When to Go

When to Go

The best times to visit the park are late May, early June, and most of September, when the weather is fine but the summer crowds have thinned. Mid-June through August are Mesa Verde's most crowded months. In July and August you must stop at the Far View Visitor Center to purchase tickets for the Balcony House, Cliff House and Long House tours. At times, the lines at the museum and visitor center may last for 15 to 20 minutes. Afternoon thunder showers are common in July and August.

The mesa gets as many as 100 inches of snow in winter. Snow may fall as late as May and as early as October, but there's rarely enough to hamper travel. In winter, the Wetherill Mesa Road and Far View Lodge are closed, but the sight of the sandstone dwellings sheltered from the snow in their cliff coves is spectacular.