Farming Terrace Trail
Photo: NPS / public domain- Loop
- route
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
Is Farming Terrace Trail open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Mesa Verde National Park.
As of · Source: NPS · Mesa Verde National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
This short, moderate trail winds along a series of farming terraces built by the Ancestral Pueblo people. Constructing check dams in a natural drainage to create farming terraces was a useful dryland farming technique. Soil and moisture collected behind the check dams during summer thunderstorms and helped increase crop yields. Trail Description Beginning and ending on the spur road to Cedar Tree Tower, this 0.5-mile (0.8 km) loop trail leads through a series of check dams built by the Ancestral Pueblo people over 800 years ago. This trail is a great place to look for lizards, hummingbirds, and a wide variety of plants. Please respect these places by leaving archeological sites, artifacts, plants, and animals undisturbed for all those who follow you. Be Prepared Moderate Pets and bicycles are not allowed on trails. Trails are day-use only. For Your Safety Dehydration and altitude sickness are common problems at Mesa Verde. Drink water and rest often. Avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day. This trail has little shade. While hiking, remain on the trail to avoid walking along unstable cliff edges or fragile soils. Off-trail walking easily destroys the delicate cryptobiotic soil crusts that take decades to form and are essential to soil stability and plant growth in the deserts of the Southwest. Even the smallest impacts have big effects! Please respect wildlife by observing them from a distance. Trail Data 0.5 mile (0.8 km) to complete the loop 145 feet (44.2 m) elevation change Allow about 30 to 40 minutes to complete
Local outfitters
- Sundance RV Park11 mi away
- HTR Resorts30 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Farming Terrace Trail
Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
40° / 20°
8 wet
Feb
43° / 23°
8 wet
Mar
51° / 30°
7 wet
Apr
59° / 34°
6 wet
May
69° / 43°
6 wet
Jun
81° / 52°
4 wet
Jul
86° / 59°
8 wet
Aug
84° / 57°
10 wet
Sep
76° / 50°
8 wet
Oct
63° / 39°
6 wet
Nov
50° / 29°
6 wet
Dec
40° / 20°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mesa Verde Np, CO, 0.3 mi away at 7,142 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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