Pros & cons
PROS
- Four excavated sites in one compact, self-guided loop with clear interpretation
- Quieter Wetherill Mesa setting with mixed paved/gravel approach that’s walk- or bike-friendly
CONS
- Limited seasonal hours with early last-entry and mandatory early exit
- Little to no shade due to past fire—hot, fully exposed hiking
Park at the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk lot (end of Wetherill Mesa Road); follow the short paved segment to the signed interpretive loop.
Seasonal access with gate hours (last entry 2 pm, exit by 4 pm in 2025); little shade after the Pony Fire; steep, winding 12-mile access road with a 25-foot vehicle limit.
Overview
This self-guided, mesa-top walk strings together four excavated Ancestral Pueblo sites on Wetherill Mesa. It’s a 2.25-mile round-trip that includes a short, mostly paved approach from the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk to a roughly one-mile interpretive loop. Expect gentle grades, mixed paved and gravel surfaces, and about 111 feet of total elevation change—easy to moderate for most hikers. It’s a calmer corner of the park, ideal when you want substance without the crowds.
What You’ll See
You’ll trace a timeline of settlement spanning roughly 600 years:
- Modified Basketmaker Pithouse: Early semi-subterranean dwellings that hint at the community’s beginnings.
- Developmental Pueblo Village: A longer-occupied village phase with early masonry and a great kiva at its center.
- Badger House: A multi-room block with two kivas; one kiva reportedly connects to a tower foundation via a tunnel—an unusual feature in the region.
- Two Raven House: Low-walled rooms, a notably small kiva, a fire-reddened pit likely used as an earthen oven, and evidence of a palisade possibly used as a windbreak or to manage domesticated turkeys.
The setting is classic mesa-top pinyon–juniper country. Geologically, the park’s cliffs and alcoves are carved in erosion-resistant Cliff House Sandstone, while the softer Menefee Formation below feeds springs and seeps that sustained past communities.
Access and Logistics
Reach Wetherill Mesa via a steep, winding 12-mile road; allow about 45 minutes from the main park road. Vehicles over 25 feet are not permitted. The loop begins about half a mile from the kiosk—walk or bike the paved segment and cross the Long House Loop to the signed footpath. Wetherill Mesa operates seasonally with limited hours; typically open late May through early September and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In 2025, the gate opens at 8:30 am, last entry is 2:00 pm, and all visitors must exit by 4:00 pm. Pets are allowed on this trail; keep dogs leashed.
Conditions and Cautions
The 2000 Pony Fire swept this area, so shade is minimal. Plan for full sun exposure and heat. Surfaces are generally good, but gravel sections can be uneven. The access road is steep and winding—drive cautiously and skip it if your vehicle exceeds the length limit.
Best Time to Hike
Aim for morning: cooler temps, softer light on the excavations, and plenty of time before the early afternoon last-entry cutoff. Avoid Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the area is closed, and expect the strongest sun from late spring through summer. Cloudy days can be a gift here.
Tips
- Bring more water than you think you’ll need; there’s little to no shade.
- A bike can make the paved approach quick and easy; the interpretive loop itself is a walk.
- If you’re building a full Wetherill Mesa day, pair this with Long House (ticketed tour) or Step House when staffed—check current operations before you go.
Elevation
2.3 mi · 1 hrWhere it starts
37.1895, -108.5342Near Badger House Community Trail
All places →All trails →
0 mi awayBadger House CommunityMesa-top ruins that trace 600 years in one easy loopTrailhead · Restroom
0.2 mi awayLong HouseUp-close ranger tour into the park’s second-largest cliff dwellingTrailhead · Parking
0.3 mi awayNordenskiöld Site #16 OverlookQuiet overlook of a distant, camouflaged cliff dwellingScenic Viewpoint
0.3 mi awayLong House OverlookEasy, ticket-free view of Long House from Wetherill Mesa loopScenic Viewpoint
0.5 mi awayLong House Loop TrailPaved mesa-top loop to overlooks and ancestral sites, bike-friendly.Moderate · 5 mi · 2.5 hr
0.5 mi awayLong House LoopPaved mesa top loop to overlooks and sites; add the Long House tourModerate · 5 mi · 2.5 hr
0.5 mi awayStep House TrailShort, self-guided path to a rare cliff dwelling with deep historyModerate · 1 mi · 45 min
2.5 mi awaySpruce Canyon TrailQuiet canyon loop with shade, bridges, and a stout climbModerate · 2.4 mi · 2 hr
