Bringing Your Pet to Mesa Verde National Park?
Here's What You Need to Know

We love pets, and they’re welcome at Mesa Verde National Park! To keep your pet, wildlife, and fellow visitors safe, please follow these simple rules:

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Pet Rules

• Keep pets leashed at all times (leash must be 6 feet / 1.8 meters or shorter).

• Never leave your pet unattended or tied up—even for a short time.

• Always clean up after your pet. Bring waste bags and dispose of them properly.
   

Where Pets Are NOT Allowed

For safety and preservation reasons, pets are not allowed in:

• Any park buildings

• Inside ancestral sites

• Most overlooks

• Most park trails
   

Where Leashed Pets ARE Allowed

You’re welcome to walk your leashed pet in these areas:

• Paved roads, parking lots, and campground roads

• Some paved trails, including:

  • Park Point Overlook

  • Mesa Top Loop

• Around the park headquarters area, including:

  • The back porch of the Chief Ranger’s Office (a great view of Spruce Tree House)

  • Note: Pets are not allowed at the lower Spruce Tree House overlook

• Most Wetherill Mesa trails, including:

  • Long House Loop

  • Badger House Community Trail

  • Nordenskiöld Site #16 Trail
    (Step House Trail is off-limits to pets. Also, Wetherill Mesa is closed for the 2024 season.)
     

Service Animals

Service animals are always allowed wherever you’re allowed to go in the park.
Learn more on our Service Animals page.

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Tips for Keeping Pets Safe

• Keep them hydrated. Water is available at:

  • The Visitor & Research Center

  • Restrooms at Park Headquarters

  • Seasonally at Morefield Campground, Wetherill Mesa, and Cliff Palace parking lot

• Never leave pets in your car.
  Even with the windows cracked, temperatures can rise by 20°F (or more) in just 10 minutes—dangerous for any animal.

Sometimes, the safest and happiest place for your pet is at home.