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Accessibility
Visitors to Mesa Verde experience rugged terrain at an elevation of 7,000 to above 8,000 feet. Stiff cliffs, deep canyon, and narrow trails can be a danger to all visitors. Persons with heart or respiratory ailments may have breathing problems at this high altitude. Wheelchairs with wide rim wheels are recommended on trails. Visually impaired will nee assistance to read exhibit labels since none of the displays have been transcribed into braille.
| Place | Visually Impaired | Hearing Impaired | Ambulatory Limitations |
| Cliff Palace Balcony House |
Accessible - not recommended | Accessible without difficulty | Not Accessible |
| Far View Complex | Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance |
| Far View VC | Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible without difficulty |
| Mesa Top Loop Road |
Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance |
| Morefield Campground Picnic Area | Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum Park Headquarters |
Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance |
| Scenic Overlooks | Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance, does not meet legal grade requirements |
| Spruce Tree House | Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance |
| Step House Badger House |
Accessible with assistance | Accessible without difficulty | Accessible with assistance, does not meet legal grade requirements |
Basic Recommendations
I recommend that you plan your trip and the areas you would like to see and then go and relax and make a day of it. Go and see all that is in the area and enjoy it. You spend more quality time and learn and see more than you could ever imagine.
Mesa Verde National Park preserves a spectacular reminder of the 1,000 year culture of the Ancestral Puebloans. Archeologists have called this people Anasazi, from the Navaho word that means "ancient". They are now called Ancestral Puebloans, reflecting their modern descendants.
Biking
Bicycle riders must comply with all traffic regulations.
Bicycles may be ridden only on established public roads and parking areas.
Each bicycle must exhibit a white light on the front visible for 500 feet and a red light or red reflector on the rear visible for 50 feet or 300 feet during periods of low visibility and in the tunnel.
Bicycles must be ridden as far to the right of the roadway as possible.
At no time may a bicycle rider be attached to or towed by a motor vehicle.
No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
Bicycles are not allowed on the Wetherill Mesa road or on any trails.
Due to the steep nature of the road, lack of shoulders and poor conditions of the pavement, organized bicycle groups are prohibited.
Camping
There is one campground, Morefield Campground, in Mesa Verde National Park. It is located 4 miles from the park entrance.
There is no backcountry camping.
See the Camping Page for more information.
Fees
| Private Non-commercial Vehicle | $ 10.00 (Seven Day Pass) |
| Individual Entry (Bike, Foot) | $ 5.00 (Seven Day Pass) |
| Annual Pass | $ 20.00 (Good For One Year) |
| Commercial Tour Fees for 1-6 Person Vehicle Capacity (not including driver) |
$25.00+Fee for Each Person (Seven Day Pass) Fee good for 7 days only if tour maintains the same group of people for each re-entry |
| Commerical Tour Fees for 7-15 Person Vehicle Capacity (not including driver) |
$75.00 (Seven Day Pass) Fee good for 7 days only if tour maintains the same group of people for each re-entry. |
| Commercial Tour Fees for 16-25 Person Vehicle Capacity (not including driver) |
$100.00 (Seven Day Pass) Fee good for 7 days only if tour maintains the same group of people for each re-entry. |
| Gold Access Passport (Blind or permanently disabled individuals) | Free (Lifetime - good in all national parks) |
| Golden Age Passport (one time fee - for those 62+ years young) | $ 10.00 (Lifetime - good in all national parks) |
| Golden Eagle Passport (good one year from date of purchase) | $ 50.00 (good in all national parks) |
Golden Access Passport
The Golden Access Passport is a free pass available to all permanent U.S. residents who are eligible to receive federal benefits based on disability, whether or not you are actually receiving them or not. This pass entitles the bearer, and immediate family or accompanying passengers in a private vehicle, to free admission to all U.S. National Parks, Monuments, Forests, and Historic Sites, as well as half price camping. Apply in person at any National Park Service or U.S. Forest Service area.
Ranger-Guided Tour Fee - $2.00 - One Time fee per person per ranger-guided tour of either Cliff Palace or Balcony House and Long House. Note that there are also free ranger-guided tours of other sites available.
Lodging
Lodging is available at Far View Lodge, which is closed in winter. Reservations can be made by contacting the Mese Verde Co., PO Box 227, Mancos, CO 81328.
See the Lodging Page and Camping Page for more information.
Pet Information
Pets must be physically restrained at all timess; animals are not allowed in public buildings or on trails.
Programs & Activities
Rangers / Naturalists lead tours of the different ruins and cultural areas of the Park.
See the Calendar Page for tour information.
Visitor Center
The Far View Visitor Center is open only during the summer from 8:00 am to sunset from mid Apr to mid Nov (weather permitting). There is a self-guided tour of mesa top pueblos.
See the Calendar Page for more information.
Weather
Summer high's reach the 90's with evening temperatures to the mid-60's. Thundershowers are possible. In fall and spring, daytime temperatures are in the 30's. Winter temperatures range from the 40's down to the teens. There is an average of 80 to 100 inches of snowfall.
See the Weather Page for current conditions, forecasts and other weather data.
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This site is in no way associated with the United States Government, the Department of the Interior or the National Park Service
