Mesa Verde National Park Cliff Dwellings

The Mesa Verde National Park Cliff Dwellings is one of the most fascinating United States National Park attractions. It is located in the Southwestern corner of the state of Colorado. Around 1,400 years ago the nomadic Anasazi people built permanent "cliff dwellings" in a variety of locations. The ruins of over 600 of these cliff dwellings are located at Mesa Verde. Anasazi culture flourished for centuries until the Anasazi vanished suddenly and mysteriously approximately 450 years ago.

The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings among the premier archaeological preserves in the U.S. park system. A number of cliff dwellings may be toured during while visiting Mesa Verde National Park, but most of them can only be visited by taking a ranger-guided tour. There are 2 ruins that are open seasonally that may be toured on a self-guided basis.