Mesa Verde National Park Day Trip

Explore Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado's only UNESCO site. Discover ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings and enjoy a guided tour through history!

Day Trip Details

Mesa Verde National Park spans over 207 sq km (80 sq mi) and protects over 5,000 archeological sites, making it Colorado's only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the largest cliff dwelling in North America and explore the ancestral lands of the Ancient Puebloans.

Choose from two tour options when booking: one focuses exclusively on cliff dwellings and the other covers the park's key features. The Cliff Palace tour offers a unique experience with limited ticket availability. Both options start and finish at a central meeting point in Durango, including transport to Mesa Verde National Park, admission to the sites, and a guided experience.

Cliff Palace Tour (5 hours)

This tour emphasizes the cliff dwellings, beginning with a 1-hour drive to the park. The main destination is Cliff Palace, dating back to 1260 CE. The site is vulnerable, resulting in limited daily visits. The tour includes tickets to Cliff Palace and an expert-guided tour providing insights into the ancient community and its preservation.

Time will be allocated to explore other park highlights like the Mesa Top Loop with views of Cliff Palace and the landscape before returning to Durango.

Mesa Verde Complete Tour (6 hours)

This tour provides a broader exploration of the Ancestral Puebloans. It features the park's best-preserved cliff dwellings. Stops include Park Point for views at the Four Corners viewpoint, and Far View Village complex, one of the most densely populated areas.

It also includes a visit to Spruce Canyon Tree House, spotting the 3rd largest cave dwelling. A driving tour on the Mesa Top Loop offers stunning views of major cliff dwellings, including Cliff Palace; however, this tour does not include tickets to the Cliff Palace. After the experience, we'll return to Durango.