"First Stop - Far View Visitors Center" Top 5 Page for this destination Mesa Verde National Park Things to Do Tip by ATXtraveler

In my opinion, the very first thing you should do when you enter the park is head to the visitors center. The main reason that I recommend this stop is that it is the only place for you to purchase the tickets for the guided tours, which can fill up fast, and you may not get your first choice of times for each tour. When we arrived, we were able to grab a 10:30 tour, but had we come in just 5 minutes later, we would have had to wait for the 12:30. This was during the off peak time, so I can only imagine how tough it would be to wait 3 or 4 hours past when you had scheduled to be there.

I know this may sound tough to do, but leave some of the scenic outlook turnouts that you see on the way in until you are driving out, that way you can get the tours you want earlier in the day.

Hours
Open: Mid-April to mid-October, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed: Mid-October to mid-April

* After the Far View Visitor Center closes in October, Cliff Palace tour tickets must be purchased at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum.

Address: Mesa Verde National Park, Cortez, CO
Website: http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/farview_vc.htm