How to Plan a Road Trip From Dallas to Mesa Verde National Park

With an abundance of natural and cultural wonders, Mesa Verde National Park offers visitors the opportunity to get closer to nature and learn more about the Native Americans who lived in the area. If traveling from Dallas, Texas, one should take advantage of the opportunity to take in other interesting sights along the way, including Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo, Texas.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Reserve room accommodations in Amarillo, Texas and Durango, Colorado. These will be the stops on your trip.
2. Leave Dallas, Texas at 8:00 a.m. A long day of driving awaits. Drive west on TX-114 until you get to US-287 going north. Stop for lunch in Childress, Texas, then continue to Amarillo, Texas on US-287.
3. Check into your hotel in Amarillo. Head south on I-27 out of Amarillo to Canyon, Texas. Take Highway 217 east out of Canyon and follow the signs to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Spend the rest of the day exploring the canyon area. Enjoy dinner at the park and head back to Amarillo. At the hotel, get a good night of sleep.
4. Leave Amarillo at 8:00 a.m. Go west on I-40 until you get to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stop for lunch. Take I-25 north out of Albuquerque until you get to US-550 going north. Stay north on US-550 until you get to Durango. Eat dinner and get a good night of sleep.
5. Leave Durango at 8:00 a.m. The drive to Mesa Verde National Park should take about an hour and a half from Durango. Take US-160 west out of Durango until you reach the off-ramp for Ruins Road which will take you into the park.
6. Enjoy a full day at Mesa Verde National Park. There are many guided tours that teach you about the local Native American history. Just driving through the park and enjoying the scenery is also an option.

Tips & Warnings

• Switch drivers every 3 to 4 hours. This is a long drive that will be much easier with multiple drivers.
• Stock up on snacks for the trip. Having snacks in the car will cut down on the number of stops you have to make.