• Mesa Verde National Park Entrance Sign - Welcome to the revered grounds of Mesa Verde! The tour kicks off at the Mesa Verde National Park Entrance Sign. If you’re already here, take a moment to capture a memorable photo with the sign before starting. For more details about the tour’s highlights, click on Learn More. Otherwise, let’s begin!

Note: This tour spans over 30 miles and covers the key attractions of Mesa Verde National Park in 2-3 hours.

Purchase once, enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended stays and return visits over the next 12 months.

• Mancos Valley Overlook - Up next is Mancos Valley Overlook, offering a breathtaking view of the valley below and the mountains beyond. From here, you can observe some of the unique ecosystems in these mountains. At lower elevations, there’s the shrub-steppe community dominated by plants like sagebrush and rabbitbrush. A bit higher is the pinyon-juniper woodland, also known as the “pygmy forest,” where pinyon and juniper trees reign. It’s called a pygmy forest because these trees typically don’t grow taller than 30 feet.

• Point Lookout Trail - We’re nearing a detour opportunity for one of Mesa Verde’s most popular hiking trails: Point Lookout Trail. It’s only two miles long but ascends 500 feet in elevation. Most of it consists of switchbacks to reach the top of the butte, followed by a flat section to the edge. It’s considered a moderate hike that can take up to two hours.

• Montezuma Valley Overlook - Around 1200 C.E., up to 35,000 Ancestral Puebloans called Montezuma Valley home, more than the current population! From this overlook, we can also see the distinctive Knife Edge rock formation, a jagged, triangular spit of rock jutting across the landscape.

• Park Point - Coming up shortly, we’ll have the opportunity to visit the highest point in Mesa Verde: Park Point. At 8,572 feet above sea level, there’s little you can’t see from here. It’s also known to be cooler and breezy at the peak, making it particularly pleasant on a hot day.

• Geologic Overlook - Approaching soon is Geologic Overlook, offering excellent views of Mesa Verde’s fascinating geologic history. From here, we’ll be able to see the four distinct layers of stone that make up much of the park today.

• Long House - We’re nearing the most famous cliff dwellings in this region, but there’s also an option to take a detour to a couple of structures off the beaten path. The detour leads to Long House and Step House, where you can walk through these ancient historic sites. The detour adds about an hour of driving in total, but it’s worth it for an extra experience!

• Step House - We’re approaching the most famous cliff dwellings in this region, but there’s also an option to take a detour to a couple of structures off the beaten path. The detour leads to Long House and Step House, where you can walk through these ancient historic sites. The detour adds about an hour of driving in total, but it’s worth it for an extra experience!

• Far View Reservoir - We’re nearing the Far View House, the first ancient structure on our tour. It’s not a cliff dwelling, but it was once one of the most densely populated parts of Mesa Verde, thanks to the Far View Reservoir.

• Far View House - This impressive structure is the Far View House, a precursor to the more advanced cliff dwellings. Built around the year 1000, it became the center of one of the most densely populated centers of Puebloan life.

• Coyote Village - Welcome to Coyote Village! Like Far View House, this ancient dwelling once housed numerous Puebloan families. The structure centers around circular kivas, similar to Far View House.

• Megalithic House - This is a great example of a different type of living situation common in this area during Puebloan times. Just one extended family lived here, with multiple generations sharing the same house. It shows that not all of Puebloan society revolved around dense, multi-family structures like Far View House! Many others lived in separate homes, though these were almost always located near larger structures.

• Far View Tower - While it might not resemble a tower anymore, this once served as an important watchtower for the community. Here, watchers could keep an eye out for approaching enemies, herds of game, and bad weather on the horizon. The natural elevation of this site made a tower like this highly effective!

• Cedar Tree Tower - Coming up soon is another unique type of building from the Ancestral Puebloans: Cedar Tree Tower. This was one of many towers that once dotted the top of this mesa. While the tower doesn’t stand at its original height, the base is remarkably well preserved. Like most towers in Mesa Verde, this one is situated close to a kiva. This proximity has led some to speculate that these towers were used not only for observation but also for ceremonial purposes. They were also useful for communication between settlements, explaining why there are so many!

• Petroglyph Trail - Coming up after the bend ahead is Petroglyph Point Trail. This moderately difficult 2.5-mile hike takes about two hours and leads you on a scenic loop through Spruce Canyon. This trail follows an ancient Puebloan foot trail, so you’ll be walking the same route that those who lived here a thousand years ago would have taken to connect with other communities!

• Spruce Tree House - Park in this lot. Here, we can access the Petroglyph Point Trail and get a great look at our first proper cliff dwelling. Once parked, head to the building we just passed on our right. That’s the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. Behind it, we’ll find overlooks with views of a cliff dwelling called the Spruce Tree House!

