Day trip from Durango · About 35 miles west on US-160 · National park
Mesa Verde National Park
Walk the overlooks above Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings on a high green mesa about 35 miles west of Durango, where the park protects nearly 5,000 archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings.
Opens the NPS fees page. From October 23 to April 30 the 7-day vehicle pass is $20, America the Beautiful passes are accepted, and fees are card only.
Details checked October 2026
Type
National park
Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and mesa-top sites
Admission
$20 per vehicle
Oct 23–Apr 30 ($30 in summer). Passes accepted.
Hours
Open daily, year-round
Mesa Top Loop 8 am to sunset. 2026 tours ended Oct 21.
Time needed
2+ hours
NPS: at least 2 hours just to drive in and out
Parking
Trailer lot at entrance
No trailers or towed vehicles past Morefield
Highest point
8,572 ft
Park Point, the highest spot in the park
What you’ll see
700 years of Ancestral Pueblo history
In late October the ranger-guided tours are over for the year, but the Mesa Top Loop, the museum and the canyon overlooks stay open daily.
Photo: mark byzewski on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Start here
Drive the Mesa Top Loop
The Mesa Top Loop Road is a 6-mile drive on Chapin Mesa, with short walks to mesa-top sites and overlooks. From Sun Point View and Sun Temple you look across the canyon to Cliff Palace. The loop is open daily from 8 am to sunset, all year, though it may close for a while during snowstorms until crews clear it.
RV tip: trailers and towed vehicles can’t go past Morefield Campground, so unhitch at camp in Durango or leave the trailer in the large lot near the entrance station, then drive the loop in your tow vehicle.
More to see
- Ranger-guided cliff dwelling toursCliff Palace, Balcony House, Square Tower House, Long House and Mug House are visited on ranger-led tours booked on Recreation.gov, 14 days ahead. The 2026 season ran May 4 to October 21, so tours return next spring; Cliff Palace was $8 per person in 2026.
- Mesa Verde MuseumOpen daily from 10 am to 3 pm from October 22 to December 31, 2026, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Spruce Tree House has been closed since 2015 because of rockfall danger, but you can see it from overlooks behind the museum.
- Park Point and the road overlooksAt 8,572 feet, Park Point is the highest point in the park. Pull-offs along the main road look out into four states; use them to let faster traffic pass, too.
- Wetherill Mesa (closed for the season)Home to Step House and Long House, Wetherill Mesa was open May 22 to October 21 in 2026. Its 12-mile road is limited to vehicles under 25 feet and 8,000 lbs, and it is closed to bicycles.
Why go
A full day of history, west of Durango
Mesa Verde was set aside by an Act of Congress, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 29, 1906, to protect the homes the Ancestral Pueblo people built here. The park covers over 52,000 acres and protects nearly 5,000 archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings.
From Durango it makes a natural day trip. The entrance is on US-160 between Mancos and Cortez, about 35 miles west of Durango, and the NPS puts the drive at about 1.5 hours to the park turnoff. From the entrance, the museum and Chapin Mesa are another 21 miles up a steep, narrow, winding road, so leave the big rig at camp and take the tow vehicle.
The NPS calls fall quieter and cooler, with less traffic. Once the tours wrap up in late October, a visit is mostly about the Mesa Top Loop, the overlooks and the museum. In winter, with elevations from 7,000 to 8,500 feet, snow is always possible, and snow tires, all-wheel drive or chains may be required.
Photo: Clément Bardot on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Why it made our list
- Nearly 5,000 archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings
- About 35 miles west of Durango on US-160
- The Mesa Top Loop is open daily, all year, weather permitting
- Views of Cliff Palace from Sun Point View and Sun Temple
- Free with an America the Beautiful pass
For RVers
Taking the rig to Mesa Verde
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Drop the trailer before the climb
Trailers and towed vehicles aren’t allowed past Morefield Campground, about 4 miles in. If you aren’t camping, the NPS asks you to leave them in the large parking lot near the entrance station. A tunnel between mileposts 4 and 5 has a 20.5-foot height limit.
