Cliff Dwelling Tours

Make your tour reservations up to 14 days in advance on recreation.gov

To enter all cliff dwellings you must have a reservation on a ranger led tour. The full 2024 tour season begins May 12th through October 22, with very limited number of tours per day starting on May 6th. Tour reservations are made only on recreation.gov or by calling the toll free number 1-877-444-6777. Reservations are available 14 days in advance, 8:00 am MDT. Reserving a tour is much easier if you create a rec.gov account in advance. Go to recreation.gov and select the "Sign Up/Log In" tab in the upper right corner.

You will receive digital confirmation and a digital ticket which is your reservation. You will not receive a paper ticket. Please take a screenshot of your reservation or print a paper copy before you arrive at the park and bring it with you to show the ranger before your tour. Without it, you will not be allowed on a tour. Because cell service is extremely limited, reservations cannot be accessed at tour sites.

 

A section of Cliff Palace where visitors observe the construction up clos.e

NPS Photo/Sandy Groves

Cliff Dwelling Tours

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. Built between 1190 and 1280 CE, Cliff Palace was once home to over 100 people. Today, it stands as a testament to the engineering and artistic achievements of the Ancestral Pueblo people. For a virtual tour of Cliff Palace, go to https://go.nps.gov/CPvideo.

What to expect

Each tour is limited to 50 people

On this 45-minute Ranger-Led tour, you will descend uneven stone steps and climb four ladders, with an elevation change of 100 feet (30 m). Total walking distance is 1/4 mile (0.4 km). Children must be capable of climbing the ladders on their own. Infants must be placed in a carrier and the adults carrying them must be able to maintain mobility and balance.

Know your physical health before joining a tour of Cliff Palace, especially if you have heart or respiratory problems, or other physical difficulties. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 feet (2134 m and 2286 m) above sea level. You should plan for all weather possibilities because conditions can vary.

When are the Tours

The full 2024 tour season begins May 12th through October 22. Tours generally occur each day during the season but times are subject to change for circumstances such as safety and staffing. Go to Rec.gov for complete times and dates, additional safety recommendations, costs and other important information.

 

Looking from Balcony House at the 32-foot ladder which visitors must climb.

NPS photo

Balcony House

A tour of Balcony House is one of the most adventurous in the park and not for the faint-of-heart. You will scale the face of a cliff via several tall ladders, squeeze your way through a narrow tunnel on your hands and knees, and explore some of the same passages used over 800 years ago! For those ready for the challenge, this tour offers you the chance to follow in the footsteps of the Ancestral Pueblo residents who lived there. For a virtual tour of Balcony House, go to https://go.nps.gov/BHvideo .

What to Expect

On this one-hour tour to Balcony House, you will climb a 32-foot (9.8 m) ladder, crawl through an 18-inch (45 cm) wide by 27-inch (68 cm) tall tunnel extending 12 feet (3.7 m) long, and climb up a 60-foot (20 m) open cliff face with uneven stone steps and two 17-foot (5 m) ladders to exit. Children must be capable of climbing the ladders on their own. Infants must be placed in a carrier and the adults carrying them must be able to maintain mobility and balance.

Know your physical health before joining a tour of Cliff Palace, especially if you have heart or respiratory problems, or other physical difficulties. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 feet (2134 m and 2286 m) above sea level. You should plan for all weather possibilities because conditions can vary.

When are the Tours

The full 2024 tour season begins May 12th through October 22. Tours generally occur each day during the season but times are subject to change for circumstances such as safety and staffing. Go to Rec.gov for complete times and dates, additional safety recommendations, costs and other important information.

 

View of Square Tower House

NPS

Backcountry Tours

On these special tours, rangers guide groups into Mesa Verde's backcountry to visit the park's lesser-seen cliff dwellings. Backcountry tours are held once daily starting May 24th and are limited to 10 people. Backcountry tour sites other than Square Tower House may become available as the tour season continues. Look for them on rec.gov.

Square Tower House

Featuring the tallest standing structure in the park, an intact kiva roof, original plaster and paint, and plentiful rock art. Square Tower House is one of Mesa Verde's most impressive cliff dwellings. Visitors to the Mesa Top Loop can get a great view from the overlook, but intrepid hikers are treated to an adventurous and intimate look inside Square Tower House on this special ranger-guided tour.

What to Expect

This strenuous ranger-led 90-minute tour is a 1-mile (2.6 km) round-trip along an unpaved, uneven trail that descends 100 feet (30 m), and includes steep drop-offs, switchbacks, and two ladders (the longest is 20 feet [6.1 m]). This hike may not be appropriate for young children. Each hiker must be able to scramble over boulders, navigate steep gravel trails, and descend/ascend ladders unassisted.

Know your physical health and fitness before joining a Square Tower House tour. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 feet (2134 m and 2286 m) above sea level. You should plan for all weather possibilities because conditions can vary. It's possible to begin your hike in full sun and end with a thunderstorm. Bring a minimum of 1/2 gallon (2 liters) of water per person.

Go to Rec.gov for complete times and dates, additional safety recommendations, costs and other important information.