Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
4
Speciality & Gift ShopsAncient RuinsArchitectural BuildingsHistory Museums
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
September & October Schedule: OPEN for admission Daily 9:00am to 5:00pm. Park Closes at 5:30pm. Weather Permitting Pre-purchased tickets are not required. We offer a walk-through history that is both fascinating and educational. Explore the dwellings on a self-guided tour or use your smartphone and download the audio/photo tour. Don't miss the Pueblo building which houses multiple museums that feature Ancestral Puebloan artifacts and pottery, dioramas illustrating ways of life, tools and more. The gift shop boasts a great selection of souvenirs, Native American made jewelry and artifacts, along with a selection of US and Colorado made gifts.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- TxSimmTexas105 contributionsInteresting and enjoyable visit!Nice, relatively quick visit to the cliff dwellings. You pay at a ticket booth when driving onto the property. There is a very good and huge gift shop and museum with information and displays. It was quite cold when we were there, so it was nice to have some time indoors. Overall, interesting experience. The employees we interacted with were friendly and helpful.Visited January 2024Traveled with familyWritten January 7, 2024
- DillonM1905Laramie, Wyoming458 contributionsInteresting Local History on DisplayProbably more fun for groups with kids. Price was not bad but the museum was fairly small compared to the gift shop which went on forever. The actual dwellings were interesting, if also somewhat small themselves. I would bring the kids to this place.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 11, 2024
- Peter CLos Angeles, California81 contributionsAn interesting siteThis is a good intro to cliff dwellings. The self-guided tour gives you a good understanding of the facts of Anasazi culture. This privately-owned museum is right by Garden of the Gods and Pike's Peak entrance. Easily accessible with a seasonal snack bar by the parking lot and a gift shop/museum with friendly staff on site. A worthwhile stop to spent an hour.Visited April 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 28, 2024
- Christina CMissouri366 contributionsA fun visitOur whole family enjoyed visiting. The younger kids loved all there was to climb and touch. Outside of the actual cliff dwellings, there are museum areas sandwiched between gift shops. Everything was very well presented. We have young kids and teens and everyone enjoyed the visit.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten May 24, 2024
- STL63141Saint Louis, Missouri56 contributionsAn enjoyable and educational experienceI've seen discussion online about how you shouldn't visit this attraction because it's not authentic. I don't agree with this sentiment. If you have plans to visit Mesa Verde, then yes, you shouldn't waste your time here. But if you are looking to educate yourself about the Puebloan culture, and you are just passing through Colorado Springs, this is an excellent way to spend an hour or two.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 1, 2024
- Susie L42 contributionsManitou Cliff DwellingsVery interesting place to visit with lots of history. They have a neat little gift shop where we learned Colorado is a bagless state. Some pretty cool pics on the wall. I remember one said 1907. Then you can walk through the cliff dwellings. Where people actually lived at one time. We did the tourist thing and bought some t-shirts. Definitely glad that we stopped and checked it out. We learned a little history.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 8, 2024
- Otter2269Lincoln, Nebraska297 contributionsNot impressedYou could likely save your money here. There is very little to see and then a gigantic gift shop maze to walk through. This place really focuses on their gift shop. It looks to me like most of these cliff dwelling were manufactured based on data about cliff dwellings. Much of it looked fake. Overall, not really impressed.Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 16, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
2,034 reviews
Excellent
632
Very good
684
Average
483
Poor
145
Terrible
90
val m
United States216 contributions
Jul 2020
It’s a tourists trap. Period. Read the fine print. It’s not actual place where dwellings were. It’s privately owned. They put together items for a museum, which is decent, but you go into and around and back through and exit after more gift shops! They allow dogs which in small places which the entire venue is, I found unnecessary...not appealing...obnoxious. They out out a ton of ads and it pays off for the ticket takers and gift shop. $15 for an adult to walk through a contrived small dwelling then walk through a small area of displays amidst gift shops left me gagging!
