The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Mesa Verde Wilderness

Cedar Tree Tower is an Ancestral Puebloan structure located on the Chapin Mesa in Mesa Verde National Park. Constructed between A.D. 1100 and 1300, this tower is typically associated with a kiva, suggesting a possible ceremonial purpose. Some theories propose that such tower-kiva complexes functioned as part of a communication system across the mesa tops. Adjacent to Cedar Tree Tower is the trailhead for the 0.5-mile Farming Terrace Trail, which showcases ancient agricultural practices, including check dams and farming terraces.

The Farming Terrace Trail in Mesa Verde National Park is a short, generally flat, 0.5-mile loop near Cedar Tree Tower that showcases the agricultural practices of the Ancestral Pueblo people. This family-friendly trail highlights ancient check dams and terraces that were built over 800 years ago to collect soil and water from summer storms, enhancing crop yields in the arid environment. With an elevation change of about 145 feet, the trail takes 30 minutes to complete and offers opportunities for wildlife viewing, including lizards and hummingbirds. Visitors should carry water, wear sturdy footwear, and stay on designated paths to protect fragile soils.

The Far View Sites Complex in Mesa Verde National Park was among the most densely populated areas on the mesa between A.D. 900 and 1300. Nearly 50 villages have been identified within a half-square-mile area, housing hundreds of people. Today, visitors can walk an easy, flat, self-guided trail to explore several excavated and stabilized sites linked by a short walking trail, including Far View House, Pipe Shrine House, Coyote Village, Far View Reservoir, Megalithic House, and Far View Tower. Notably, the Ancestral Pueblo people inhabited Far View at least 200 years before constructing the more famous cliff dwellings. Excavations also reveal that many residents chose to remain in their mesa-top community even after neighbors moved into cliff alcoves.

Park Point Overlook, at 8,572 feet above sea level, is the highest point in Mesa Verde National Park and offers breathtaking panoramic views. This historic site features a fire lookout station, which remains operational during fire season to monitor weather conditions and potential wildfires. From this vantage point, visitors can see the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the high deserts of New Mexico, Sleeping Ute Mountain, and the La Plata Mountains. The overlook includes picnic tables, seasonal restrooms, and parking for vehicles, but visitors are encouraged to stay on marked paths due to potential rockfalls. Access may be restricted during winter when the road is not plowed.

This northern viewpoint is just a couple hundred yards from Park Point Overlook, the highest point in Mesa Verde National Park, at 8,572 feet above sea level. This vantage point offers great, panoramic views: to the north, the 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains; to the south, the expansive high deserts of New Mexico; to the west, Sleeping Ute Mountain; and to the east, the La Plata Mountains.

The Long House Tour in Mesa Verde National Park offers a two-hour, ranger-guided exploration of the park's second-largest cliff dwelling. The tour begins at the Wetherill Mesa information kiosk and involves a 2.25-mile round-trip hike with an elevation gain of approximately 130 feet. Participants will also climb two 15-foot ladders during the tour. Reservations are required and tickets are required. They can be purchased online through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Reservations are available 14 days in advance.

Nodenskiöld House is named after the Swedish scientist, Gustaf Nodenskiöld, who first excavated the overhanging cliffs found in Mesa Verde National Park. Along with the Wetherill family, his actions would lead to the first federal law for the protection of cultural resources, as well as the creation of the national park. This overlook is a great place from which to view the ancient dwellings and is only a short walk from the Wetherill Mesa kiosk.

Step House is free to visit and can be accessed from the trailhead by the Wetherill Mesa kiosk. The trail is open between spring and fall and you should allow around three quarters of an hour to do the site justice. Among the ancient dwellings at Mesa Verde, Step House is unique in that there is evidence of two separate occupations. It is thought that the site was occupied some six hundred years before the famous cliff dwellings were built.