Point Lookout Trail
in Colorado
The Point Lookout Trail climbs up the iconic Point Lookout, the geological formation that towers above the park entrance. The trail offers views of the San Juan and La Plata Mountains, as well as Mancos and Montezuma Valleys. Trail Description The 2.2-mile (3.5 km) roundtrip trail climbs steep switchbacks up the west side of Point Lookout.
Hikers are rewarded with magnificent views, including the historic entrance road snaking its way onto the mesa. Please respect these places by leaving archeological sites, artifacts, plants, and animals undisturbed for all those who follow you. Be Prepared Strenuous Pets and bicycles are not allowed on the trail Trails are day-use only For Your Safety Dehydration and altitude sickness are common problems at Mesa Verde.
Drink water and rest often. Avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day. While hiking, remain on the trail to avoid walking along unfenced, unstable cliff edges and fragile soil. Off-trail walking easily destroys the delicate cryptobiotic soil crusts that take decades to form and are essential to soil stability and plant growth in the deserts of the Southwest.
- States
- Colorado
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Albuquerque, NM · 182 mi · ~5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 37.3071°, -108.4201°
About Mesa Verde National Park
This trail is inside Mesa Verde National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/point-lookout-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Point Lookout Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Knife Edge Trail
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Prater Ridge Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
Farming Terrace Trail
8 miles from this trail's centroid
Petroglyph Point Trail
9 miles from this trail's centroid
Spruce Canyon Trail
9 miles from this trail's centroid
Soda Canyon Overlook Trail
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.