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Colorado · the United States
The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde, built by the ancestral Pueblo peoples, and the steam train that climbs from Durango to Silverton through the Animas River canyon.
In the photo: Aspen grove in the mountains near Durango
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The southwest of Colorado, near the Four Corners region where four states meet, holds some of the most important remains of the ancestral Pueblo peoples, who lived there for about seven hundred years until the late 13th century. Mesa Verde National Park, established in 1906, protects more than 600 dwellings built beneath cliff overhangs and was one of the first U.S. sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.
Cliff Palace, with about 150 rooms, is the largest of these dwellings and can only be visited with a park ranger, as can Balcony House, which is reached by ladders and tunnels. The mesa road passes overlooks above the canyons and ruins of older villages. Around Cortez, Hovenweep National Monument and Canyons of the Ancients preserve towers and villages in more isolated locations.
Durango, about 60 km to the east, was founded with the railroad in 1880 and retains the historic center along Main Avenue. From there departs the narrow-gauge steam train that climbs the Animas River canyon to Silverton, a former mining town in the San Juan Mountains. In winter, the Purgatory ski area is about 40 km to the north.
The region pairs well with the parks of the Southwest: Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon are a few hours’ drive away.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Durango, Cortez.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) · 27 km to Durango
Durango Airport (DRO) is about 25 km from the city; Cortez Airport (CEZ) is 8 km from Cortez, with few flights. By car, Durango is about 540 km from Denver and 340 km from Albuquerque.
Suggested arrival point: Durango
Southwest Colorado town on the Animas River, founded by the railroad in 1880. Main Avenue still has brick buildings from that era, and the station hosts the narrow-gauge steam train that climbs the Animas Canyon to Silverton. It’s the base for Mesa Verde, about 60 km away, and for the Purgatory ski area.
Town in the far southwest of Colorado, about 15 km from the Mesa Verde Park entrance, in the Montezuma Valley. It is the base for the ancestral Pueblo dwellings in Mesa Verde, Hovenweep National Monument and Canyons of the Ancients, and for the Four Corners monument where four states meet.
The local experience
Park that protects dwellings built under canyon overhangs by the ancestral Pueblo peoples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrance fee applies.
A narrow-gauge steam railroad, operating since 1882, that climbs from Durango to Silverton through the Animas River canyon in the San Juan Mountains.
The largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde, with about 150 rooms and 23 kivas, visited only with a park ranger.
Durango’s main street, with late-19th-century brick buildings, between the train station and the Animas River.
Six villages of the ancestral Pueblo peoples with stone towers on canyon rims, on the Colorado–Utah border, about 70 km from Cortez.
Ski area about 40 km north of Durango in the San Juan Mountains, with tree-lined runs; in summer it offers attractions and trails.
The only point in the United States where four states meet: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, on Navajo Nation land.
A national monument with thousands of ancestral Pueblo sites, with a museum in Dolores and ruins such as Lowry Pueblo and Escalante Pueblo.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to October, when guided tours of the Mesa Verde dwellings usually operate and the train runs the full route to Silverton. September and early October bring yellow aspens in the San Juan Mountains. In summer, afternoons often have thunderstorms; in winter, Durango receives the ski season.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three to four days: one or two at Mesa Verde, one for the Silverton train, and one for Hovenweep or Four Corners.
Durango has the historic center with more lodging and restaurant options, near the train station. Cortez is about 15 km from the Mesa Verde entrance. Inside the park there is lodging and camping in season, in the Far View and Morefield areas.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Yes. Cliff Palace and Balcony House are only visited on ranger-led tours, with tickets purchased in advance online. Check the season dates and availability on the park's website.
About three and a half hours each way, with several hours’ stopover in Silverton. There is an option to return by bus to shorten the day.
Yes, to reach the park, which is about 60 km from Durango, and to get around within it. In the United States you drive on the right.
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is about a 5-hour drive, passing near Monument Valley. The Four Corners region is along the way.
Entry requirements for the United States depend on your nationality and travel documents: some countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, requiring prior electronic authorization, while others need a visa. Requirements can change: confirm before traveling.
