Mug House

Mug House is an Ancestral Pueblo village tucked into a cliff alcove above Rock Canyon on Wetherill Mesa. You can visit only on the seasonal, ranger-led backcountry tour; there is no public overlook or road to the dwelling. Reserve ahead for this small-group outing, which takes about two hours.

The round trip is 2.25 miles over uneven ground, with switchbacks, steep drop-offs, boulder scrambling and a ladder at the dwelling. Expect a strenuous outing at 7,000–7,500 feet, and be ready to manage the obstacles without help. Meet your ranger at Wetherill Mesa Pavilion 15 minutes before departure; it can take about 90 minutes to drive there from the park entrance. Bring two liters of water per person. Food, gum, tobacco and sugary drinks aren't allowed at the site.

On the way in, tours pass Adobe Cave, Ancestral Pueblo rock art and open views of Rock Canyon. That makes the walk more than an approach to the dwelling: you move through a broader archaeological landscape before reaching Mug House.

Mug House was home to an estimated 80 to 100 people in the 1100s and 1200s CE. Its name refers to three mugs found tied together with yucca cord and hanging on a peg inside one building, part of a larger pottery assemblage. The name points to a domestic detail in a place that was a village, not one isolated room.