Mesa Verde Wilderness
About 1,400 years ago, the Ancestral Pueblo people began their occupation of Mesa Verde. Sandstone dwellings deep within the shady overhangs of Mesa Verde's cliffs were not constructed and occupied until...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 8,500 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.2733, -108.5301 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.8 miMesa Verde Administrative District ↗National Historic Landmark
- 4.1 mi
- 4.8 mi
- 4.9 miErtel Funeral Home ↗Cortez, CO
- 5.8 miMancos Opera House ↗Mancos, CO
- 6.1 miMancos High School ↗Mancos, CO
- 6.2 miWrightsman House ↗Mancos, CO
- 6.2 miBauer Bank Block ↗Mancos, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mesa Verde Wilderness?
8,500 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mesa Verde Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mesa Verde Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mesa Verde Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mesa Verde Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Morefield Campground, 0.4 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Mesa Verde Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.273, -108.530. Mesa Verde National Park is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Mesa Verde Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 23 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Mesa Verde Wilderness?
Mesa Verde National Park (3 mi), Yucca House National Monument (7 mi) and Hovenweep National Monument (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Mesa Verde Wilderness?
11 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Mesa Verde Administrative District and Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company Flume No. 6.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.