Mesa Verde is one of our premier national parks and contains more than 4,000 known archaeological sites. More than 400 cliff dwellings fall within the Park’s boundaries but most are closed to the public. There are more than enough open sites to entertain you for several days and you can visit pit houses, surface pueblos, and selected cliff dwellings in addition to viewing masonry dams, reservoirs and rock art.

Mesa Verde is well developed for visitation with a central visitors’ center, two loop drives, and a museum along with food services and organized tours. Highlights include walks through the largest known cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace) and hiking trails with spectacular views of cliff houses and a scattering of rock art. Cliff Palace and selected other sites can be visited only on Ranger guided tours and you should book your places at the Visitors' Center.

Food is available at several places and lodging options include the Far View Lodge (book in advance, especially during the summer) and Morefield Campground which operates on a first-come first-served basis from late April through mid October. Additional services are available in Cortez, Colorado, ten miles west of the park entrance as well as in Durango and Mancos.

Here is how a blogger describes a recent visit.

It is, in all honesty, one of the most incredible places we've ever seen. Seriously.

Words cannot fully describe the magnitude of Mesa Verde. . . .  After entering the park, the road winds upward for several miles through numerous hairpin turns . . .  When the road crests onto the high plateau, the terrain flattens and is bisected by numerous canyons and deep gorges in parallel, north to south, as if sliced into the earth by a colossal prehistoric butter knife.

These canyons are home to several hundred cliff dwellings, built and occupied by "Ancestral Puebloans" during the 11 and 12th century AD.

What makes Mesa Verde so unique is how pristine the ruins are. Unlike many other crumbling historical sites scattered across the west . . ., Mesa Verde shows little sign of degradation. It's a testament to the craftsmanship of the builders, and the protection the desolate canyons provided from looters and the erosive elements of nature.

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The Anasazi Guide is loaded with information that will make your visit even more enjoyable. Chapter 9 lists "must see" attractions and provides complete driving directions. Chapter 13 summarizes the Anasazi occupation and important archaeological research as well as tips for making the most of your visit.