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Cliff Palace, Cortez, CO

Photo: Tobi 87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffOutdoor Adventure

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace Loop Rd, Mesa Verde National Park · Cortez, CO

Why you should go…

Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park, a sandstone village built by Ancestral Puebloans between about 1200 and 1300. Roughly 100 to 120 people lived among its rooms and 21 kivas. You can only go inside on a ranger-led tour, reserved ahead on Recreation.gov. The 45-minute walk covers a quarter mile, descends uneven stone steps and climbs four ladders, with an elevation change of 100 feet.

  • #cliff dwelling
  • #national park
  • #ranger tour
  • #ancestral puebloan
  • #archaeology

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Cliff Palace, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Shopping
    Local Gem

    Books

    Free

    A small independent bookstore in downtown Cortez selling new and used titles.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Mesa Verde Stables

    $50+

    A working ranch near Mesa Verde offering guided horseback rides through mountains, meadows and Ute Tribal Park.

    16 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

    $50+

    Historic coal-fired steam train running 45 miles of scenic narrow-gauge track through the San Juan Mountains.

    33 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Farmington

    Free

    Visitor center for Farmington and the Four Corners region of New Mexico with free maps and trip planning help.

    34 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Aztec Ruins National Monument

    Free

    Walk a half-mile trail through an ancestral Pueblo great house and step inside a restored Great Kiva.

    35 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Aztec

    Free

    A San Juan County town near the Four Corners known for its Ancestral Puebloan ruins, historic museum and river fishing.

    35 mi awayMore like this