| Mesa Verde National Park | |
Things to Do:
To make the most of your visit to Mesa Verde National Park, stop off at the Far View Visitor Center (open from April to October), located 15 miles inside the park entrance, for information and orientation. The visitor center also displays contemporary Native American arts and crafts and is the only location where tickets for ranger-guided tours may be purchased. The Chapin Mesa Museum interprets the life of the Ancestral Puebloan people who once lived in the area.
Wayside exhibits along Mesa Top Loop Road interpret the development of the Ancestral Puebloan culture from the Basketmakers through the Classic period. The road is open from 8 a.m. until sunset. During winter, the mesa top loops are open as weather permits.
Chapin Mesa's three major cliff dwellings -- Spruce Tree House, Cliff Palace, and Balcony House -- are open in season for visits. Guided tours and evening campfire programs are offered during the summer months. In winter, rangers lead guided tours (three a day) of Spruce Tree House, weather and trail conditions permitting.
Two hiking trails lead into Spruce Canyon. The Petroglyph Point Trail, 2.8 miles, and Spruce Canyon Trail, 2.1 miles, begin at points on the Spruce Tree House Trail. Hikers are required to register at the trailheads.
While not
offered as a guided activity, Mesa Verde National Park provides wonderful
opportunities for stargazing. Since there are no large cities in the Four
Corners region, there is very little artificial light to detract from the stars
in the night sky. Most nights the skies are clear and full of stars.