Introduction & Pithouse
Photo: Will Thomas — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
Is Introduction & Pithouse 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.
What makes a place a home? Abundant resources? Closeness to family? Generations of memories? Here you see one of the oldest permanent structures built on the mesa, where early Ancestral Pueblo settlers enjoyed many of the same comforts we enjoy in our homes today. Though nomadic people lived in the surrounding area for thousands of years, permanent farmsteads began to appear on the mesa around 550. Planting corn, beans, and squash, along with continuing to hunt and gather wild foods, gave them a more reliable and balanced food supply. The transition to farming allowed the Pueblo people to set down roots. This new lifestyle spurred traditions and innovations that would last for centuries. Resourceful and attuned to their environment, the Ancestral Pueblo people took advantage of the earth’s natural insulation by building pithouses—semi-subterranean homes. The atlatl and spear were replaced with a lighter and more accurate hunting tool: the bow and arrow. Light and portable basketry made way for durable pottery, better for storing and cooking food.
Local outfitters
- Sundance RV Park13 mi away
- HTR Resorts31 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 Introduction & Pithouse
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, 2.1 mi away at 7,142 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Cliff Palace View
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~16 min drive
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~2 min drive
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