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are sorry you did not experience all we have to offer. Most of our visitors are here for over an hour, exploring through both the outdoor ruins as well as the four indoor museums. We also offer a Native Plant walk to learn about how over 50 plants and flowers were used for medicinal, herbal and craft making, as well as identify them in full bloom in the Summer months. Our cliff dwellings were relocated here over 113 years ago in an effort to preserve and protect them for future generations, we have been open as a preserve and museum since 1907. Our adult admission price is $12, however there are many online coupons to bring it down to $10 and less. Our Pueblo building also houses a unique gift shop that carries many Native made as well as Colorado and U.S. made souvenirs. We do allow leashed dogs as we prefer they are with the visitors and not left in hot cars in parking lots as many visitors travel with their four legged buddies. Thanks for visiting.
Written July 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tour579492
7 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
My family of 6 paid $78 to enter the park. The cliff dwelling themselves take 30 minutes tops to see. Everything is self guided. No employees around to provide any information. The museum isn’t worth it, and the majority of the park is a massive gift shop. Seriously felt like I paid $78 for my family to go to an overpriced gift shop. Don’t waste your money.
Written June 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suzie M
Arvada, CO63 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
At first we thought it was weird that they moved it from its original area, but as we explored it we were grateful. I won’t be able to scale Mesa Verde’s height due to a fear of heights. This place gave me a taste of it without the heights. I felt pretty safe during this whole Coronavirus business. They limited the amount of people in the park as a whole and the indoor museum/gift shop.
Written September 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are pleased you enjoyed your visit with us, learning about how resourceful the Ancestral Puebloans were so long ago. Covid-19 has definitely changed the world around us all and we are pleased you were able to still come out and enjoy a piece of history with us! Thanks for sharing.
Written October 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NetWit2008
Olathe, KS37 contributions
Sep 2020
This is a great little side trip and attraction. It is short. The pictures show you exactly what you'll be seeing on the outside. But the inside of the cave dwellings are cool to walk through. Got a couple of nice shots looking out the cave windows.
There are also reasonably priced T-shirts outside, an authentic teepee (Tipi) and a mud brick dwelling.
The gift shop is very lovely with several floors jam packed with unique and interesting items for sale, as well as history and depictions of the culture. There seems to be something for everyone in the gift shop, especially with the museum aspect. The prices of gift items range from $-$$$$ depending on the item.
Overall, a great place to visit, take pictures of the surrounding valley and mountain, and see the history in the giftshop/museum. I've been twice, would go again!
There are also reasonably priced T-shirts outside, an authentic teepee (Tipi) and a mud brick dwelling.
The gift shop is very lovely with several floors jam packed with unique and interesting items for sale, as well as history and depictions of the culture. There seems to be something for everyone in the gift shop, especially with the museum aspect. The prices of gift items range from $-$$$$ depending on the item.
Overall, a great place to visit, take pictures of the surrounding valley and mountain, and see the history in the giftshop/museum. I've been twice, would go again!
Written October 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for visiting with us again! We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your history exploration as well as the views down into Manitou Springs and the Pikes Peak Region! If you visit often enough, we offer season passes which provide unlimited visits for a year as well as a discount in our unique giftshop built right into the cliff wall! Thanks for sharing.
Written October 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
newmexjags
Ormond Beach, FL399 contributions
Nov 2021
We were driving home and wanted a quick 1-2 hour stop for the grandkids. This place was great! It's a replica of Cliff Dwellings built by Native Americans in 1907 for tourists, so no Indians ever lived here. The pueblo was occupied until the 80's. I have been to the Gila Cliff Dwellings and Mesa Verde, both entail long drives over bad roads, and lots and lots of walking and climbing. They are amazing and the real thing but this was certainly good enough. This was perfect. You can park right next to the dwellings. There's stairs and narrow passages so not great for the mobility impaired although I was able to peek into enough places to be happy. The grandkids climbed the ladders and explored and had a great time. There are examples of petroglyphs, detailed information as to the medicinal plants and food they ate. Very educational. The museum is great. We ran out of time so didn't get to see it all. The cafe and pueblo were closed, but we wouldn't have had time anyway. The entrance fees were very reasonable and the attraction wasn't crowded at all on a Monday afternoon. We were there for 2 hours and could have easily stayed longer. Highly recommend.
