Gila Cliff Dwellings NMSheddfamily.org
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I have driven cross country a dozen times in the past 30 years and I always wanted to see these except I was unsure where there were located.  In March of 2007 I was traveling from El Paso, TX to Albuquerque, NM and these were on the way.  As long as I was able to define on the way as 2 hrs off the interstate and then 2 hrs back.  It was well worth the trip.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a National Monument in the Gila Wilderness of southwestern New Mexico. People of the Mogollon culture lived in these cliff dwellings from the 1280s through the early 1300s.  In my opinion it was an awful lot of work to live here only 20 years.  It is unknown why the people moved on.  Change in climate, sickness, or maybe just noisy neighbors.

To get to the Cliff Dwellings a trail follows a stream bed for about 3/4 mile and then makes a sharp turn and steep assent.  This NM is definitely not wheelchair friendly.

....Gary
Historic Road Marker
Stream in valley below cliffs. Trail to cliffs follow this stream.
From the stream watter had to be carried up to here for cooking andother uses.
View up the valley from the Cliff Dwellings. The stream follows this valley.
Me on the footbrige over the Gila River.
Gila National Forest
This page was last updated: December 16, 2007