Start at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center to get oriented with the national park and purchase (optional) admission to the Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House cliff dwellings, which can be accessed only on popular ranger-guided tours. Or check out the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and drive along Mesa Top Loop Road, a 6-mile (10-kilometer) route that’s home to easily accessible surface dwellings and cliff dwelling overlooks.
The closest city to the park is Cortez, Colorado, but the historical railroad town of Durango is the more visitor-friendly base from where most day tours to the park depart. Book a tour if you want the ease of round-trip transportation; otherwise go on your own to explore at your own pace.