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, with the exception of Step House on Wetherill Mesa. The 2025 tour season begins May 4th through October 19th, with Wetherill Mesa opening May 23rd. 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, beginning at 8:00 am MDT and fill up early. However, if somone cancels their reservation these tickets become available and can be purchased only at recreation.gov up to two hours before a tour. Reserving a tour is much easier if you create a recreation.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.

American Sign Language interpreters are available for ancestral site tours upon request. Please make your reservation through recreation.gov then contact the park with a request for an ASL interpreter at least one week in advance of your tour reservation. For more accessibility information visit Accessibility - Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

 

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

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 ft (30 m). Total walking distance is 1/4 mile (0.4 km). All persons, including 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 while climbing.

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 ft (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 2025 tour season begins May 4th through October 19th. 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 down from Balcony House at the 32-foot (9.8 m) 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 better idea of what the challenges look like, click and watch this video Balcony House.

What to Expect

On this one-hour tour to Balcony House, you will climb a 32 ft (9.8 m) ladder, crawl through an 18 in (45 cm) wide by 27 in (68 cm) tall tunnel extending 12 ft (3.7 m) long, and climb up a 65 ft (20 m) open cliff face with 31 ft of steep uneven stone steps and two 18 ft (5.5 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 Balcony House, especially if you have heart or respiratory problems, or other physical difficulties. Elevations range between 7,000 and 7,500 ft (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 2025 tour season begins May 4th through October 19th. Tours generally occur each day during the season but times are subject to change for circumstances such as safety and staffing. Go to Recreation.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 4th and are limited to 10 people. Backcountry tour sites other than Square Tower House may become available on recreation.gov.as the tour season progresses.

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, 2-hour tour is a 1-mile (1.6 km) in and out access along an unpaved, uneven trail. It descends 120 ft (37 m), and includes steep drop-offs, switchbacks, and two 16 ft (5 m) ladders. Each hiker must be able to scramble over boulders, walk a 34 ft long (10 m), narrow cliff ledge, 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 ft (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 Recreation.gov for complete times and dates, additional safety recommendations, costs and other important information.

 

Some of the ascents one can expect to make at Long House.

NPS

Wetherill Mesa Cliff Dwelling Tours

Long House

Within the sandstone alcove are public places and personal spaces representing an expansive community. It is the secong largest dwelling in Mesa Verde—298 feet end to end. Over 150 rooms, a large plaza, an active spring, graineries and kivas offer a glimpse into Ancestral life.

What to expect

This 90 minute, ranger-guided tour begins and ends at the Long House trailhead which is a 20 minute, 0.75 mile (1.2 km) walk from the Wetherill Mesa parking lot. The tour involves hiking 2.25 miles (3.6 km) round-trip (including to and from parking) with an elevation loss/gain of about 130 feet (40 m), descending a steep staircase and climbing two 15 ft (4.5 m) ladders within the site. Allow 115 minutes to 135 minutes for the entire Long House experience (the total time for the tour and the walk between the kiosk and the Long House trailhead). Watch the Long House video for more information.

Plan accordingly to reach the trailhead in time for your scheduled tour. The Wetherill Mesa road is a 12-mile (19 km) drive to the Wetherill Mesa parking lot (begins near mile marker 15). Allow 1.5 hours to drive to the Wetherill Mesa parking lot from the park entrance. Vehicles over 25 feet (8 m) long and 8,000 lbs. (3,628 kg) GVW are prohibited on this road.

Consider your physical health before joining a strenuous Long House tour, 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. Plan for all weather possibilities. It's possible to begin your hike in full sun and end with a thunderstorm or snowstorm.

There are no height or age restrictions for this tour, but children must be able to walk the extent of the trail and climb ladders on their own without difficulty. If not, they must be placed in a carrier and adults carrying them must be able to maintain mobility and balance while climbing ladders. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Any camera gear must be carried in such a way that your hands free to climb the ladders. No tripods are allowed.

When are the tours

Long House tours begin the day after Wetherill Mesa opens. Tour times are subject to change for circumstances such as safety and staffing. Go to Recreation.gov for complete times and dates, additional safety recommendations, costs and other important information.

 

Step House offers a self-guided experience through a cliff dwelling, with rangers present to answer questions.

NPS

Step House

A site with both a cliff dwelling (ca 1200 CE) and earlier pit houses (ca 600 CE) in the same alcove. Step House offers a look at how 800 years of inhabitation at Mesa Verde changed over time. A self-guided site when a ranger is present to answer questions. Step House does not require a reservation to enter.

What to expect

The trail begins at the Wetherill Pavilion. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) round trip along a dirt and paved surface with stairs. There is an elevation change of 165 ft (50 m). Visit the Wetherill Mesa page for complete details on hours and other information. Dogs and bicycles are permitted throughout Wetherill Mesa but NOT on the trail to or within Step House.

When are the tours

Hours for 2025 Step House self-guided tours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The last entry to the site is 2:45 pm, therefore you must be on the trail in enough time to arrive at the site by 2:45 pm.