Mesa Verde National Park is open through the holiday season, with limited services on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. On both days, the park road and overlooks are open, but visitor facilities are closed for the day. Specifics are listed by location below.

The Visitor Center are is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except Christmas Day, December 26, and New Year's Day.

The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and the Museum bookstore are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Spruce Tree House, the park's best preserved cliff dwelling, opens for free ranger-guided tours at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. daily, except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Check with the ranger at the information desk for tour details.

The Mesa Top Loop, a 6 mile self-guided driving tour that stops at a series of stabilized archeological sites that illustrate the changes in Ancestral Pueblo life and architecture over time, is open every day until sunset, weather permitting.

The Spruce Tree Terrace Café, operated by the park's concessioner, Aramark, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. A limited food and drinks menu is available.

This House of Rain by AIR Sue King - Quilt

Applications for Mesa Verde National Park's 2015 Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program are being accepted now and must be postmarked by December 31, 2014 to be considered for 2015 sessions. Writers, composers, visual and performing artists are offered the opportunity to pursue their particular art form while being surrounded by the inspiring ancient architecture of the Ancestral Pueblo people and the sweeping natural landscape of the park. The works completed under this program contribute to the public understanding and appreciation of our national parks, create a legacy preserved for future generations, and offer park visitors and the public an opportunity to see our heritage through the eyes and ears of the contributing artists.

Full application instructions and program details are available at  www.nps.gov/meve/supportyourpark/artists_in_residence.htm. Submit all application materials and the $30 application fee, postmarked by December 31, 2014, to Jan Wright, AIR Coordinator, Mesa Verde Museum Association, P.O. Box 38, Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330. For more information, please contact Jan Wright at 970-529-4445 or AIRCoordinator@mesaverde.org.

Last Light, Square Tower by Robert Peters

Mesa Verde Foundation has had some great successes in 2013 and 2014, most notably the grand opening of the long-awaited new Visitor and Research Center at the park's entrance in May 2013 and the renovation of the park's horse barn and corral area for the newly reestablished Horse Patrol this year. Additionally, we have raised over $150,000 for a much-needed stabilization project at Cliff Palace. And, we hosted our second annual Rims to Ruins art event and sale, featuring 29 of America's finest western artists. It was a great success, and the exhibit is on view at The Wildlife Experience through January 4, 2015. We also have begun our efforts to fund the new Mesa View Trail in the park, which will be the very first fully accessible trail at Mesa Verde! It has been an exciting and rewarding year. We thank you for your generosity and support of our efforts. Working together, we are preserving and protecting a unique and beautiful piece of American culture and history.

Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA) also enjoyed a busy and productive year in 2014. Among our many accomplishments we: hosted five artists-in-residence for two-week stays in the park; expanded our retail selection of educational books and products; recruited over 800 new association members; and enhanced our publishing, translation, and distribution of free trail and site guides. Recently updated trail and site guides are also available for free download at  www.mesaverde.org/downloadable-site-guides. Visit our online store at www.mesaverde.org to shop our definitive selection of Mesa Verde trip-planning materials, publications, and products. With your vital support, we look forward to engaging even more park stewards in the coming year! 

We ran this story a few months ago, but it's such good news that it bears repeating! There are nine more reasons to enjoy Mesa Verde National National Park, because the park will offer free admission on nine days in 2015, and the first of them is just around the corner.  

• January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 14-16: Presidents Day weekend
• April 18-19: National Park Week's opening weekend
• August 25: National Park Service's 99th birthday
• September 26: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

"Fee-free days offer a wonderful time for new visitors to become familiar with the park and for return visitors to reacquaint themselves," said Superintendent Cliff Spencer. "I urge everyone to take advantage of this opportunity."

The entrance fee waiver does not cover camping or tours.

Other Federal land management agencies that will offer their own fee-free days in 2015 are: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service. Please contact each agency for dates and details.

The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service also participate in the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass and Federal Recreational Lands Pass programs. These passes provide access to more than 2,000 national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, grasslands, and other federal lands. Four passes are available:  

• free annual pass to current military members and their dependents;
• free lifetime pass to U.S. citizens with permanent disabilities;
• $10 lifetime senior pass for U.S. citizens aged 62 and over;
• $80 annual pass for the general public.

This holiday season or any time of year, give the gift of Mesa Verde! A Mesa Verde Association membership rewards the recipient with monthly e-newsletters full of information and updates about the park, discounts at Mesa Verde Museum Association bookstores in the park and online at www.mesaverde.org, reciprocal discounts at many other national park and other public land visitor center bookstores, and much more. An MVA membership is an investment in the stewardship and preservation of this World Cultural Heritage Site. What could be more meaningful?

Still looking for that unique last minute gift? Do you have someone that is hard to shop for? You can't go wrong with a coffee mug! Take advantage of our wide selection of Mesa Verde mugs in many sizes, styles and designs. From our affordable colorful Cliff Palace art mug, to our locally hand-crafted Black on White mug replicas, we have something for every one on your list. Click here to view our current selection of mugs.   

As always, members receive a discount on online and in-store purchases. Online purchases require a coupon code to redeem discount. Have you misplaced your member discount coupon code? Just call or email us at info@mesaverde.org and we will send it to you.

Not a member yet? It's easy to join! Just click here  or call us at 970-529-4445 for assistance.