Travel do's and don'ts for DC cherry blossom season amid peak blooms: 'Pack your patience'
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., officially reached peak bloom on Saturday, with travelers and tourists from far and wide flocking to the nation's capital for a close-up view.
Mike Litterst, spokesperson for the National Park Service and its National Mall and Memorial Parks, told Fox News Digital that 70% of the trees around the tidal basin are in blossom. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Just how long the trees stay in bloom, said Litterst, is very much dependent on the weather.
"We've got some really warm temperatures right now," said Litterst.
It was in the "80s today, [will be in the] 70s the next two days, rain, maybe a thunderstorm coming," he added. "All of that is a recipe for a shorter peak bloom, because the warmer temperatures will speed the leaves, replacing the blossoms."
Each year the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival, celebrating the blossoming of the trees that were gifted from Japan to this country in 1912.
The blossoms generally last for four weeks.
Litterst said it's always a big time of year when the D.C. blossoms hit their peak bloom time.
About 1.5 million people travel to D.C. during the festival each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"This year, especially, it coincides with the Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds, and it's the home game for the Washington Nationals, so it has brought a lot of people to downtown D.C. today," said Litterst on Saturday.
Litterst said that NPS does the best it can to prepare — but there are also a few things travelers can keep in mind.
"We always encourage people, don't drive — take [the] Metro when you can. Most of the roads and the infrastructure here were designed back in the 1930s and 1940s, and there's water on all sides."
He advised, "You always want to pack your patience, no matter how you're coming down here, because it is going to take you longer to get from point A to point B than you're thinking."
Fox News Digital also spoke with visitors this weekend who traveled to Washington to catch the peak blooms.
A group of three friends said they were all visiting from Pennsylvania.
"The trees are beautiful, but it's busy," said one woman.
Another woman said the blossoms are "gorgeous."
"There's a lot of people. We were not expecting that many," said the husband.
His wife added that people came "to take a lot of pictures, because everybody's crowding you and nobody lets you even get a picture in. But, you know, you do your best."
Two 15-year-olds said that they'd traveled from Philadelphia and were seeing the blooms for the first time.
"It's worth it because it's so pretty."
"It's really busy, but I think it's worth it because it's so pretty," said one of them.
The other one shared her belief that they'd taken over 100 photos so far.
"We're gonna take, like, over 1,000 more," the first one chimed in.
A man from Staten Island, New York, said it was his first time ever in Washington, D.C.
"I think it's really beautiful and it's very nice to be here. It's very clean, everyone's friendly and the environment's nice," he said.
National Cherry Blossom festivities run through April 13.
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No reservations are needed to enter the park, and entrance passes are $20 per vehicle during the low season (Oct. 23–April 30) and $30 during the high season (May 1–Oct. 22). Passes are good for seven days. If you want to walk inside one of the park's renowned cliff dwellings, you must book a tour up to 14 days in advance. Cliff dwelling tours run from May to October, ending in the winter. The park is still open in the colder months, but many of the facilities close, including the lodge, campground, and most dining options. It is worth noting that all of the park's historic sites and cliff dwellings are at least 45 minutes by car (one way) from the park's entrance on Highway 160. Brian Bartlett, the tourism director and CEO of Mesa Verde Country, advises travelers to 'gas up before you come as there is almost no fuel to be purchased in the park.' The park is also completely cashless, so bring a card. And finally, Mesa Verde National Park is different from most because it contains so much human history. The ancestral sites are extremely important to the park's 26 affiliated tribes and are also very fragile. "Two easy ways you can visit with respect is to not touch or sit on ancestral site walls and to leave any artifact where you find it," Dorrell said. The Mesa Top Loop Road Ruins contains some of the most elaborate Pueblo dwellings found today. Christian Kober/robertharding/Getty Images The park is between the Colorado towns of Cortez and Mancos, near the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado meet. It shares some land with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation. The nearest airports to Mesa Verde National Park are Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ), about 36 miles away, Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), about 70 miles away, and Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) in Farmington, New Mexico, 89 miles away. If you're flying in, you'll need to rent a car, as there's no way to get to or around the park by public transportation. It's a 45-minute drive from the park entrance off of Highway 160 to the first view of a cliff dwelling. The best time to visit Mesa Verde National Park is in late spring and early fall, when the cliff dwellings are still open, but the peak travel season of summer hasn't quite begun yet. The popular, ranger-led cliff dwelling tours begin in May and end in mid to late October. 