Mesa Verde National Park - Spruce Tree House Trail - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | Mesa Verde National Park - Spruce Tree House Trail |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Colorado |
| Nearby Town: | Cortez, CO |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | Go 10 miles east of Cortez on US Hwy 160 to park entrance. Follow park road up onto the top of the mesa for 20 miles to the Chapin Mesa Museum. The trailhead is right behind the museum. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 0.50 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Easy |
| Permit Required: | No |
| Hike Type: | Roundtrip, Loop Hike |
| Hike Starts/Ends: | Chapin Mesa Museum |
| Trails Used: | Spruce Tree House Trail. |
| Backcountry Campsites: | No |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | None |
| Management: | National Park Service |
| Contact Information: | Mesa Verde National Park PO Box 8 Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330 970-529-4465 www.nps.gov/meve |
| Best Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Users: | Hikers |
| Road Conditions: | Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | The trail is paved for its entire length as it is heavily used throughout the seasons it is open. Note: this trail is closed typically from November through March. From the museum, the trail descends 100 feet in several switchbacks before it levels out at the head of the canyon, where it crosses to the side opposite the museum. There is a lovely grotto at the head of the canyon, just beware of the poison ivy. From there it is a level hike to the Spruce Tree House -- the third largest and best preserved of the many cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde. Spruce Tree House has two of the few intact kivas that the visitor can enter as the ancient Puebloans did -- by ladder through the smokehole. After exploring the ruins, the trail drops down a short ways to the bottom of the canyon and then loops around to rejoin the switchbacks up to the museum. |
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