Cliff Canyon is a spectacular natural site honeycombed with cave dwellings dating back to the 12th century. The Ancestral Puebloans carved all types of homes and rooms into the rock face, while continuing to farm on the plateau at the summit. Visit these spectacular cliffs in Mesa Verde National Park to piece together centuries of history.
Set out on the Cliff Palace Loop Road and admire views of the impressive canyon and surrounding rock formations. Stop at Balcony House with a ranger guide and clamber up the 32-foot (10-meter) entrance ladder. Peer into some of the 40 rooms that belonged to the descendants of the Pueblo Indians of Arizona and New Mexico.
A little northwest is the larger Cliff Palace, which contains 150 rooms. Its 23 kivas are chambers that were used for religious rituals. Imagine living among the 100 people who inhabited these innovative cave dwellings.
Notice the small size of the doors, which were constructed for the shorter average height of humans in those times. Learn from the guide about the methods for building these homes. The rooms were formed out of mortar, sandstone and wooden beams.
The Cliff Palace Loop Road is open to visitors from morning until sunset. Balcony House and the Cliff Palace are accessible only with a ranger-guided tour, available from late April to mid-October. Purchase your ticket at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center.
Find Cliff Canyon in the southern part of Mesa Verde National Park in the southwestern corner of Colorado. From the town of Towaoc, drive east around the Ute Mountain Reservation to reach the site in a little more than an hour.
While in this part of the state, visit other nearby attractions such as the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, San Juan National Forest and Lone Mesa State Park.
