Where to Stay Near Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a treasure trove of ancient discoveries, stunning views and high-desert beauty. Start planning your trip with our advice on where to stay near the park including hotels, cabins and camping.
Staying Inside Mesa Verde National Park
The only lodging inside Mesa Verde National Park is at Far View Lodge. Open early April through late October each year, you won’t find TVs or upscale accommodations, but you will find tasteful decor, cozy Western touches and stunning views. Make sure to make a dinner reservation at the renowned Metate Room Restaurant for panoramic views and award-winning food.
The Morefield Campground is the only camping available in the park and is open early April through late October. There are full hookup sites as well as basic sites. Morefield has a full-service village including a restaurant, gas station, RV dumping station, laundry and shower facilities and a grocery store. Check out RV rentals from Outdoorsy.
Closest Towns to Mesa Verde
The closest towns to Mesa Verde National Park are Mancos and Cortez, 10 and 15 minutes from the entrance respectively. Cortez is the bigger of the two towns with chain lodging options such as Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn as well as independent cabins and bed and breakfasts. The Crow Canyon Archeological Center here offers a deeper dive into Ancestral Puebloan life and there are chain and independent restaurants in town to choose from. Mancos offers independent lodging options ranging from RV resorts to inns to dude ranches.
Durango, Colo., is 40 minutes from Mesa Verde’s entrance but it’s a great place to base your trip out of. A vibrant college town with more restaurants per capita than San Francisco, Durango offers accommodations for every style and budget, amazing restaurants, plenty of outdoor recreation, a charming downtown and lots of history. Check out the historic Strater Hotel or General Palmer Hotel and the boutique Rochester Hotel. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge train rides starts in town.
Unique Lodging Near the Park
Take your vacation to the next level by staying somewhere truly unique. For an upscale ranch experience, book a cabin or suite at Majestic Dude Ranch outside of Mancos and enjoy horseback riding, whitewater rafting or fishing. The Retro Inn in Cortez offers colorful guest rooms and a lawn complete with games to bring you back in time to a simpler age. Twenty minutes north of the park in the town of Dolores, the Dolores River Campground has covered wagons and vintage Airstreams for guests to stay in.