Mesa Verde National Park officials announced Monday that preservation work at Cliff Palace may impact ranger-guided tours this spring.

Schedules for ranger-guided tours of Cliff Palace will very likely be reduced next spring because of essential preservation work on the famous cliff dwelling.

"We hope to complete the first phase of the on-site preservation work before the Memorial Day weekend," said Superintendent Cliff Spencer. Beginning May 22, summer schedules are expected to be very similar to past years' schedules. Additional work may be required after Labor Day, and could cause reductions or changes to the fall tour schedules.

Cliff Palace will open for the spring season on April 10, 2015. Four to five guided tours will be scheduled each day in spring, with a limit of 30 people per tour. Because the preservation work will close the trail on the south end of the site, participants will enter and exit Cliff Palace on the same trail, at the north end of the site, rather than following a loop.

For updated information, visit www.nps.gov/meve or call 970-529-4465.