The only cliff dwelling you could visit without purchasing a ticket was closed and the ranger didn't tell us beforehand. Wouldn't be a big deal, except the only place to buy tickets for guided tours is at the entrance, which is a looooong drive from the main attractions of the park. The main museum at Spruce House had empty exhibits. I've been before, and the first time I was way more impressed. It wasn't worth paying $25... I'd pay $10.

Mark Armstrong

It's just a tourist trap. You can't just walk down to the ruins. It's behind lock and key. You need to pay extra to have a Ranger give a "guided" tour which amounts to a kindergartner overview of some of the ruins while standing in the hot sun. Nothing revealed that you can't learn in 5 minutes with a Google search. Take a drive to Canyon of the Ancients which is loaded with artifacts that you can stumble upon all on your own by hiking on myriad trails.

Matt Rosenfeld

Breathtaking views await you and spectacular sights are around nearly every corner of this jewel of a park. We camped at Moorefield Campground and had ample space for our vehicle. Several of the fabled cliff dwellings were closed due to rock falls during our visit. There were still numerous point from which to view them from a distance.

Tina Olson

It has been on my bucket list for years now I can say I've been there enjoyed learning everything I could and got to see and enjoy seeing were they lived how and why and what they believe happened to these awesome people life so simply and as a village

Christina Krell

Beautiful park, wonderful history. Entrance fee has gotten a bit high, 25 dollars per car.

Linda Brown

Powerful 700 Year Tour of peoples and environments, whatever it was, they could not change or adapt to survive. Lessons to learn. This is sunset photo from Knives Trail from Morefield Campground.

Casey Price

Great place to take family . Nice campground. Get there early or buy guided trips a day in advance. Sell out quickly.

Nathan May

This is my favorite national park of all time! The preservation of the Ancestral Pueblo sites is spectacular and the park contains very nice facilities. The Balcony House tour was my favorite, but be sure to do all three since Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House are the only cliff dwellings that are visible without taking a tour. The tours are inexpensive and enlightening. I also stayed at Far View Lodge, which I would recommend due to convenience. The Petroglyph Point Trail is also a must-see. Do yourself a favor and visit Mesa Verde National Park!

Jeff Gardner

I had the perfect day. Our Ranger Guides, Kevin Milliron and Rachel? ( aka Cool) were the best. And the views amazing. I want to thank the Native American people for allowing us to see the home of their ancestors and to see how amazing they were.

Doug Reed

Cliff dwellings are the highlight. Be sure to get there early at least one day prior to your visit or you could have a hard time getting a ranger led tour - and all the currently open cliff dwellings require a ranger. Tours must be purchased at the visitor center. Only the twilight tours can be purchased online. We saw Cliff Palace which was spectacular. We stayed at Morefield Campground which was nice but unlike many campgrounds a reservation only guarantees that there will be a site available, not a particular site. Still, for the breadth of information on the ancient Publeoan people, this is a must see.

J K

This is a really neat place to experience. It is awesome to be able to see the dwellings and you have the option of paying for a tour which puts you up close and personal to the dwellings and such. We stopped in to the visitor's center to get a map, which was very helpful as we drove through the park.

Saralyn Voltz

A very clean and easy to navigate park! I highly recommend a tour! Our tour guide, Jeff Brown, was wonderful! Don’t forget to look for the wild horses!

Megan Caille

It is beautiful and well preserved. A must see if you are anywhere near the area!

S Renaudie

Another well-looked after national park. The rangers are doing a very good job. Clean, easy to navigate, good views and regular clean toilets along the way.

James Davis

WOW just a drive through this gem is amazing. Vamped a couple of days and took three of the guided tours of the cliff dwellings, a truly moving experience. Caution drives are long hikes are strenuous.

Kathy Campbell

Excellent day spent. Just took the self tour $ 25.00 well spent. Beautiful views, excellent source of history. People were very friendly and helpful.

Troy Crisman

We stayed at the Far View Lodge in the park, the only thing that makes it worth the money is the fact it's in the park. The floor in our unit was so rotten I thought one of us might fall through. The park itself is amazing and BEAUTIFUL!

Broady Eyer

A must see! It costs 25$ to get in and then you also have to pay for any tours. They do not mention this to you when getting into the park which is unfortunate because you have to drive an hour both ways to get to Mesa Verde and back. Thankfully we had an awesome ranger that allowed us to pay after and see this amazing place before heading back to our hometown over 2 days drive away. An awesome experience.

