Cliff Palace — Attraction in Cortez

We had a 9:00 AM tour at Cliff Palace so we drove through the park to get to it. We saw some Wild Horses along the way and lots of fire damage. We got to the Cliff Palace trailhead and hiked down to the viewing area to wait for the Ranger. What an incredible sight of the village in the valley on the wall. The Ranger showed up and shared some great information and the safety information. We then started the hike down some stairs and some carved steps through some narrow rock areas. When we arrived at the palace we were greeted by a very informative ranger who started as an Archeologist in the park and stayed as a ranger. He provided some great information and then let us tour the areas that we could on our own. Then we met with another ranger who was a descendent of the ancients that lived in the area and she provided some real information about life in the area, Then was the climb out over some stone cut stairs and two 15 foot tree ladders through a narrow crevice. After catching our breath, we did the pullouts and trails along the rest of the Chapin Mesa. The Soda Canyon Trail provided some great views of the valley and of Balcony House. We then tried to visit Spruce Tree House but that was closed and has been for a while. Looks like it will be closed for a while as it needs some major reconstruction due to...

🌄 Absolutely Worth the Visit – Cliff Palace is a Must-See! 🏺✨ If you’re visiting Mesa Verde, Cliff Palace is THE highlight you can’t miss! It’s truly a step back in time – standing in front of those ancient cliff dwellings is absolutely surreal. You must see it with your own eyes to believe it.

🎟️ TRAVELER TIP: Make sure to buy your $8 ticket in advance on recreation.gov — it’s the only way to access the site and tours book up fast! The tour is ranger-guided and filled with fascinating facts about the Ancestral Puebloans who built this breathtaking structure.

🚗 It’s a 20-mile scenic drive from the park entrance to Cliff Palace, so plan accordingly. I recommend the early morning tour – not only is it cooler and more shaded, but the lighting makes the views even more magical!

💧 No hiking trails around this area, and no water nearby, so come prepared with your own refillable bottle. 🚻 Bathrooms near the site were very stinky during our visit – just a heads-up! 🏞️ The visitor center, however, was a pleasant surprise: super clean, with great exhibits, awesome souvenirs, and seriously delicious food! Great spot to recharge before or after the tour.

⛰️ Whether you're a history buff or a nature lover, Cliff Palace is a unique adventure that’s 100% worth it. Just plan ahead, come early, and...

Definitely worth the tour reservation fee. I would say the reservation is a requirement because most tours are full and will not be able to accept walk-ups.

We went the end of September, so it was warm, not hot. We were expecting cold and rainy, but the forecast change that morning. We arrived early ended up listening to the one ranger and almost discourage people from going on the tour due to a variety of possible health issues. We did not receive the same speech from our tour guide, just basics regarding being able to climb the ladders.

I would recommend a good pair of shoes, as there is sand on the rock stairs on the way down and up.

My wife is definitely afraid of heights, but has very little issue in climbing any of the ladders, so this should not dissuade you in going.

The history is interesting, and should almost be reverent in realizing we are more alike as humans than we are different.

I was wondering about the lighting for photography. We wanted an earlier start, and we didn't have to fight with half shadows. But I am still wondering if the late afternoon shadows provide added texture to the photos in general...

Thoroughly enjoyed our tour at...