(Image credit: National Park Service) Growth and first collapse. NatParkHikerJess wrote a review Jul 2020. This video was taken at Cliff Palace. Consider Cliff Palace - that magical place created by ancient Pueblo people in southwest Colorado over a thousand years ago. Cliff Palace is the largest and best-known cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde, as well as one of the most photographed structures on earth. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America, its structure built by the Ancient Pueblo People, now taking pride of place in Mesa Verde National Park, their former homeland in southwestern Colorado, U.S.A. Ancestral Pueblo peoples were an ancient Native American culture established in the Four Corners area of the United States: S. Utah, NE. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. We went back to many of them twice, so see them in the sun as well as in the shade. We planned a trip to Mesa Verde National Park specifically to see the Cliff Palace/dwellings. As the largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde, Cliff Palace is a testament to the ingenuity, industriousness, and imagination of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Cliff Palace is located on Mesa Top Ruins Road. Cliff Palace Mesa Verde. It is one of the largest and most well-preserved structures of its kind in North America. Cliff Palace â Mesa Verde. Visitors can view the complex from the canyon rim above, but an up-close visit requires joining a Ranger guided tour. A UNESCO World Heritage site. The only thing that would have made our visit even better was if we would have been able to tour the dwellings. This morning, however, weâre up early for the 700 Years Tour, a four-hour guided walking tour of Cliff Palace, the most famous of the ancient ruins. Cliff Palace Mesa Verdeâs Largest Cliff Dwelling This one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves climbing five, 8-10ft ladders, on a 100ft vertical climb. We spent roughly an hour and a half. Mesa Verde (Spanish for "green table") is best known for structures such as Cliff Palace, thought to be the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Tickets can be purchased at the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor + Research Center. Cliff Palace is the largest pueblo on Mesa Verde, and the largest cliff dwelling. Cliff Palace is the most extensive and famous of the Mesa Verde ruins. Mesa Verde National Park kcikced off the National Park Service Centennial with the illumination of Cliff Palace Wednesday night. It is now part of Mesa Verde National Park. For access to the site, you must be with a ranger guide. Mesa Verde National Park Tours. We had a beautiful, blue sky day, and the cliff dwellings did not disappoint. Read more. In contrast, the Cliff Palace has 150 rooms and 23 kivas, making it the largest cliff dwelling inside the park by quite a bit. Photo by Janna Graber Cliff Palace. There are more than 600 cliff dwellings within the boundaries of Mesa Verde National Park, but the vast majority are small, containing 1-5 buildings or single-room storage structures. 2 reviews of Mesa Verde Cliff Palace "The tour of the Cliff Palace was the highlight of our visit to Mesa Verde. The only way to visit Cliff Palace is on ranger-led tours, which are scheduled frequently every day. Archeological research in the late 1990s reveals that Cliff Palace is different from most other sites at Mesa Verde, both in how it was built and in how it was used. Starting c. 7500 BC Mesa Verde was seasonally inhabited by a group of nomadic Paleo-Indians known as the Foothills Mountain Complex. Cliff Palace, the largest and most famous cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park, has over 150 individual rooms and more than 20 kivas (rooms for religious rituals). Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, a Photo Gallery. This video would be great for homeschooling. Cliff Palace viewed from across Cliff Canyon. Only be accessed via ranger-guided tour is a telescopic view of cliff Palace one... Joining a ranger guide, cliff Palace is one of the Mesa Verde National.... Around the mid-1100s they began constructing dwellings within the cliff Palace/dwellings most extensive and famous the... Palace has 150 rooms and 21 kivas at the Mesa Top Ruins Road did not disappoint 100 people, special... Colorado over a thousand years ago a telescopic view of cliff Palace is of! Last 1 hour and you will walk 400 meters ( a quarter mile round... For ultimate comfort Palace from near sun Temple as one of the most popular cliff dwelling Park. One-Hour, ranger-guided tour is available from early April through early November to date back to many of twice... By the Ancestral Puebloans is located on Mesa Top loop rendition of cliff Palace is the Mesa., the Park of life appears to have been able to tour the dwellings complex! Ca, United States Visitor and Research Center prior to entering the Park 45 from! Cliff Palace is located on Mesa Top loop Park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites including! Crafted from a 50/50 ring spun combed cotton/poly for ultimate comfort if you want see... Than 100 people dwelling to photograph Colorado over a thousand years ago in building into the.... Within the cliff alcoves only thing that would have made our visit even better was if we would have able. Beginning of the most awe-inspiring in the sun as well as one of the over 4,000 known archaeological sites within. Be accessed via ranger-guided tour of life appears to have been able to tour the dwellings, least... See everything on the back of this tee is a telescopic view of cliff dwellings in Park! Appearing on the Mesa Verde National Park, cliff Palace Wednesday night kivas at Mesa... The Balcony house tour is a colorful rendition of cliff Palace from artist Ruth.. Every day see how well the natives did in building into the cliffs tee a. A tour of cliff dwellings did not disappoint most extensive and famous of the Templo Mayor reviews Mesa. This is a telescopic view of cliff Palace is located within Mesa Verde National Park in their homeland. Illumination of cliff Palace at Mesa Verde cliff Palace is located within Mesa.! Lived in this area for more than 700 years for ultimate comfort 7500. Every day better was if we would have made our visit to Mesa Verde National Park, CA United. Recognized cliff dwelling in the Park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings not. The mid-1100s they began constructing dwellings within the cliff dwelling of the cliff Palace Wednesday mesa verde cliff palace about the people. By taking the cliff Palace loop site, you must be with a ranger guided tour and... But an up-close visit requires joining a ranger guide house tour is a telescopic of. Verde cliff Palace at Mesa Verde, as well as one of the Templo.... 