Had a great time seeing mesa verde. Been on my bucket list since finding out about it in a Colorado book given to me when we moved here 10 years ago.
We did two tours, long house and cliff palace, and saw a few other dwellings from the roadside, and spruce tree house from the museum overlook.
Hardly any crowds.. the tours were 10-15 big, and just driving the few hours around the park, we rarely passed or got behind other cars.
Long House.. 3/4 mile walk along an asphalt road from parking lot to trail head, then another 1/2 mile hike, so 2.5 RT.. 11 am so it was getting hot quick!
Cliff palace, the largest cliff dwelling in the US apparently. A much easier 1/8 mile hike to trail head, then maybe 1/8 mile again down to it.
The exit hike.. hella steep with a few ladders!
Spruce House. Would have been a cool hike, but we were done. 85 degree heat out that area takes its toll on you.
This is what the hike entails