re: LV, Utah 5 NP, Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of Gunnison trip report

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I want to see Cliff Palace. How long did it take to get there after you entered the park?

Was it crowded? Were you affected by the altitude? Did you climb the 30 ft. ladder? Going in September.

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The drive from the entrance of MV to the lodge, where you take the road to Cliff Palace or to the Long House, is about 30 minutes. It's not that far but it is curvy.

From there to the Cliff Palace turn off is about 15 or 20 minutes; it is mostly straight. Then it looks like a short drive but the road was closed so we could not go there.

It takes about 30 minutes to get to the Long House parking lot from the lodge, or about an hour from the Visitor Center, which is near the entrance. Their publication say longer and if you get stuck behind a very slow driver it could take more time. The speed limits are low but some people go really slow.

We climbed the two ladders in the Long House, both about 15 feet, and they were sturdy and leaning so it is not hard.

It was not overly crowded. Right now, to tour most of the dwellings, you have to get a ticket on line, which was a challenge. That may be different in September. Right now you can begin to try and get tickets 14 days before you want to visit.

The altitude did not affect us except on steep hikes, but we would just rest. It affected my traveling companion more but he is carrying more extra weight than I am.

Where do you plan to stay?

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These are the ladders at the Long House.

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This is Cliff Palace and you can see the ladder toward the right of the picture, under the round structure. It doesn't look 30 ft. long. This picture was taken from across the canyon.