Visiting in Winter

Know Before You Go

• Forecast, snow data, current weather
• Road Conditions and closures
• Winter Activities

Winter Travel 

The main park road is 20-miles. It is steep and winding, with shady curves that are often icy night and day. Watch for and yield to snowplows that may be operating on park roads. Snow tires, all-wheel drive, or chains may be required; if so, signs will be posted near the entrance station. The Colorado Department of Transportation has info about vehicle traction and chain laws which apply in the park and the surrounding area when warranted.

Food Service and Lodging:

The only available food service is on the mesa top at Spruce Tree Terrace Café (near the Mesa Verde Museum). Visit the concessioner's website for hours and menu. There is no overnight camping or lodging in the park. Accommodations are available in the nearby communities of Mancos and Cortez.

For Questions:

Mesa Verde National Park (Daily, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) 970-529-4465
Mesa Verde Museum (Daily, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm) 970-529-4631
Visitor and Research Center (Daily, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm) 970-529-5037

For Emergencies:

Call 911. For non-emergency situations you may contact the Chief Ranger's Office, 970-529-4461, 7 days a week, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Cell coverage is limited throughout the park.

 

The museum is open daily even if the snow piles up. The wintry scene is enhanced when icicles drip and hang from the roof.

Explore On Your Own

All activities during this time are self-guided and depend on road, trail, and weather conditions. It is approximately a 45-minute drive from the park entrance to the sites listed below. Cliff Dwellings are not open during winter. Some are veiwable from overlooks on the Mesa Top Loop Road. If you're planning on hiking any of the hiking trails, traction devices are recommended whenever snow or icy conditions exist.

Mesa Top Loop Road

Open daily 8:00 am to sunset. The Mesa Top Loop Road is a 6-mile (10 km) drive through 700 years of Ancestral Pueblo history. There are eleven stops along the drive. Some with paved trails to covered, archeological sites. There are views of cliff dwellings including Cliff palace and Square Tower House, and canyon vistas. During snow storms, the loop may temporarily close until the road and walkways are cleared.

There are exhibits at each site. A brochure is available at the first stop with additional information about archeology. To enrich your experience even more, download this audio tour in advance, Mesa Top Loop Drive: A Pueblo Perspective. Upon your arrival at the mesa Top Loop Drive, listen along in your car or on your phone as you rach each stop..

Spruce Tree House Overlook

Spruce Tree House is the park’s third largest and best-preserved cliff dwelling. Constructed between 1211 and 1278, it was built into a natural alcove. It contains 130 rooms, eight kivas, and may have housed 60 to 80 people.

Follow the signs to the best point near the Mesa Verde Museum to see Spruce Tree House. The trail to a lower viewpoint is short but steep, and often very icy. There is no entry into Spruce Tree House.

Mesa Verde Museum

Open 10 am until 3 pm daily.
Step inside to warm up. Watch the park film. Explore the exhibits.