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Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentTheme(s): Native American | |
Description:
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of
the Mogollon culture who lived there from the 1280s through the early 1300s. The surroundings
probably look today very much like they did when the cliff dwellings were inhabited. It is
surrounded by the Gila National Forest and lies at the edge of the Gila Wilderness, the nation's
first designated wilderness area. This designation means that the wilderness character of the area will not be altered by the intrusion of roads or other evidence of human presence.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, containing 533 acres, was established on November
16, 1907. Administration of the monument was transferred from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture to the U.S. Department of the Interior on August 10, 1933. In the spring of 1975, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service signed a cooperative agreement whereby the Gila National Forest is responsible for administration of the monument.
Accessibility:
Trail to the Past is handicapped accessible (for viewing of
pictographs) as is the visitor center. Because the 1-mile loop trail through the cliff dwellings is steep in places and winds to and
through cliff dweller canyon, it is not considered accessible.
Activites:
Camping | Educational Programs | Fishing | Hiking | Horseback Riding | Hunting | Wilderness Area | Wildlife Viewing | Backpacking | Bird Watching | Nature Walks | Stargazing | And more.
Facilities:
Visitor_Centers | Picnic Areas | Comfort Stations | Museum Exhibits | Tours & Guided Activities | And more.
Directions to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Car:
Take State Highway 15 from Silver City. Travel time is approximately two hours. An alternative route from Silver City
goes through the Mimbres Valley. It is less windy, easier to
travel, and takes about the same amount of time as State Highway
15. However, it is 25 miles longer.
Public Transportation
No public transportation.
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