Written November 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveling_smiles
Longmont, CO477 contributions
Jul 2020
The gift shop is a bit much and with covid-19 requiring people follow the same path we were forced to see all three floors of it. I would have much preferred our visit without that. The first part of the museum is before the shopping but a second bit is snuck in along the gift shop route so people aren't even sure when to pay or that there is more gift shop coming up. My review is based on being able to enter the dwellings and even though they aren't in their original location the experience of being inside them gives history a real feel. We also appreciated the contrast of being in these dwellings compared to the tipi outside.
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for visiting with us and for your review. These new covid times are a real challenge and the one way through the pueblo building is the result of the local health department to help funnel people in and out without passing back and forth through several entry and exit points hoping to help minimize covid exposure, but I totally see your confusion and we apologize for the inconvenience. The cliff dwellings have been set up for one way as well for the same reason, where we used to be able to have folks explore back and forth and all around. We are pleased you had the chance to experience a glimpse of how the Ancestral Puebloans lived so long ago. Thanks for sharing!
Written August 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GEO_001
Houston, TX392 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
This is a privately owned enterprise where the ancient dwellings appear to have been extensively restored. The good news is that you can drive right up to them, unlike Mesa Verde. The dwellings take about 10 to 15 minutes to walk through. The gift store/museum is significantly larger and takes much longer to walk from entry to exit. If you have a spare couple of hours then this is a decent option.
Written August 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting with us. Our Preserve consists of over twenty ruins you can climb inside and envision life 800 years ago. In addition to having plaques in each of the ruins explaining how each was used, we also offer an audio tour using your smartphone or tablet to allow you to listen as you explore each dwelling. Our Pueblo building does house four museums in all, each with pottery and artifacts as well as a unique gift shop built right into the rock cliffs. Thanks for sharing!
Written October 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
1BSHICKS1995
Maryland127 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
Interesting insight to see how American Indians lived. We went during the pandemic, if you start at the museum there will be someone there to take your name and number in the event of contact tracing. This person is also the gatekeeper to monitor the number of ppl in the museum. The wait wasn’t long but worth it.
Written November 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A different way to live......both 800 years ago in how the Ancestral Puebloans lived, as well as how we are all living now during these pandemic times! Thanks for stopping in and we are pleased you enjoyed your visit! Our local county health department has set capacity limits on our indoor museums as well as in the outdoor ruins, so we recommend visiting us early mornings or later afternoons to avoid any wait times. Thanks for sharing.
Written November 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lindsay
Bangor, ME63 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
The gift shop is bigger & takes more time to walk through than the attraction itself. $31 for three people to take 15 minutes to walk through the dwellings then spend more money at the gift shop/museum. Has a lot of potential but it feels spoiled by cheap capitalism.
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darren D
Texas812 contributions
Jun 2022
For three people, we paid $37.80 to enter ($12 per adult +tax), and it was not worth it. As another reviewer pointed out, it takes about 15 minutes to walk through the attraction slowly. The most positive part of it was the tables of souvenir t-shirts at good prices.
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
is this a real cliff dwellings or a replica
Written April 25, 2022
It's a replica. This is copied from their web site. "The 40 room site was originally located in McElmo Canyon, which is in the southwest corner of Colorado near Mesa Verde and Dolores. The process of relocating these cliff dwellings began in 1904 and was completed in 1907 when the preserve was opened to the public." However, it is a very good replica from someone who has hiked and climbed up to the real thing. If you are short on time, ability or stamina this is a great stop! You can park right there at the Cliff Dwellings. My grandkids did not know the difference and they learned a great deal. So did I. If you have lots of time and stamina, go to Mesa Verde or the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Written April 25, 2022
We plan on going in early January. Is this easily accessible during winter and possible snow?
