For thousands of years, groups of nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind.
Winter Solstice Sunrise at Gila Cliff Dwellings
Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and dwellings at Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Looking Back in Time
Tularosa Phase Mogollon people made these caves their home in the late 1200's.
A Place to Call Home
Most of the dwellings walls are original. Some even preserve a builder's fingerprints that are over 700 years old.
Mogollon Cliff Dwelling with T Door
The T-shaped door suggests trade between Mogollon and Ancestral Puebloan.
View of the Gila River Valley near Gila Cliff Dwellings NM
The Oldest Wilderness Area in the United States Awaits.
Gila National Forest Approach to Gila National Monument in Winter
Winter wonderland along the Gila River
Eroded Cliffs Along the Gila River
As the first designated Wilderness Area, the Gila offers endless opportunites peaceful reflection.
