PLAN A COLORADO

FAMILY SKI VACATION

Location: Southwest Colorado between Durango and Cortez

Address: P.O. Box 8, Mesa Verde National Park, CO  81330-0008

Telephone: 970/529-4465; 877/264-4884 for lodge and bus tour reservations

Website: www.nps.gov/meve

Acreage: 52,122

Altitude: from 6000 feet above sea level in the lowest canyon bottoms to 8571 feet above sea level at Park Point

Major Activities: archeology, scenic drives, photography, wildlife watching, hiking, picnicking, camping, star-gazing

Weather: Summer highs reach into the 90s, with cool nights. Winter lows drop to below freezing and the park can see as much as 3 feet of snow.

Best Seasons: Spring, summer, and fall, when services such as gasoline, lodging, and food are available. Full interpretive services, including the Far View Visitor center are only available from mid May through early September.

Closures: The park and its Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum are open daily year round. The Far View Visitor center is closed in the winter. The campground is closed from mid October to late April.

Cost: $10 per private vehicle is good for 7 days. $2.75 each for ranger guided tours of Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House. Rooms in the Far View Lodge are around $106 per night. ARAMARK bus tours run from $35.75 to $55.75. Camping is $20 per night for non-hookup sites, and $25 per night for sites with hook-ups.

Facilities: The Far View area offers a visitor center with wheelchair accessible restrooms with diaper decks, a bookstore, exhibits, and displays. The Far View Terrace cafeteria is just up the road. Gift shops are located at Morefield Village, in the Far View Lodge, and at the Fare View Terrace. Park Headquarters is located on Chapin Mesa, near the archeological museum. Ranger stations are located at Morefield Village, on Wetherill Mesa, and on Chapin Mesa. There is also a post office near the Park Headquarters.
Shuttle bus tours can be purchased through the Park Service or through the park concessionaire, ARAMARK. Sites on Chapin Mesa can only be reached by tram, once you make the drive out there. Toilets are available at Morefield Village, in the Morefield Campground, at the Far View complex, on Wetherill Mesa, at the Chapin Mesa complex, and at the Montezuma Valley overlook. Showers, laundry, and a convenience store are available at Morefield Village. Fuel can be bought at Morefield Village. The campground has an RV dump station.

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located in the Far View Visitor Center, at the Park Headquarters on Chapin Mesa, on Wetherill Mesa, and in the Campground. This park has an excellent description of options for hearing, sight, and mobility impaired visitors on its website.



Next Page >>> Special Considerations for Families Visiting Mesa Verde National Park


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