A while back on this site, I asked about the Aramark tours at Mesa Verde and if folks recommended them. I was asked to let everyone know what we decided to do. Well, we didn't take the bus tour, just went on our own and glad we did. We bought Ranger guided tickets at Far View for Cliff Palace and Balcony House, drove the loop rd and made all the stops, did Spruce House and the Museum. We left our hotel in Cortez about 9AM and left MV about 4:30PM after doing all of above and got to our Durango hotel about 5:45PM.
It is very easy to spend a whole day or more at MV. The drive in and out is very windy so it takes a while. The Ranger guided tours were fabulous but very physically strenuous, esp given the 7,000 ft altitude. You have to climb lots of stone steps and wooden ladders, esp at Balcony house where you have to climb a 32 ft ladder that is bolted to the rock face and there is nothing to hold on to except the ladder rungs. You also have to crawl on your hands and knees through a narrow stone tunnel - wear long pants! If you are at all afraid of heights or not in good physical shape, you should not attempt these. My DH and I are senior citizens but we go to the gym every day so we were OK except we did get out of breath bcs we live at sea level.
The cliff dwellings and pit houses are fascinating, IMO. Just make sure to allow plenty of time to see everything. I would imagine that during the busy season, everything would take even longer but it's worth it.
All day at Mesa verde
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Thanks for reporting back and it sounds like a fine day. It is a fascinating place, and sometime I hope to get to the Wetherill mesa side of MV, always closed when we've been there, maybe next time.
Sounds like you made good choices for yourselves. Glad you got a chance to see and do so much in one of my favorite places.
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I didn't consider the ranger guided tours strenuous, but I can certainly see how someone could. It sounds like you really packed a lot in for your time there. I found the park to be far more interesting than what I had thought it would be. Hope you had an indian taco somewhere along the way. We were glad that we went "on our own" I like to go at my pace. Glad enjoyed your day there.
Thanks for reporting. We are going to have two days (spending one night at Far View Lodge). If you had had two days how would you have split up the time? My traveling companion is afraid of heights and we had read about Balcony house so she won't be doing that. I would like to do it though. Is there someplace nearby that someone could wait (e.g. someplace pleasant, shady, etc - she doesn't necessarily need an activity). How long did it take? Also, were there 'scary heights' at any of the other houses? Thanks.
Sorry but the only cliff dwelling your friend might be ok with is Spruce Tree house. It is a path down and then back up. Cliff Palace as well as Balcony House require climbing up steep ladders.
There are benches near the start of these tours but the tours last a while, so your friend should bring reading material or something.
There are lots of nice drives and views that could be done as well as the cliff dwellings.
While this isn't ezxactly about height issues, it will give you some idea of the lay of the land there:
http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm
Bring lots of water, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and chap stick.
irishswampyankee, Thank you for reporting back!
isabel, Go to page 12 of the Summer visitor guide and it gives a description of each guided tour and on the other pages it gives other ideas of things to do at the park: http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=341366
Thank you for reporting back!! I too am debating between the Aramark tour vs doing it on my own or ranger guided.
You don't need to pay for aramark tour, wasted money as far as I am concerned
. The ranger led tours for the onescthatvrequirecit and the restvoncyour own.
Yes, do the trip on your own and sign up for the tours with the rangers that need to be done that way. You can go to Spruce tree house on your own, but Balcony House, Cliff Palace and those on Wetherell Mesa need a Ranger along.
You will still have a ranger on the tours, so you will receive plenty of little tidbits along the way. Going "on your own" will allow you to arrive, depart, and eat when you want to. Speaking of eating, the Metate Dining Room in Far View Lodge is one of the better places to dine on National Park food.