Parking
Start at the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk beside the pavilion. Reach it via the winding 12-mile Wetherill Road; vehicles over 25 feet or 8,000 pounds are not permitted.
Overview
About Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail
Why go
- A clear view of a roughly 50-room dwelling across Rock Canyon.
- A short route with modest elevation change.
Heads up
- No shade or water; the return climbs uphill.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mesa Verde map
Full mapElevation7,146–7,228 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Mesa Verde alerts
- ClosureRoad improvements close Far View and Cedar Tree Tower access roadsRoad improvements have closed the access roads to Far View Sites and Cedar Tree Tower to all traffic. - Road work on the first four miles of Main Park Road may cause delays of up to 15 minutes.Official details
- CautionRockfall area on Knife Edge Trail—keep outDo not enter the rockfall area along the last quarter of Knife Edge Trail; a serious rockfall occurred there. Check current trail information before hiking.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mesa Verde Tour Guide
Your drive to Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mesa Verde National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mesa Verde audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Wetherill Mesa and Long House0:00 / 0:37
“You're approaching Wetherill Mesa Pavilion, the starting point for walks to the cliff dwellings. If you've reserved Long House, allow about two hours including the walk to the ranger meeting point.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mesa Verde Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- How the Rock Made Room
- The Date Inside a Roof Beam
- Spruce Tree House and Mesa Verde Museum
- Spruce Tree Terrace Café and Chapin Mesa Picnic Area
- 43 audio storiesacross Mesa Verde’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mule Deer, Golden Eagle, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 22 trails, 48 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail
A short walk to the alcoveThis designated out-and-back follows a path from the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk to an overlook of a…
This designated out-and-back follows a path from the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk to an overlook of a cliff dwelling in Rock Canyon. The route is about 1.8 miles round trip, roughly 0.9 mile each way; some park listings round it to 2 miles. Plan on about 60 to 90 minutes, including time at the overlook.
Follow the signed turnFrom the kiosk, head south and turn right at the sign for Site 16.
From the kiosk, head south and turn right at the sign for Site #16. The path slopes down toward the overlook, so the return is uphill. The park calls it moderate and lists about 95 feet of elevation change. Much of the walk is exposed, with no shade or water along the trail.
The dwelling is across the canyonThe payoff is a view across Rock Canyon into a broad sandstone alcove with roughly 50 rooms.
The payoff is a view across Rock Canyon into a broad sandstone alcove with roughly 50 rooms. You look from the opposite side of the canyon; this is an overlook walk, not an entrance to the dwelling. Binoculars make it easier to pick out the stone rooms and openings from the rim.
A name from the excavation yearsThe site is named for Swedish scholar Gustaf Nordenskiöld, who excavated it in 1891.
The site is named for Swedish scholar Gustaf Nordenskiöld, who excavated it in 1891. Wetherill Mesa holds traces of nearly 700 years of Ancestral Pueblo life; here, the view focuses on one cliff dwelling set into the canyon wall.
Getting to Wetherill MesaThe trail starts at the kiosk by the pavilion.
The trail starts at the kiosk by the pavilion. Wetherill Mesa opens seasonally, so check current access before making the drive. Wetherill Road is a winding 12-mile approach with tight curves and hills; vehicles over 25 feet or 8,000 pounds are not permitted. A seasonal pavilion snack bar sells packaged food and drinks separately from the hike. Leashed pets are allowed on this trail.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mesa Verde
36 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
160 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
14 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
54 sightingsWild HorseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
37 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mesa Verde. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
