Looking for a self-guided cliff dwelling tour in Mesa Verde National Park? Check out the Step House Trail to view ancient ruins without a crowd!
Are you looking for a self-guided cliff dwelling tour in Mesa Verde National Park?
Right now, there's only one option — Step House.
Step House is located on Wetherill Mesa, which is closed to the public for the 2024 season. We'll keep an eye on when it re-opens!
What About Spruce House?
All of my trail guides listed Spruce House as another self-guided tour option.
But upon arriving at the Spruce House trailhead, there was a sign stating that Spruce House had been closed to visitors (due to rock fall) since 2015. Apparently the trail guides are still trying to catch up.
You can still see Spruce House from an overlook, but you can't get close to it.
Do I Need A Reservation?
Nope!
Unlike Long House, Cliff Palace and Balcony House, you can tour Step House without a reservation.
Getting to the Step House Trailhead
Step House is located near Long House on Wetherill Mesa.
Wetherill Mesa is only open seasonally. Also, the road closes each afternoon, so be sure to double-check the park website for exact times.
This area is somewhat remote. You'll first drive 15 miles from the park entrance, and turn right on Wetherill Road to go for another 12 miles. From that point on, access is designed with walking and bicycling in mind.
There's a paved loop of several miles if you want to spend more time exploring the other nearby sites on the mesa.
It's almost entirely a self-guided area (except you do need a ticket if you go to Long House).
How Difficult Is This Trail?
The trail to Step House is moderately easy. I thought it was definitely on the easy side, but there was some elevation gain (about 164 feet).
That said, remember that you're hiking at high elevation, so you may need extra water and extra breaks along the way.
I always bring a trekking pole to take away some of the stress from elevation changes! My current favorite are the Black Diamond women’s trekking poles.
Normally this is a 0.8-mile loop trail.
When we visited, part of the trail was closed for construction work, making it a slightly longer one-mile out-and-back trail.
If you need to add to your supplies, try the Wetherill Mesa Information Kiosk. They should have a few snacks and drinks for sale. They're on the pricey side, though, so do plan to bring the majority of what you need.
Want more hiking ideas for Mesa Verde? Don't miss Knife Edge Trail, especially at sunset! The trailhead is at Morefield Campground.
Hiking to Step House
Enter the Step House Trail at the trailhead. You'll walk on a gravel path, past an area with wildfire damage, and then begin going downhill.
There's not much shade here, so dress for protection from the sun! If you need ideas for hiking clothes, see my guides to gear for men and women.
There's some exposure to heights, but the trail isn't narrow. There's nothing that will likely bother you unless you're extremely afraid of heights.
If you’re nervous with heights and still want to do a cliff tour that doesn't feel too overwhelming, this is probably your best bet.
When we visited in September 2022, this trail was full of wildflowers!
Take time to enjoy them along the route.
Step House Dwellings
When we arrived at the Step House Dwellings, there was a park ranger on duty.
Probably both to make sure no one went where they weren't supposed to go and to answer questions.
If this is your first cliff dwelling tour, you'll likely want to pick up one of the Step House information guides (for a suggested donation).
Sections in the guide correspond to numbered signs throughout the dwelling to help you know what you're looking at, such as petroglyphs or the kiva room (pictured below).
Take your time and explore the dwelling, making sure to stay out of roped-off areas and places marked "do not enter."
The park website gives 45 minutes as the average stay at Step House.
Remember to be respectful as you explore.
You're walking through dwellings that many native peoples consider sacred, so pay attention to the signs.
Even if you find yourself wishing you could explore beyond those signs, this is still a pretty cool tour.
In fact, it was one of my favorite cliff dwelling tours (tied with Balcony House).
Step House wasn't crowded (at all) when we visited. There was only one other visitor, plus the park ranger.
And while it didn't have the long nerve-wracking ladders that Balcony House has, Step House did have a short ladder. So you can still have the ladder experience if you want.
Explore the Step House cliff dwellings, and then when you're ready, head up the trail back to the trailhead.
Leave a Comment: