Tour Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park

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Balcony House at Mesa Verde National Park is labeled as the "adventurous cliff dwelling tour." The one-hour tour involves climbing a 32-foot ladder, crawling through a 12-foot long tunnel, and climbing up a 60-foot open cliff face with stone steps and two 10-foot ladders to exit the site. Set on a high ledge facing east, Balcony House with 45 rooms and 2 kivas, would have been cold for its residents in the winter. The exit, a series of toe-holds in a cleft of the cliff, was believed to be the only entry and exit route for the cliff dwellers, which made the small village easy to defend and secure. One log was dated at AD 1278 so it was likely built not long before the Mesa Verde people migrated out of the area. It was officially excavated by Jesse Nusbaum, one of the first Superintendents of Mesa Verde National Park, in 1910. Visitors can enter Balcony House through ranger-guided tours. Balcony House can ONLY be seen by taking a ranger-guided tour. Tours are available from late April to early October. NO self guided tours are available. Be sure to make the Mesa Verde Visitor Center your first stop if you wish to visit Cliff Palace, Balcony House, or Long House. If you plan to visit any of these three cliff dwellings, you must purchase tickets here first. The one-hour ranger-guided tour involves climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft (20m) open rock face with two 10ft (3m) ladders to exit the site. The tour begins at the Balcony House parking area, a 10-mile (16km), 25-minute drive from the Visitor Center. The cost and location for purchasing tickets vary, depending on the type of tour. Tickets for Ranger-Guided Tours of Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House Tickets for Cliff Place Twilight Tours Tickets for Backcountry Hikes

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