Cliff Palace Trail

Mesa Verde National Park

easy

Length: 0.32 mi

Est. time: 12m

Gain: 162 ft

Loss: 163 ft

Max elev: 6,827 ft

Point-to-pointTrail class 5Asphalthike

Elevation profile

+162 ft gain · −163 ft loss — an estimate from a DEM.

Trailhead & logistics

Trailhead parking (Place)

Mesa Verde Museum (VisitorCenter)

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, high 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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