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Mesa Verde National Park

Southern Colorado
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Banner image: View of Cliff Palace from above, courtesy of the NPS

Generations of Ancestral Pueblo people called this landscape home for over 700 years, from about A.D. 600 to 1300. This special national park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the best preserved and most celebrated in the United States.

The park is vast and there are many opportunities. Visitors’ first stop should be the Mesa Verde Visitor & Research Center, near the park entrance. The park also hosts the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. Advance planning with the park’s visitor guide is recommended.

Videos

Leaving Mesa Verde: The Great Pueblo Migrations of...

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Magazines

What is Preservation Archaeology? (ASW 26-1)

Before the Great Departure (ASW 27-3)

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Details

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Mesa Verde National Park

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Type of place:
Ancestral Pueblo sites
Ownership:
National Park Service
Telephone:
(970) 529-4465
Website:
Mesa Verde National Park
Hours:
The park is open year-round, but opportunities vary by season. Check the website for information.
Guided tours:
Yes; reservations/tickets required for certain cliff dwellings and backcountry hikes.
Entrance fee:
Yes
Nearby heritage sites:
Anasazi Heritage Center, Dominguez Pueblo, Escalante Pueblo, Lowry Pueblo

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