About
Length (round trip)0.3 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain100 ft up
Typical time15 min
TrailheadCliff Palace Overlook, Mesa Top Loop Road
SurfaceStone steps and five 10-foot ladders
Best seasonLate May to October for the cliff dwelling tours. Wetherill Mesa is open summer only; the main road stays open all year.
DogsNot allowed
PermitRequired
What you'll see 🕳️ Cave or arch🏛️ Historic site

Cliff Palace has about 150 rooms and 23 kivas and housed perhaps a hundred people. Access is by ranger-led tour only: down uneven stone steps into the alcove and back out via five ten-foot ladders.

Tips
Tickets must be booked on recreation.gov and sell out fast. The five ladders on the way out are unavoidable. At 7,000 feet the climb back is harder than it looks.
Location

Cliff Palace Overlook, Mesa Top Loop Road

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