Filling a sandstone alcove that is 298 feet (91 meters) long, Long House is one of the most fascinating ancestral dwellings within the entire Mesa Verde National Park. The site features about 150 rooms and 21 kivas (ceremonial structures) and may have been inhabited by 175 people at one time.
Long House was excavated between 1959 and 1961 as part of a larger archaeological project conducted at Wetherill Mesa. Learn about how excavators discovered several unusual design features not seen in many other dwellings around the park. The high number of rooms and open central plaza, for example, suggest that the dwelling was used for community gatherings and trade, while the raised firebox suggests that fire dance rituals took place here.
Take a ranger-guided tour of Long House, allowing you to discover many of these unique architectural features. The tour involves hiking and climbing, so wear sturdy shoes.
Explore the sophisticated construction techniques used to build the dwelling. The structure was created using sandstone blocks, which were dressed, laid in mortar and then chinked in place using small stones. Look overhead to view several large ledges, which were likely used to store grain and provide a lookout over the rest of the dwelling below.
Cycle or hike the 5-mile (8-kilometer) Long House Loop. Along the trail are sites such as the Badger House Community, a collection of four smaller Ancestral Puebloan sites. All sites on the Wetherill Mesa, with the exception of Long House, can be explored on foot or by bicycle with a self-guided tour.
Find Long House on Wetherill Mesa in the western section of Mesa Verde National Park. Ranger-guided tours last for about 2 hours. Purchase tickets at the entrance to the park. Tours start at the Wetherill Mesa information kiosk, which can only be accessed by car. The drive from the park entrance to the kiosk takes about 1 hour.
Although Mesa Verde National Park is open year-round, Wetherill Mesa is open only seasonally, so check opening days and hours before you travel.