Written December 12, 2018
It is all rock so in snow/ice it can be a little tricky. For the most part, our winters are also tricky. It could be heavy snow and 20, light snow and 30-40, sunny and 50 or sometimes even 60. Check the weather forecast in advance and up to the day(s) you are here. Your odds are good to very good it will be a fun time.
Written December 12, 2018
Hi,
We want to go to Mesa Verde to see the Indian cliff dwellings but are limited in time due to the many other places we want to visit. I've read about the Manitou dwellings and read your review and you speak favorably of them. In your opinion, do you think we should stretch it (the time/days) and go to Mesa Verde or would the Manitou dwellings satisfy our desire to see 'real' (I know they have been reproduced and/or moved to Manitou) cliff dwellings. We would have to go out of our way to visit Mesa. I guess if we haven't seen the 'real' thing (in Mesa Verde) I guess we wouldn't know the difference? I would appreciate your opinion - thanks in advance.
Written October 3, 2017
I've never been to Mesa Verde, although the brochure looked great! The Manitou Springs ones are nice. They're the real thing but have been mortared and so on so that you can climb all over them -- that is, they're very hands-on, and so they've been very much stabilized, which makes them modernly reinforced old cliff dwellings. You do get the genuine feeling for how short the people were, etc. (I hit my head on a low-hanging beam.) Pike's Peak is pretty much across the street and up a little road, so you could do two nifty things close together. You need to make reservations at Pike's Peak (for the train if you take it).
Written October 3, 2017
Hi, my husband and our two older teen boys will be going here today to explore. I am bringing my dog, as my husband told me the website said they are allowed. I'm interested to explore this place and hope it goes easy on me, as I have a terrible back, but I always keep going! Does anyone have any advice for my ability to handle this or any issues with our dog? Thanks!
Written July 23, 2017
I agree with the above reviewers. You can do as much or as little as you are able. You should still be able to see the things of interest without too much stress on your back.
Written July 26, 2017
The Hours listed on TA only show this Attraction being open on Friday to Monday. Is that true?
Written April 22, 2016
They are open seasonally and when open it is 7 days a week.
"From the Site"
The Manitou Cliff Dwellings is open seven days a week year-round, weather permitting.
May, June, July & August – 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.
March, April, September & October – 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.
November – 9 A.M. to 4 P.M.
December, January & February – 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Rates for the year 2016 are as follows:
Adults (12 and over) – $9.50 + Tax
Children (7-11) – $7.50 + Tax
Children (6 & under) – Free Seniors (60 plus) – $8.50 + Tax
People in wheelchairs and anyone over 100 – Free
For groups of 10 or more:
Adults (12 and over) – $8.50 + Tax
Children – $6.50 + Tax
Written April 23, 2016
About how much time should we plan to spend here in order to see everything?
Written December 20, 2015
Not sure if you already stopped by for a visit, but most people are here about 1 & 1/2 hours.
Written December 23, 2015
Are there actual cliff dwellings? Do you have to go through the museum to see dwellings? I'm not much on museums, but would like to wonder around the dwellings. Is that possible?
Written July 17, 2015
Thank you for your inquiry. The ruins are cliff dwellings that were relocated here in 1904 and open to the public in 1907. The cliff dwellings and museums are all part of the same charge. The museums are in our pueblo building that also houses our gift shop and restrooms. Check out our website for more information. You can also find us on Facebook. Thank you and hope to you choose to come explore the ruins and get a hands on experience of the Ancient Puebloan culture.
Written July 17, 2015
How much does it cost per adult? Also, is there a parking fee?
Written January 30, 2015
Prices are $9.50 for adults and $7.50 for children 7-11. Parking is free. Through February 12th we are only open Friday through Monday and closed Tuesday through Thursday. After that we are open 10am to 4pm dwily.
Written February 3, 2015
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