Make sure you start the trip with the car fully charged. Pack a picnic and water for the road and head out for a day of Anasazi tracking.

Start the journey by charging your e-vehicle.
Type: CCS 2 sockets Power: 62 kW

While you're waiting for the car to charge, you can grab a nice cup of coffee at Denny's.

Pick up the car and start your journey.

Mesa Verde National Park is always open except under emergency conditions. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and most hiking trails are open from 8:00 a.m. - sunset. For the latest information on closures, visit the National Park's Facebook page.
There are several entrance passes: Access Pass, Annual Pass, Fourth Grade Pass, Military Pass, Senior Pass.
The Access Pass is an annual pass for everyone. You can get it at the Park Entrance Station. You can also buy it online.
Information about the other access passes can be found online.

Park Point is the highest viewpoint in Mesa Verde National Park. From here you have a good view of the entire park and nearby towns. Walk the three minutes to the fire tower. There you will learn interesting facts about the fires in Mesa Verde National Park.

You can enjoy an early lunch or a late breakfast at the Far View Terrace Caféю
Far View Terrace Café is located a few steps below the lodge.
Opening hours for lunch: From April 15 - October 26: 11:00 - 15:00. From 27 October - 9 March: 11:00 - 14:00 From 10 March - April TBD: 11:00 - 15:00

The Mesa Top Sites show archaeological excavations dating from 900 to 1100 A.D. Early Anasazi settlements developed on the plains of the Mesa. By 600 AD, this was fertile land with regular rainfall. Around 750 AD, the Anasazi built houses on the surface, which they surrounded with wattle walls. They sealed these with clay. However, this method of construction apparently did not prove successful, because they switched to building stone structures. These are reminiscent of the pueblos of today.

From these vantage points you will see four cliff dwellings that have been dated to around 1200 AD. This was the time when the Anasazi moved from the plains of the Mesa to the cliff settlements. Children born in these settlements likely also lived to see the end of the Anasazi period. Scientists believe that droughts, lack of food, and social unrest were the catalyst for the disappearance of the Anasazi. By the end of the 13th century, the canyons were once again deserted.

From this vantage point you will look down on the Oak Tree House, which is dated to about 1250 AD. The people who lived here then lived in a busy neighborhood. The New Fire House and Fire Temple are just up the canyon a bit. The Sun Temple is located on the canyon rim. There are other cliff dwellings nearby.
The residents were able to use a spring whose water came down the cliff walls into their cliff dwelling. They built storehouses and a place where they met. Six kivas have also been discovered in the Oak Tree House, which were surrounded by various rooms. A kiva is a ceremonial and gathering space like the Hopi Indians still use today.
Binoculars can give you good views of the Oak Tree House. A telephoto lens is recommended for photos, as the cliff dwelling is some distance away.

The Cliff Palace Route Road is open from 8.00 - sunset.
Cliff Palace is probably the most famous cliffside settlement in Mesa Verde National Park. This settlement has more than 150 rooms and more than 20 kivas. Therefore, scholars believe that this settlement may have been an administrative center with ceremonial function.
You can see the Cliff Palace from a viewpoint. There is also a possibility for a one-hour guided tour. This must be reserved. You cannot visit the Cliff Palace without a guided tour.
You can reserve a guided tour here.
Guided tours are offered from the end of April to mid-October. Tickets are sold from May - October 14 days prior to each tour starting at 8:00 MST. Plan your visit early. The Cliff Palace tour is limited to 40 people per tour, the Balcony House tour is limited to 25 people per tour and the Long House tour is limited to 35 people per tour.
All tour tickets can be purchased online or by calling 877-444-6777. Tours sell out daily, especially on holidays and weekends.

If the Cliff Palace tour is fully booked, you can take a tour of the Balcony House. You will also need to book this as described above.
For a visit to the Balcony House you need a good physical condition.
The guided tour includes a hike of 0.4 km. In the process, you will climb 130 steps on a metal ladder into the depths. After that, you will climb up a ladder almost ten meters high, two small ladders and 12 uneven stone stairs. You'll have to crawl through a 46 cm wide tunnel with a length of 3.7 meters when you leave the place. After that, you'll climb an 18-meter cliff wall with uneven stone stairs and two 5-meter ladders to the exit.
There is also a viewpoint of the Balcony House.

Park your car here for a view of the Spruce Tree House.

If the Spruce Tree House is still open, you can reach it via a hiking trail with steep ascents and descents. Otherwise you can see it from above on the other side of the valley.
If the Spruce Tree House is still accessible, you should allow at least two to two and a half hours for the hike and the visit.

Reserve a table for dinner at the Far View House early. Then you can recharge your car before the drive back to Durango while you have dinner at the lodge's restaurant.
Opening hours:
April 14 - May 29: 4:00 - 9:30 p.m. From May 30 - August 18: 16:00 - 21:30 From 19 August - 15 October: 17:00 - 21:00 Closed from 16 October