Mug House

Mesa Verde National Park is again offering a series of unique ranger-guided educational experiences in 2016. Tickets must be purchased online at www.recreation.gov. Tickets for these special hikes are limited and will be available starting in mid- to late-March.

Ranger-guided hikes and programs include a 2-hour hike to Oak Tree House; a 2-hour hike to Mug House; an 8-hour hike to Spring House; as well as a ranger-guided Wetherill Mesa Bike & Hike Adventure; Balcony House Sunrise Tours; Twilight Photography Tours; and Yucca House National Monument.

Mug House
Mug House was built over several decades in the 12th century and was home to about 80 to 100 people.  This strenuous 2-hour, 3-mile (4.8 km) round-trip hike is along an unpaved, uneven trail that descends 100 feet (30 m) and includes steep drop-offs, switchbacks, and scrambling up and down boulders.  Mug House is available May 31 to October 15, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 9:30 am. Tickets cost $25.00 per person, all ages.  Tour is limited to 10 people.

Spring House
Spring House is the largest unexcavated cliff dwelling in the park.  It has 86 rooms and seven kivas.  The site is extremely fragile, so you will not enter the site, but get excellent views of the cliff dwelling from a platform at the south end of the village.  This 8-hour, 8-mile (12.9 km) round-trip hike is very strenuous.  Expect an unpaved, uneven trail with an elevation change of 1,500 feet, and steep drop-offs, one short ladder, and switchbacks.  Spring House is available May 1 to May 25, Sundays and Wednesdays at 8:00 am; September 11 to October 12, Sundays and Wednesdays at 8:00 am Tickets are $40.00 per person, all ages.  Tour is limited to 10 people.

Oak Tree House
This 60-room site built on two ledges is one of the largest cliff dwellings in the park. It is a well preserved but fragile site that features plastered walls and varied architectural styles. The 2-hour, 1-mile (1.6km) round-trip hike is moderately strenuous. Expect a narrow, unpaved, uneven trail, with steps carved into the sandstone, steep drop-offs, and two ladders (4-foot and 15-foot; 1.2m to 4.6m), and a total elevation change of 200 feet (61m). In addition to up close views of this site, you will have stunning views of Cliff Canyon, Cliff Palace, and Sun Temple. The Oak Tree House hike is available from May 3 to May 28, on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8:00 am; and September 12 to October 16, Mondays and Fridays at 8:00 am Tickets cost $25 per person, and group size is limited to 10 people per hike.

Wetherill Mesa Hike and Bike Adventure
Hikers and bicyclers: this is the trip for you! This ranger-guided, 4.5 hour trek on the quieter side of Mesa Verde includes 9-mile (14.5 km) of hiking and biking; and a tour of Long House. A bicycle is required for this, so plan to bring your own. Bikes may be available at the Wetherill mesa parking lot, but call 970-529-4465 to verify this before booking your ticket.  There are also several bike rental businesses in the local area. You will bike to several mesa top archeological sites, walk to others, and hike about 3 miles (4.8 km)round trip through the pinyon-juniper woodlands for cliff edge views of Nordenskiold #12 and Double House. You will then bike to the Long House trailhead and take a .75 mile (1.2 km) round-trip walking tour of this magnificent Wetherill Mesa gem. The Adventure is offered Wednesdays and Sundays from June 1 to September 4 at 9:30 am Tickets cost $18.00 per person, all ages. Group size is limited to 15 people.

Balcony House Sunrise Tour
Begin your day as the Ancestral Pueblo people have for generations.  Climb into Balcony House as the sun rises, and step into the 21st Century of our national parks. Tours are offered on May 7 at 5:30 am; June 20 and 21 at 5:15 am; September 21 and 22 at 6:15 am; and October 10 at 6:30 am Tickets cost $15 per person and group size is limited to 25 people.  

Twilight Photography Tour
Photographers, here is an opportunity to spend 90 minutes in Cliff Palace with a park ranger in a small group setting. Dramatic sunset lighting will appeal to both amateur and professional photographers as well as those seeking a deeper connection with this extraordinary archeological treasure. The tours are offered nightly from May 27 to July 23 at 7:15 pm; and July 24 to September 5 at 6:45 pm.  Photographers must be able to carry all of your gear while keeping both hands free to climb ladders. Tickets cost $20 per person and group size is limited to 12 people.

Yucca House
Yucca House National Monument is located eight miles south of Cortez, Colorado.  Experience a sense of discovery by visiting this large, unexcavated Ancestral Puebloan site that has remained largely untouched for the past 800 years.  The massive building and central location in the Montezuma Valley suggest that it was an important village.  The easy to moderate 2-hour, ½ (.8 km) walk is along a mostly level, unpaved path.  The trail is rocky in places; wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots.  There is no shade on the trail; dress appropriately, and bring at least 1 quart (1 liter) of water per person.  Total tour time, including carpooling to site, is 3 hours.  You will meet at the Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez at 8:00 am for a brief orientation talk, then carpool to the site.  This tour is offered twice, May 14 and September 10.  Tickets are $5.00 per person, all ages.  The tour is limited to 15 people.

For reservations or more information for all tours, visit www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.

Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer announced that the park will begin accepting applications for a commercial use authorization (CUA) for bicycle rental operations on Wetherill Mesa in Mesa Verde National Park; the operation will also include stroller and wheel chair rentals.
 
The National Park Service will issue up to one CUA authorizing a temporary bicycle rental operation located at Wetherill Mesa parking area in Mesa Verde National Park.  Under the CUA, the permittee will be authorized to rent bicycles to park visitors for use on approved roadways and trails on Wetherill Mesa.  The permittee will be responsible for providing and maintaining all rental equipment necessary for the operation, as well as temporary sales and storage facilities. 

The National Park Service will issue the CUA for an initial term of twelve months.  The need for the CUA will be re-evaluated after the initial season.

The National Park Service will utilize information and data collected during the term of this CUA to aid in the transportation plan for Wetherill Mesa, and in determining how bicycle rental operations will be managed in the future.

A copy of the application and application instructions, along with 2015 visitation statistics for Wetherill Mesa, can be obtained by contacting the Mesa Verde National Park Concessions Management Division at (970) 529-4613.  In order to be considered, completed applications must be received by March 4, 2016 at 4:00pm local time. 

The National Park Service will review all applications, received by the closing date, and select the best qualified applicant to operate the bicycle rental.
 
For questions or additional information about the bicycle rental operation, please contact Dewey Higley, Concessions Management Specialist at (970) 529-4613.

Park Rangers will be leading a guided hike around the Far View sites focusing on winter ecology at Mesa Verde National Park on Saturday, February 27, beginning at 10 a.m. 

Participants will learn about winter life cycles of plants and animals found in the park and discuss what life was like in the winter for the Ancestral Pueblo people.

The guided hike is free, but advance sign-up is requested.   Children should be at least 7 years old to join the hike.  Parking is limited at the Far View Sites, so participants will meet at the Far View Terrace parking lot, and then car pool to the Far View Sites.

Be prepared to be outdoors for 2 - 3 hours with extra layers of clothing, water, and snacks. There is a limit of 20 adults and children.  If needed, snowshoes will be provided, or you may bring your own. 

To sign up, for weather conditions, and for more information on the hike, please call the Chapin Mesa Museum at 970-529-4631. 

A flyer with more information and other upcoming hikes can be found at http://go.nps.gov/mvwgh2016.