Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument - October 9, 2003

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in the southwestern corner of New Mexico. Another place that is pretty much out in the middle of nowhere, it is about 100 miles from an interstate. You really have to want to be here to visit. I had stayed in Silver City, New Mexico, the previous evening. Therefore, I was about 45 miles away. I drove some very narrow mountain roads - very windy but tree covered, even saw some more deer feeding on the side of the road - to get to the Monument.

The monument is a nice place. Small. The dwellings themselves are about 2 miles from the visitor's center, which does double duty for the Gila National Forest as well. At the end of the road is the parking area. After an orientation, you walk up a small canyon to the dwellings. It is a loop walk, with one very steep section. The loop's total distance is about 1 mile.

At the top of the loop are the dwellings. The dwellings date from the 1300's or so, and were inhabited by the Mogollon Indians. The dwellings are from the same time period as Mesa Verde, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Hovenweep. The indians knew how to build given that not much restoration has occurred.

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