'I really enjoy September and October in the park," said Dorrell. "It's cooler, there are still tours occurring in parts of the park, and some days are slower. If you do visit during that time, be sure to check the weather. Some years we can start getting snow that early." However, there's a reason why summer is a popular time to visit: the weather is more reliable around this time of year, and the park is usually fully open. 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You can see the Cliff Palace from the Cliff Palace Overlook on Cliff Palace Loop Road, but if you want to step inside this massive structure, you must book a ranger-guided tour. Tours are limited to 50 people and take 45 minutes. Tourists exploring the Balcony House ruin, an Ancient Puebloan (Anasazi) cliff dwelling that was inhabited until the 13th century. wanderluster/Getty Images If you're physically fit and enjoy a bit of a challenge, reserve a tour of Balcony House, where Dorrell said visitors must 'climb a 32-foot ladder, climb two smaller ladders, and crawl through a 12-foot tunnel.' But the effort is all worth it. The path leads to a mid-sized village of 38 rooms set inside a rock alcove. Like the Cliff Palace, the Balcony House can be viewed from the six-mile-long Cliff Palace Loop Road. Those who want to set foot in the village must book a guided tour. Bartlett recommends that first-time visitors drive the six-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, which gives a good overview of the park. The loop is open year-round and provides access to 12 archeological sites, including pueblos and pit houses. You'll also see stunning views of Square Tower House, Cliff Palace, and Sun Temple. The Mesa Top Loop Road is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. The interior and exterior of a pit house reconstruction inside the Step House ruins. Rebecca L. Latson/Getty Images The only cliff dwelling you can visit without a ranger or a reservation is the Step House on Wetherill Mesa. Visiting it lets you explore a part of Mesa Verde National Park that very few people get to see. "This year, the Weatherall Mesa Road will be open, allowing folks to access and discover the other 50 percent of the park," Bartlett said. The journey to Step House usually takes three to four hours, and the site itself requires a hike on a one-mile, steep trail. There's usually a ranger on-site to answer questions. The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings lit by lantern light sit under a star filled sky. BradWhile most people come to the park to see how early humans lived, the park becomes a stargazing destination at night. Due to its high elevation, arid climate, and distance from the nearest community, the skies above Mesa Verde tend to be clear and inky black—ideal conditions for stargazing. Mesa Verde National Park became the world's 100th International Dark Sky Park in 2021. Booking a campsite at Morefield Campground (open May through October) is a great way to see the night sky. And in late summer, the park runs evening stargazing programs. A guest room at the Far View Lodge within Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park. Morefield is the only campground in the park and is open from May to October. But if you time a visit just right, you can enjoy a night in one of the 267 campsites that dot the grassy canyon near the park's entrance. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and barbecue grill. RVs and trailers are permitted. There's also a camp store as well as showers and laundry. The only traditional accommodations within the park are at Far View Lodge, typically open from April to October. The lodge is in the center of the park, around 30 minutes from the park entrance. The rooms in Far View Lodge have private balconies, Wi-Fi, and free guest parking. Pets are allowed, and there are ADA accessible rooms. The property also has a lounge and bar, and a dining room. Mesa Verde Motel is in Mancos, one of the park's neighboring towns. The motel provides just the basics, but it's modern and clean with a hip Americana feel. The property has a community fire pit and an onsite coffee shop and cocktail lounge. Bartlett describes the motel 'is not to be missed.' This little gem in Cortez describes itself as "a little different than the norm"—and it's easy to see why. The Retro Inn has a host of eccentrically decorated rooms—including the hippy-dippy Woodstock Suite—and a range of interesting amenities, including lawn bowling, nostalgic board games, and old-school video games. As an added bonus, there's an outdoor theater with swings and a fire pit. For in-park fine dining, head to the Metate Room in Far View Lodge. The menu highlights regional heritage foods, including wild game, local produce, and fresh fish. Above the lodge, the aptly named Far View Lounge has views that stretch for hundreds of miles and it's a great place to get a pre or post-dinner drink. 'While in the park one must dine at the incredible Metate Room, enjoy a cocktail at the Far View Lounge, and enjoy our incredible dark skies firsthand," Bartlett said. Another favorite of Bartlett's is Cortez's Loungin' Lizard, located on Main Street. The restaurant and bar are set in a hip, contemporary space and serve unique fare like elk shepherd's pie, pork belly tacos, and spicy barbecue chicken pizza. In Mancos, The Boathouse on Grand is the place to be. It's run by locals Jenn and Dave Stewart and has a seasonal menu that changes throughout the week. They're also known for their menu of Spanish sherries and vermouth, served by the glass.
