MAILING ADDRESS
Mesa Verde National Park;
Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81321;
Telephone: 303-529-4465

DIRECTIONS
The Park is located in the southwestern section of the state. Go east from Cortez on Highway 160 (eight miles), or west from Mancos on Highway 160 to the entrance. The Visitor Center is at Far View, and a museum is at Spruce Tree House.

WHEN TO VISIT
Open year round, but most visitor facilities open May to October. Peak visitor month is July. Ruins Road may be closed in Winter due to snow or ice. Ground is usually covered by snow during Winter. Summer temperatures are hot.

POINTS OF INTEREST
These pre-Columbian cliff dwellings and other works of early man are the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

ACTIVITIES
Visitor Center; NPS guided tours; self-guiding tours/trails; guide for hire; picnic areas; campgrounds; group campsites.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Ancient dwellings fill the cliff-rock alcoves that rise 2,000 feet above Montezuma Valley. Here the Anasazi, "ancient ones," lived from about 550 to 1270 A.D. The altitude of the Park ranges from 7,000 to 8,500 feet. Cross-country skiing is allowed on parts of Ruins Road when Winter conditions permit. There is a campground at Morefield Village, and lodging is available inside the Park at Far View Lodge, which also has a restaurant. Food, supplies, and other accommodations are available in Cortez, Durango, and Mancos.