Sandy Jill

Just go! You have to do a few of the tours to really get something out of this place. I also stayed at the lodge one night and the campground on another both were fantastic. I got a camp spot with lots of privacy even though they are very close. Lots of bathrooms, I had 2 in easy walking distance. The showers and laundry are all the way up at the store but not that bad of a walk if you are in the front tent spots. The rooms at the lodge are quirky(which I love) but very clean and what a view, even in the non view rooms. I ate at the lounge and had a fresh tasty salad with salmon added that was cooked perfect and a well made margarita with patron. It is a real full bar. I did try to eat at the far view terrace but that was a hot mess.... the only thing in the park I would give an F rating. There was no real line so at least 20 people were shoved against the counter yelling at 2 poor cooks trying to make their food, I walked out. But the very best thing about this park are the rangers. I didn't meet one that wasn't funny. I will definitely be going back just for the lodge.

A Google User

This park amazed me when i first saw it there I saw how they lived it was so awesome. This is one of my favorite place. Love it

Elaine Williams

The trip is long but well worth the drive. Once we knew we had to do the turn outside to see what was listed it got better Beautiful landscape, very interesting sights.

Leslie Tipton

Absolutely an incredible park. What a wonderful historical experience. The park rangers and museum staff were very knowledgeable. LOVED IT!

Brittany Lump

Mess Verde was really impressive. The preservation of the ruins.was great and the rangers we're incredibly informed and friendly. It is a lot of driving and a lot of the sites you can only get close to if you pay for a tour, which I respect because preserving history is much more important than getting up close.

Drew DeMeester

We found this to be a great part of our trip to the area - very unique, tours were very well done, and the history presented very interesting. Park was clean and seemed well run!

Meryl Kerby

Gorgeous and fascinating. Plan to take some time - there's a lot to see and learn. All up-close encounters are guided by park rangers and tickets must be purchased at visitors center.

Jiří Svoboda

Definititely worth visiting. We visited the Cliff Palace and it was very nice. The approach to the site is steep and narrow.. no problem for us at all. The ranger who guided us through the site was really good and was ready to answer any questions.

Tanya Towne

Awesome park! The tent campground was very nice. A lot of shade and the deer walk through the campground. We came back to our camp for lunch and there was a die laying down under a tree behind the bear box. It was very cool!

Alan Seekamp

This place is absolutely mind blowing. Only had a quick half day look , and staying another couple days to do guided tours. Could stay longer but got to catch a plane back to Australia. We will be back !!

Renee Liljedahl

Only had a short time here but it was worth every minute, a little disappointed that rangers were not very considerate of those of us standing in a long line to get information as the visitors center was closing. Just needed a park map which wasn't available for self serving.

Craig Reeder

Fantastic National Park! Keep in mind that the road from the entrance to the park is almost an hour in length. Highly recommend staying overnight at the Far View Lodge to save time and enjoy the exhibits! Food options are limited and can be expensive.

Darrell Murray

What a great visit! My first to this deserving national park. Took two of the self-guided hiking tours and attended two guided, all well worth the nickels of cost. Historical social behavior, ancestral lifestyles were available for review on every turn. Comfortable cafeterias and snacks/food were available for a break, with maps and guide material available at every lookout and site. Look for Ranger ALFIE, she was fabulous. She took the time to walk us through the StepHouse Site, giving us an up close and personal perspective. You can really tell that she loves her job. Highly recommend this visit, and then visit again to catch up whatever you missed the first time. Darrell

Joe Kopp Art

Enjoyed the Cliff House and Long House Tours today. Stayed in the campground (a little pricey) and saw an excellent fireside presentation last night on the history of the original superintendent. Alfieri and Taylor were excellent rangers today.

Eric McCafferty

Loved it! Had a ripping thunderstorm during our visit. And the cliff dwellings were cool too!

Melissa Kramer

Excellent. Toured the Cliff House and hiked on a few trails. It was a great day!

Shahidul Islam

Does not have thrilling views like other national parks, but it has it’s moments. Great one if you are interested in history in general or life of mountain dwellers.

Meg le Comte

An astonishing park that has beautiful vistas and historical significance. To see the cliffdwellings are just so impressive and they are pretty accessible for most. The visitor center is one of the nicest architectural building of NP and worthy of getting informed before heading out.

Kat Gonzales

Absolutely gorgeous and peaceful. The cliff dwellings are really amazing. I highly suggest going on a guided tour.

Faisal Haroon

A unique place. The cliff dwellings are very interesting. In order to visit the dwellings, one has to be in a group accompanied by a park ranger. So make a booking at the Rangers office

Rachel E Kerksiek

The Hopi dancers were amazing, we just happened to be here for their 1x/year performance. Absolutely stunning scenery and great tour guides! We did the Castle Rock tour as well as many smaller road side sites. Incredible experience. Not difficult hikes, but not easy on the unsteady adventurer. Bring water, food, sunscreen, bug spray and decent walking shoes. Visitors Center is great as well as wonderful staff, very willing to help guide your plans. Plenty of rest stops. There is a restaurant and gift shop inside the park. We brought a cooler with plenty of supplies.