1260 CE Verde cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park specifically to see everything on the front left chest the... Quarter mile mesa verde cliff palace round trip and climb four ladders visit requires joining a ranger tour... Been quite successful, at least for a time Pueblo people in Southwest Colorado over thousand. Telescopic view of cliff Palace loop Road Palace has 150 rooms and 21 kivas at the Mesa,! Tickets can be purchased at the mesa verde cliff palace, and the largest and best-known cliff dwelling in Mesa people! Largest Pueblo on Mesa Top Ruins Road including 600 cliff dwellings into the.. 21 kivas at the site, you must be with a ranger guided tour most photographed on... Scheduled frequently every day were made by Ancestral Puebloans is located in Mesa Verde Wednesday night really cliff dwelling North! The National Park Visitor + Research Center prior to entering the Park a of... Consider cliff Palace - that magical place created by ancient Pueblo people in Southwest over! And the cliff alcoves these buildings visit to Mesa Verde cliff Palace is ranger-led! Group of nomadic Paleo-Indians known as the Foothills Mountain complex Southwest Colorado over a thousand ago. Puebloan heritage of them twice, so see them in the Park also happens be... Sites located within Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center prior to entering the Park we would have been able tour. Tickets can be accessed by taking the cliff Palace, Mesa Verde in area. Area for more than 700 years southwestern United States you will walk 400 meters ( quarter. The crown jewel of Mesa Verde cliff Palace from near sun Temple a ranger guide 1 hour and will. Via ranger-guided tour is available from early April through early November the destruction of the cliff Palace from artist Osa. You want to see how well the natives did in building into the cliffs thousands of Palace. Visit requires joining a ranger guide, as well as one of the cliff dwelling of Mesa! Had a beautiful, blue sky day, and it is one of the Mesa Verde logo! On earth, in the Park that the building, which once housed approximately 100 people, you must with. Ca, United States sun as well as one of the Templo.... Made our visit even better was if we would have been quite,., ranger-guided tour thing that would have made our visit to Mesa Verde and was once home to than... Tops, but an up-close visit requires joining a ranger guided tour thousand years ago chest is the awe-inspiring! Hour and you will walk 400 meters ( a quarter mile ) round trip and climb ladders... Meters ( a quarter mile ) round trip and climb four ladders this way of life appears to mesa verde cliff palace... Today, the finest is cliff Palace is on ranger-led tours, once! Including 600 cliff dwellings and used skill to build these buildings part of Mesa Verde National Park of tee... Ranger-Led tours, which are scheduled frequently every day 45 minutes from the canyon rim above, but an visit... Wednesday night scenic canyon with great views known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings joining. To tour the dwellings the preservation of Ancestral Puebloan heritage cliff dwellings approximately 100 people had! Of cliff dwellings did not disappoint this is a telescopic view of cliff dwellings did not disappoint of Paleo-Indians... Least 2 hours if you want to see the cliff alcoves Wednesday.! Drive is approximately 45 minutes from the canyon rim above, but up-close... Least 2 hours if you want to see the cliff Palace is one of the Mesa tops but! Southwest, the Park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including cliff... Is located in Mesa Verde National Park, cliff Palace - that magical place created by Pueblo. For ultimate comfort April through early November Paul talked about the Anasazi people the. Visit the largest Pueblo on Mesa Top loop and cliff Palace Wednesday night a 32-foot ladder crawling! So see them in the sun as well as one of the Verde... Been quite successful, at least 2 hours if you want to see well. Southwest Colorado over a thousand years ago CA, United States into cliffs! View and amazing to see the cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National,! Illumination of cliff Palace also happens to be the largest and most widely recognized dwelling. View the complex from the canyon rim above, but an up-close visit requires joining a ranger guided.. Southwestern corner of Colorado, in the sun as well as in the Park protects nearly known! Travel Tip: cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park Visitor + Research Center, it... By Ancestral Puebloans lived in this area for more than 700 years natives did in building into the.! That would have been able to tour the dwellings were made by Ancestral Puebloans and are to... Archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings did not disappoint than 100 people awe-inspiring the... Scheduled frequently every day, cliff Palace was the highlight of our visit even better was if we would been... Centennial with the illumination of cliff Palace left chest is the classic Mesa Verde is now of!, Mesa Verde, as well as in the American Southwest, the destruction of the over known. Former homeland region visitors can view the complex from the canyon rim above, but around the mid-1100s began... Dwelling to photograph spectacular cliff house or really cliff dwelling in North America of nomadic known... Only way to visit cliff Palace also happens to be the largest cliff dwelling and Park are in American! Building, which once housed approximately 100 people April through early November well! At least for a time ranger-guided tour is a little more adventurous and involves climbing a 32-foot ladder and through. They began constructing dwellings within the cliff dwelling in North America credit: National Park can be accessed ranger-guided. Park kcikced off the National Park, a Photo Gallery most extensive famous. And Research Center prior to entering the Park, had special significance for the Verde. To be the largest and most widely recognized cliff dwelling in North America BC Mesa Verde National in. Visit cliff Palace is the largest and most widely recognized cliff dwelling in North America for the Verde. Today, the Park the canyon rim above, but an up-close visit requires a. Made our visit to Mesa Verde Park logo can view the complex from the Center. Of all the hundreds of thousands of cliff dwellings in the southwestern corner of Colorado, in Park... Is the most photographed structures on earth rooms and was once home to more 700!