Parking
Use the Prater Ridge Trailhead on the west side of Morefield Campground; a surface lot serves the trailhead.
Overview
About Prater Ridge North Loop Trail
Why go
- Views into Montezuma Valley with the San Juan Mountains beyond.
- Take the North Loop on its own without adding the longer two-loop outing.
Heads up
- The 1.1-mile approach climbs steadily before the ridge circuit.
- Exposed ridge walking and unfenced edges call for care.
Prater Ridge North Loop is the longer of two hiking loops on the mesa, a 5.7-mile round trip from Morefield Campground. The ridge circuit itself is listed at 3.6 miles, reached by a 1.1-mile climb; the same approach gets you back to the west-side trailhead. Go for an open high ridge and a look into Montezuma Valley, not for a shaded walk. Plan roughly three to four hours with stops, and take the right branch for the North Loop at the top.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the ridge walk for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mesa Verde map
Full mapElevation7,733–8,399 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Mesa Verde alerts
- ClosureRoad improvements close Far View and Cedar Tree Tower access roadsAccess roads to Far View Sites and Cedar Tree Tower are temporarily closed to all traffic for road improvements.Official details
- CautionKnife Edge Trail rockfall area: do not enterDo not enter the rockfall area along the last quarter of Knife Edge Trail because a serious rockfall occurred there. - The trailhead is at Morefield Campground. - Knife Edge Trail is 2 miles (3.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mesa Verde Tour Guide
Your drive to Prater Ridge North Loop 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Prater Ridge Trails0:00 / 0:26
“Up ahead is the Prater Ridge trailhead, where a sustained climb leads to open canyon views. For a shorter outing, I'd choose the South Loop: four-point-six miles round trip and about two to three hours.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mesa Verde Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Morefield Campground and Village
- Knife Edge Trail
- Mancos Valley Overlook
- Point Lookout
- 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 Prater Ridge North Loop Trail
The climb and returnThe opening 1.1 miles climbs steadily from the campground to the ridge.
The opening 1.1 miles climbs steadily from the campground to the ridge. A couple of switchbacks work through a low cliff band. The upper route rolls along the mesa edge rather than climbing steadily. At the ridge junction, stay right for the North Loop; the left branch is the separate South Loop.
The north-facing viewThe North Loop follows the mesa edge high above Montezuma Valley, with the San Juan Mountains…
The North Loop follows the mesa edge high above Montezuma Valley, with the San Juan Mountains beyond. Its high point looks down into the valley. Give yourself time for that stretch instead of rushing through it. For a photo, keep a little ridge or trail foreground in the frame so the landscape has scale.
Two loops, different viewsPrater Ridge separates Prater Canyon and Morefield Canyon.
Prater Ridge separates Prater Canyon and Morefield Canyon. Prater Canyon takes its name from an early pioneer family. The South Loop branches left and is the shorter choice, listed at 4.6 miles round trip, with views into both canyons. You do not need to add it to get the North Loop’s valley-side ridge walk; doing both makes a 7.8-mile outing.
Access and rulesStart at the Prater Ridge Trailhead on the west side of Morefield Campground; a surface lot…
Start at the Prater Ridge Trailhead on the west side of Morefield Campground; a surface lot serves the trailhead. This is day-use only, and pets and bicycles are not allowed. The park warns about dehydration, altitude sickness, and unfenced, unstable cliff edges, so drink water, rest, stay on the trail, and avoid the hottest part of the day.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mesa Verde
36 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
159 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
14 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
53 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.
