• Mancos Valley Overlook - Approaching soon is the Mancos Valley Overlook, offering a breathtaking view of the valley below and the mountains in the distance. From this vantage point, distinct ecosystems in these mountains are visible. At lower elevations, the shrub-steppe community is dominated by plants like sagebrush and rabbitbrush. Higher up, the pinyon-juniper woodland, also known as the “pygmy forest,” is prevalent. Here, pinyon and juniper trees reign, typically not exceeding 30 feet in height.

• Mesa Verde National Park Entrance Sign - Welcome to the sacred grounds of Mesa Verde! The tour begins at the Mesa Verde National Park Entrance Sign. If you’re already here, take a moment to capture an iconic photo with the sign before starting. For more information about the tour’s features, click on Learn More. Otherwise, let’s begin!

Note: The tour spans over 30 miles, includes more than 52 audio stories, and takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete.

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

• Point Lookout Trail - Approaching a detour opportunity for one of Mesa Verde’s most popular hiking trails: Point Lookout Trail. It’s a two-mile trail that ascends 500 feet in elevation, mostly through 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 resided in Montezuma Valley, more than the current population! From this overlook, the distinctive Knife Edge rock formation is visible, a jagged, triangular rock formation jutting across the landscape.

• Park Point - Soon, there will be an opportunity to visit the highest point in Mesa Verde: Park Point. At 8,572 feet above sea level, the view is expansive. It’s also known to be cooler and breezy at the peak, making it a pleasant spot on a hot day.

• Geologic Overlook - Approaching soon is Geologic Overlook, providing excellent views of Mesa Verde’s fascinating geologic history. From here, the four distinct layers of stone that form much of the park today are visible.

• Long House - Approaching the most famous cliff dwellings in this region, with an option to detour to other structures off the beaten path. The detour leads to Long House and Step House, where visitors can walk through these ancient historic sites. The detour adds about an hour of driving, but it’s worth it for an enhanced visit!

• Step House - Approaching the most famous cliff dwellings in this region, with an option to detour to other structures off the beaten path. The detour leads to Long House and Step House, where visitors can walk through these ancient historic sites. The detour adds about an hour of driving, but it’s worth it for an enhanced visit!

• Far View Reservoir - Approaching the Far View House, the first ancient structure on the tour. It’s not a cliff dwelling, but it was once one of the most densely populated areas 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 a center of Puebloan life.

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

• Megalithic House - A great example of a different type of living situation common in this area during Puebloan times. One extended family lived here, with multiple generations sharing the same house, showing that not all Puebloan society revolved around dense, multi-family structures like Far View House. Many lived in separate homes, often near larger structures.

• Far View Tower - While it may not resemble a tower now, it once served as an important watchtower for the community. Watchers could spot approaching enemies, herds of game, and bad weather. The site’s natural elevation made the tower highly effective!

• Cedar Tree Tower - Approaching soon is another unique Ancestral Puebloan building: Cedar Tree Tower. One of many towers that once dotted the mesa top. While the tower doesn’t stand at its original height, the base is well preserved. Like most towers in Mesa Verde, it’s situated near a kiva, suggesting they were used for observation and ceremonial purposes. They also facilitated communication between settlements, explaining their abundance!

• Petroglyph Trail - After the bend ahead is Petroglyph Point Trail. This moderately difficult 2.5-mile hike takes about two hours, leading through Spruce Canyon. The trail follows an ancient Puebloan footpath, allowing visitors to walk the same route used a thousand years ago to connect with other communities!

• Spruce Tree House - Park in this lot. Here, access the Petroglyph Point Trail and view the first proper cliff dwelling. After parking, head to the building just passed on the right, the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. Behind it are overlooks with views of the Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling!

• Cliff Palace - Just ahead, 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 in Mesa Verde, and is the largest in the region.

• House of Many Windows - Next is an overlook offering views of the House of Many Windows cliff dwelling. From this beautiful vista, a low dwelling tucked into Cliff Canyon is visible. Once home to a large Puebloan family, the House of Many Windows has 15 rooms remarkably preserved by its sheltered cliff position. Most “windows” are actually doors!

• Hemenway House Overlook - Soon, an overlook with a view of the Hemenway House, one of Mesa Verde’s more precarious cliff dwellings, will appear. Named after New Yorker Mary Hemenway, who funded early archaeological efforts in Mesa Verde.

• Balcony House - Named for the balcony ‘railing’ separating the steep cliff face from the alcove. A wise choice given the dizzying heights! About 30 people lived here, using 38 rooms and two kivas. Interestingly, the balcony faces northeast, unusual for cliff dwellings, meaning little sun or warmth in winter. Why was it built this way?

• Soda Canyon Overlook Trail - On the right, approaching the trail leading to Soda Canyon Overlook. This easy 1-mile trail takes about half an hour, winding through juniper and pinyon trees along the cliff sides to magnificent Soda Canyon views. Along the way, several overlooks offer breathtaking canyon views, and at the end, an even better view of Balcony House than before!

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

• Navajo Canyon View - Just ahead on the right is Navajo Canyon View, offering spectacular landscape views. Highly recommended for photos!

• Square Tower House - Beyond that viewpoint is the tallest structure in Mesa Verde: Square Tower House. This tower stands over the area at four stories, or 27 feet tall! Rectangular cutouts up and down the structure appear to be windows, but archaeologists aren’t certain if they served another purpose.

• Sun Point Pueblo - Passing a collection of dwellings belonging to the Mesa Top Sites, each offering a glimpse into Ancestral Puebloan life. Soon on the left is 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, over 30 separate dwellings are visible! Park in the upcoming turnout on the right to enjoy the view.

• Oak Tree House - Oak Tree House is a prime example of how Ancestral Puebloans adapted alcoves to their needs. The alcove has two layers, each fully utilized! In the outer alcove, where living would be cramped, storage spaces were constructed. The inner alcove contains various structures and dwellings for habitation. While many dwellings are small with fewer than 10 rooms, some rise tall to the inner alcove ceiling.

• Sun Temple - The Sun Temple is a ceremonial site showcasing the Ancestral Puebloans’ architectural prowess! Constructing Sun Temple required immense labor, and 2017 research revealed fascinating construction details. Sun Temple shows evidence of sophisticated geometric knowledge, like the Pythagorean theorem, used in its construction. To maintain uniformity, they had a standardized measurement system, with one “unit” equaling 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!

• Park Passes

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 built into the cliffs. Enjoy panoramic views, embark on memorable hikes through the high desert, and much more!

After booking, be sure to check your email or text messages to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the specified starting point.

Purchase once and use it for a full 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: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour 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.
• Please note that an entrance pass is required to visit Mesa Verde National Park, and it is not included with this tour.
• Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car’s stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
• For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
• Important Note: Due to the possibility of government shutdowns affecting national parks and certain attractions, we recommend checking official websites for any updates or closures before your trip. This will help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.

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