Step House Trail

From the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk, a paved-and-gravel path descends into Long Canyon, circles the Step House alcove, then retraces a shared approach to the kiosk. The visitor trip is about one mile round trip: follow the kiosk approach to the loop at Step House, then retrace the shared start to the kiosk. Plan on about 1¼ hours for the walk and alcove; the park suggests roughly 45 minutes to visit Step House.

Many steps break up this short route. The winding descent is steep, and the climb back to the kiosk can feel harder than the mileage suggests. Park descriptions differ on the elevation: one gives a 100-foot descent and ascent, while another lists 165 feet of elevation change.

The 300-foot alcove preserves six Basketmaker III pit structures from the early 600s CE alongside a later Pueblo III masonry village with 27 rooms and three kivas from the 1200s. The occupations are roughly six centuries apart, making this a rare chance to see two periods of Ancestral Pueblo life in one place.

Gustaf Nordenskiöld made the first known excavation here in 1891 but did not identify the earlier pit structures. In 1926, Jesse Nusbaum’s crew uncovered the first three beneath two to six feet of discarded pottery and animal bones. The 1962 Wetherill Mesa project stabilized the masonry and exposed three more.

Step House is self-guided and needs no tour reservation, but access depends on seasonal Wetherill Mesa opening and a ranger being at the site. Check current access before making the long drive. Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Water is limited and the mesa has little shade; summer thunderstorms can bring lightning. A seasonal pavilion concession sells packaged food and drinks near the start.