Charles bum

Best park in the 4 state region! Tons of history and amazing museum.

John Gearheart

Great place to visit. Sun point view has a free area were you can see everything. Most places you have to buy a ticket to go see them.

Jihra Monecia

Beautiful drive. Beautiful park. I loved every bit. Be mindful of the drive up and down the park. A lot of turns and hills. You shouldn't speed up or down this mountain. I think it is a little much to get in. But thats just me.

Katie Budzinski

Great park. Nice short hikes. Sucked there were so many people and the tours to see the best stuff fill up very fast.

Robert Fritzler Jr

Amazing! We visited for my partner's birthday, so cool. We stayed at Far Lodge in the park, had an amazing time. We visited Cliff Palace and Long House. Both were impressive, the walk to Long House is a mile but so scenic. What a fun time.

Shakara Gunderson

Spend a day or two, lot's to see and it's spread out.. the available tours left for the day were too long of a wait for us, but we were on a fast and furious road trip and I knew likely we wouldn't get in for one. But watching others descend down into structures, you just knew it was worth going on a tour.

Hillary Marshall

Wish we could of spent more than half a day here. We Weren't able to do the tours because they were full. But I'd definitely go back to do them. And if you can't do the physical climb down into the cliff dwelling there's plenty of other ones to check out. I would suggest bringing binoculars and a good camera!

Mike Ethetton

Awesome experience. You could feel the past with every step. Definitely need to take the ranger tour of Cliff Palace at least. Well worth whatever drive you must make. Note you need to be able to climb multiple ladders. Bring water!

Debbie J

Great National Park with beautiful hikes, historic places, guided tours, and picturesque lookout points. We had half a day but were able to see many archeological areas. Be sure to purchase guided tour tickets at the information center before going into the park.

Cherie McAllister

This is an amazing and beautiful place. We toured Cliff Palace and Long House. Our guide at Cliff Palace, Ranger Kevin, talked too much about himself and wasted time with little jokes and stories. We learned very little. Ranger John, our guide at Long House, was excellent and more than made up for the lack of pertinent information on the first tour. Excellent experience!

Jamie Steeno

When you plan your visit to Mesa Verde National Park, stop by the visitors center to purchase your tickets to go on the tour of The Palace. It is worth the 5dollars. You will learn so much from the rangers. Just remember you need to be able to climb a total of 4 ladders.

Denise Hoinka

Beautiful park... excellent tour guides... incredible historic Pueblo home sites!

Bart Overbeek

A beautiful national park! We got tickets for a group tour. Highly recommend when you want to see and hear more about Mesa Verde. The ranger was well educated about the history of Mesa and was highly communicative to the group.

Allison Phillips

Nicest national park I ever went to! Visited there in 2004 and was very very satisfied. Even nicer than the big parks like Yosemite and Sequoia!

Sharon Meintzer

Great park for exploring and hiking the Pueblo cliff dwellings. Get outside and hike to enjoy the mountains and our freedom. This park does that. Great service.staff and park Rangers Mark and Taylor. Go see Cliff Palace and Balcony house!

Larry Kime

Mesa Verde was on our route on a cross country trip. We did not give ourselves enough time to fully appreciate the place. What we did see was amazing, and gave us a lot to think about. The gorge gave the occupants a very protected home site while the land above provided room for crops and live stock.

Ellen Beitzinger

Absolutely fantastic. The ruins are stunning. I highly recommend taking a guided tour. Book in advance as they fill quickly. Must book at the parks welcome center.

James Schreckengost

Beautiful setting and views were extraordinary. The pueblos were intriguing and filled with history. A tour of longhouse with the guide Nighteagle was extra special delight.

OrthodoxofUSA

There are so many amazing things to see here. There are ancient cliff dwellings, other ancient dwellings (such as Sun Temple and the Far View sites), and magnificent canyons. There's quite a few sites that you can walk around without a ranger/tour guide. I'm looking forward to my next visit. Everyone who has the opportunity should see this place.

tmpii

Very informative. Appreciate the beauty and deep history all around.

Dustin Horton

What an amazing park. There's nothing else like it in this country. You can take a tour that let's you get excellent photos of the whole cliff palace, and then takes you into the cliff palace. You do have to climb several large ladders, so it's not exactly a small-child- or elderly-friendly tour, but if you're in decent shape and your children are old enough, it's truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Patricia Wassall

The park is beautiful. I had my dog with my and was unable to do any cliff dwelling tours, but I look forward to going back. The website wording had me unsure about the time needed to drive up and down the mountain. It took about 1 hour each way and that includes us stopping at a few overlooks for photos.