Gila Cliff Dwellings

Often described as the "most beautiful" of the pre-Columbian ruins in New Mexico (not a small feat when one considers the abundance of ruins in New Mexico), these cliff dwellings are truly off the beaten path. Nestled in a scenic side canyon in the Southwestern part of the state that's more noted for the later Apache occupation and Geronimo fame, these ruins provide solitude and beauty in equal amounts.

Who built these ruins? For years, mostly nomadic tribes used these naturally formed caves on the Gila River for shelter. A relatively small family group, sometime around the 1200s, decided to make this a permanent home. Sadly for them, this lasted only for about a generation before they abandoned the area. For us, however, the desert climes, coupled with the shelter from the elements in the caves, have kept the ruins remarkably preserved. 

While occupied, these ruins housed roughly a dozen family groups of the modern-day classified Mogollon People. Considered to be on the northernmost boundary of the civilization, the park is home to a couple prominent ruin sites. In these canyons, with a scenic river flowing through them, the Mogollon hunted, planted their crops, raised families and enjoyed the shelter the caves provided. 

In the main site, nestled in the five main caves, archeologists have identified 46 rooms. The walls are remarkably well preserved and relatively easy to visit. When visiting ruins of any type, it is often recommended to just sit quietly at the walls and peer at the sky, listening to the chirping wildlife and soaking up the experience. The Gila Cliff Dwellings, with its relatively modest visitation by tourists, offers a wonderful opportunity to do just this. Like Hovenweep to the north, it is remarkably easy to have a little time to yourself, in an effort to transport yourself mentally to the past.