• Cliff Palace - Just up ahead, we’ll witness one of the most stunning pieces of ancient architecture in Mesa Verde: The Cliff Palace! As its grand name suggests, Cliff Palace is significantly larger than most other cliff dwellings found at Mesa Verde. It’s actually the largest of all the cliff dwellings in the region.

• House of Many Windows - Up next is an overlook offering views of the House of Many Windows cliff dwelling. From this beautiful vista, we’ll see a low dwelling tucked into Cliff Canyon. Once home to a large Puebloan family, the House of Many Windows has 15 rooms remarkably well preserved by its sheltered position in the cliffs. Most of the “windows” aren’t actually windows at all; they’re doors!

• Hemenway House Overlook - In a moment, we’ll come to an overlook with a view of the Hemenway House, one of Mesa Verde’s more precarious cliff dwellings. This house is named after New Yorker Mary Hemenway, who helped fund some of the early archaeological efforts in Mesa Verde.

• Balcony House - It gets its name from the balcony ‘railing’ that separates the steep cliff face from the rest of the alcove. Probably a good idea given the dizzying heights! About 30 people lived here and used these 38 rooms and two kivas. Interestingly, this balcony faces northeast, which is unusual for cliff dwellings. This means the residents didn’t get much sun or warmth during the winter months. So why did they build it this way?

• Soda Canyon Overlook Trail - On our right, we’re approaching the trail leading to the Soda Canyon Overlook. This easy 1-mile trail takes about half an hour. It winds through the juniper and pinyon trees that dot the cliff sides on the way to the magnificent views of Soda Canyon. Along the way, you’ll also come to a few different overlooks offering breathtaking views of the canyon. At the end, you’ll get an even better view of Balcony House than the one we just left!

• Pithouse - Coming up soon is the Pithouse, offering a glimpse into a different time period from the cliff dwellings. Here, we’ll see one of the earliest permanent structures built within Mesa Verde. The pithouse structure was the dominant structure Ancestral Puebloans built and lived in around the year 600 CE.

• Navajo Canyon View - Just ahead on our right will be Navajo Canyon View, offering spectacular views of the landscape. It’s highly recommended to stop there for photos!

• Square Tower House - Just beyond that viewpoint, we’ll reach the tallest structure standing in Mesa Verde at Square Tower House. This tower stands over the rest of the buildings in this area at four stories, or 27 feet tall! Rectangular cutouts up and down the structure seem to be windows, but archaeologists can’t say for certain whether they served another purpose.

• Sun Point Pueblo - The collection of dwellings we’re passing now belong to the Mesa Top Sites. Each offers another glimpse into Ancestral Puebloan life. Coming up soon on our left will be one of the largest, the Sun Point Pueblo.

• Sun Point View - Just ahead is Sun Point View, offering a vista featuring a cliff filled with cliff dwellings! From this spot alone, we’ll be able to see over 30 separate dwellings! Park in the turnout coming up on our right to check out the view.

• Oak Tree House - Oak Tree House is one of the best examples in the park of how Ancestral Puebloans adapted these alcoves to their needs. The alcove itself has two separate layers, each fully utilized! In the outer alcove, where it would have been cramped to live, the Ancestral Puebloans constructed storage spaces! The inner alcove contains various structures and dwellings for habitation. While many of the dwellings are small with fewer than 10 rooms, some rose very tall to the ceiling of the inner alcove.

• Sun Temple - The Sun Temple is a ceremonial site that may be one of the best examples showcasing the Ancestral Puebloans’ architectural prowess! Sun Temple would have been an immense labor effort to construct, and research done on the site in 2017 revealed fascinating details about its construction. Sun Temple shows evidence that the Ancestral Puebloans had knowledge of sophisticated geometric concepts, such as the Pythagorean theorem, which they used to construct the Sun Temple. To maintain uniformity, they even had their own standardized system of measurement! One “unit” equaled about 30 centimeters.

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Explore ancient history with a self-guided driving tour through Mesa Verde, Colorado. This area is renowned for its world-famous cliff dwellings, constructed nearly 1,000 years ago, offering an abundance of stunning sights. Discover the story of the Ancestral Puebloan people and their remarkable architecture as you marvel at these expansive dwellings nestled into cliff faces. Enjoy panoramic views, embark on memorable hikes through the high desert, and much more!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require reliable internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

Purchase once and enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

Please note, this is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Verify opening hours before your visit.

• How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and text with instructions: • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password • Download the tour MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular Works offline after download
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
• Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
• Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.