Park Essentials

Accessibility

Accessibility to most of the archeological sites is limited within Mesa Verde as they require climbing ladders, squeezing through tunnels, and working your way up and down steep paths. Service dogs cannot be taken into Balcony House, Cliff Palace, or Long House because of ladders in those sites. None of these sites is accessible to those with mobility impairments. If you have heart or respiratory ailments, you may have trouble breathing in the thin air at 7,000 to 8,000 feet. Wheelchairs with wide-rim wheels are recommended on trails, some of which do not meet legal grade requirements. Mesa Top Loop Road provides the most comprehensive and accessible view of all the archaeological sites.

Admission Fees and Permits

Admission is $15 per vehicle for a seven-day permit. An annual pass is $30. Ranger-led tours of Cliff Palace, Long House, and Balcony House are $3 per person. Backcountry hiking and fishing are not permitted at Mesa Verde.

Admission Hours

The facilities open each day at 8 am and close at sunset from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The rest of the year, the facilities close at 5. Wetherill Mesa, all the major cliff dwellings, and Morefield ranger station are open only from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Far View Visitor Center, Far View Lodge, and Morefield Campground are open mid-April through mid-October.

ATM/Banks

There are no ATMs in the park. The nearest bank is in Mancos, just 5 mi east of the park.

Contacts

Mancos Valley Bank. There's a full-service branch as well as an ATM in Cortez, on Highway 160, and in Mancos. 27880 Hwy. 160, Cortez, CO, 81321. 970/565-5432 Cortez; 970/533-7736 Mancos.

Automobile Service Station

Contacts

Morefield Service Station. The only place to find gas in the park is at the Morefield Service Station, in the Morefield Campground Village. The station offers the basics—gas and oil changes—and is open from mid-May through early October. Morefield Campground, 4 mi south of park entrance, Mesa Verde National Park, CO, 81330. 970/565-2407.

Cell-Phone Reception

Cellular reception in the park varies in quality depending on your location. Morefield Village and the north part of the park get better reception than the south. Public telephones can be found at Morefield Campground and Morefield Village, Far View Visitor Center, Far View Lodge, Far View Terrace, Spruce Tree Terrace, park headquarters (5 mi from the Far View Visitor Center), and the Wetherill Mesa snack bar. Far View Lodge has free Wi-Fi in the lobby.

Emergencies

To report a fire or call for aid, dial 911 or 970/529-4465. First-aid stations are located at Morefield Campground, Far View Visitor Center, and Wetherill Mesa.

Shops and Grocers

Morefield Campground has a nicely stocked grocery store that is open 7 am to 9 pm, mid-May to early October. The gift shops at Far View and on Mesa Top Loop Road have a small collection of essentials.