Chapin Ampitheatre Trail

Mesa Verde National Park

easy

Length: 0.15 mi

Est. time: 6m

Gain: 26 ft

Loss: 45 ft

Max elev: 6,979 ft

NetworkTrail class 5Asphalthike

Elevation profile

+26 ft gain · −45 ft loss — an estimate from a DEM.

Trailhead & logistics

Trailhead parking (Place)

Mesa Verde Museum (VisitorCenter)

Build a loop

stitched loop

Chapin Ampitheatre Trail + Headquarters Loop Road Corridor Walkway

0.5 mi · +26 ft · ~0.2 hr (est.)

stitched loop

Chapin Ampitheatre Trail + Spruce Canyon Trail

2.4 mi · +237 ft · ~1 hr (est.)

Connects to:

Headquarters Loop Road Corridor Walkway Spruce Canyon Trail Fewkes Cabin Trail

Connect the dots

Learn:

Art and Archeology: “Crashing the Gates” with Ann Axtell Morris Can You Solve It? A Scavenger Hunt Middens and Math: “Crashing the Gates” with Florence Hawley Ellis Pottery of the Ancestral Pueblo The Dirt on Ancestral Puebloan Plaster and Paint Understanding World Heritage

Journeys:

Ann Axtell Morris Earl Morris Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Yelm Kingman Florence Hawley Ellis Jean McWhirt Pinkley Jesse Nusbaum

Plan smart, verify on site

Length, elevation, and difficulty are estimates derived from open data (NPS Public Trails GIS, medium confidence) — not a safety guarantee. Conditions change; check current closures, weather, and water, and carry the essentials. Always defer to NPS.gov and park rangers.

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