Mind the limits on Wetherill Mesa
The 12-mile Wetherill Mesa Road, from Far View near mile marker 15, has sharp curves and steep grades, and vehicles must be under 25 feet and 8,000 lbs. It closed for the season on October 21, 2026, so in late fall you’ll spend your day on Chapin Mesa.
Pets stay on the pavement
Leashed pets are allowed in parking lots and paved areas at the Mesa Top Loop and Park Point, but not on trails, in ancestral sites or in buildings. The kennel at Morefield Village closed for the season on October 20, so plan for your dog to wait in the vehicle on cool days or stay at camp.
Morefield Campground is closed for winter
Morefield, 4 miles from the entrance, has 15 full-hookup RV sites and takes RVs up to 46 feet. Its concessioner lists operating dates of April 24 to October 18, with limited primitive camping and no services through October 25, and the NPS says it is closed in winter. For now, base yourself in Durango.
What visitors say about Mesa Verde National Park
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 24, 2026.
Fall is quieter, cooler, and a much more intimate time to visit.
National Park Service, on visiting Mesa Verde in fall · nps.gov
How far you’ll drive inside the park
Miles from the entrance station, from the NPS
Entrance to each stop
Wetherill Mesa is the 15 miles to Far View plus its 12-mile road, closed until next season. Add about 35 miles from Durango to the entrance, and allow about 45 minutes from the entrance to your first cliff dwelling view.
Good to know
Vehicle pass, Oct 23–Apr 30$20 7 days, card only
Vehicle pass, May 1–Oct 22$30 7 days, card only
Next fee-free dayOct 27 US citizens and residents
Passes acceptedAmerica the BeautifulPark annual ($55)Senior, Access, Military
Fees from the NPS fees page, checked October 24, 2026. Visitors on foot or by bike pay $15 per person (16 and older). October 27 is Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, a 2026 fee-free day; other fees may still apply.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Mesa Verde National Park
- AddressEntrance on US-160 between Mancos and Cortez, Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330
- HoursOpen daily, year-round
Mesa Top Loop 8 am to sunset. 2026 tours ended Oct 21. - Phone(970) 529-4465
- FeesEntrance fees and passes, paid at the entrance station by card
- Getting thereFrom Durango, take US-160 west about 35 miles to the park turnoff between Mancos and Cortez; the NPS puts the drive at about 1.5 hours. From the entrance it is 21 miles to the museum and Chapin Mesa.
- ParkingNo trailers or towed vehicles past Morefield Campground; non-campers can leave them in the large lot near the entrance station. Tunnel height limit 20.5 feet.
Hours and roads change with the season and the weather. Check the NPS current conditions page before you go, and in winter watch for chain and snow-tire signs near the entrance station.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Mesa Verde National Park
These are Durango parks we have written up. Mesa Verde is about 35 miles west of Durango on US-160, so any of them works as a base for the day trip; HTR is on the west side of town, and the other two are open all year.
HTR Durango Campground
Wooded creek and canyon sites with full hookups on Lightner Creek Road, the handiest of the three for heading west. Open May 1 to October 31.
Durango RV Resort
A big family park right on US-160 east of town, with a heated pool and full-hookup pull-thrus. Open year-round.
Alpen Rose RV Park
A big, grassy full-hookup park under the red cliffs north of Durango, with a 2-acre dog park and dog wash. Open all year.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Open daily, year-round
Ready for a day on the mesa?
Leave the trailer at camp, bring a card for the entrance fee, and give yourself a full day for the drive, the Mesa Top Loop and the museum.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: mark byzewski (Cliff Palace; CC BY 2.0), Dsdugan (Square Tower House, public domain under CC0; Navajo Canyon, CC BY-SA 4.0), Ken Lund (Balcony House ladder; CC BY-SA 2.0), the National Park Service (Step House; public domain) and Clément Bardot (cliff dwelling, Why go; CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: We’re in the Rockies on YouTube (how to visit Mesa Verde). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Mesa Verde National Park unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the National Park Service’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, fees, rules and other details are set by the park and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Mesa Verde National Park at nps.gov/meve or (970) 529-4465. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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