Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument preserves a remarkable group of cliff dwellings built more than 700 years ago by the Mogollon people, tucked into natural caves high on a canyon wall above the forested headwaters of the Gila River, deep in the rugged mountains of southwestern New Mexico. A short trail climbs to the dwellings, where visitors can walk among the stone-and-timber rooms the Mogollon built within the caves.

The monument sits within the Gila Wilderness — the world’s first designated wilderness area — a vast, remote landscape of forested mountains, canyons and rivers that is one of the wildest places in the lower 48. Nearby hot springs, the wild Gila River and endless backcountry trails draw adventurers. A place of profound human history set in a magnificent wilderness, Gila Cliff Dwellings is a treasured cultural and natural icon of New Mexico.

The main experience is the mile-long loop trail that climbs to the cliff dwellings, where visitors walk among the cave rooms built by the Mogollon. Beyond, the surrounding Gila Wilderness and National Forest offer some of the finest backcountry in the Southwest — backpacking, river hiking along the Gila, soaking in natural hot springs near the monument, fishing, horseback riding and wildlife watching across a vast roadless landscape. Touring the cliff dwellings and exploring the wild Gila country, including its hot springs, are the signature draws of this remote and spectacular place.

Spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather for the cliff-dwelling trail and backcountry, while summer brings warm days and afternoon thunderstorms (and monsoon flooding in the canyons), and winter is cold but quiet, sometimes with snow at the higher elevations. The drive in is long and winding in any season. Spring and fall are the highlights for comfortable visiting — come in the milder seasons, allow plenty of time for the slow mountain drive, and enjoy the dwellings and the nearby hot springs.

The cliff dwellings were built and lived in by the Mogollon people in the late 1200s, who farmed, hunted and gathered in the Gila country before leaving within a generation or two; their stone-and-timber rooms within the caves remain remarkably preserved. The area is also significant to the Apache, including as part of the homeland of Geronimo. Protected as a national monument in 1907, it lies within the Gila Wilderness, set aside in 1924 as the world’s first designated wilderness. Gila Cliff Dwellings preserves this profound heritage and wild landscape, a treasured icon of New Mexico.

The cliff dwellings occupy natural caves formed in the volcanic rock of the canyon wall — cavities weathered and eroded into the soft tuff and conglomerate above the Gila River. The wider Gila country is a rugged landscape of volcanic mountains, deep canyons and the wild Gila River and its forks, shaped by ancient volcanism and long erosion. The natural caves gave the Mogollon ready-made shelters to build within. The volcanic rock, the weathered caves and the down-cutting river created both the dwellings’ setting and the magnificent canyon-and-mountain wilderness around them.

The Gila Wilderness around the monument is rich in wildlife — elk, mule deer, black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, javelina, and a famous diversity of birds (the Gila country is a renowned birding destination), while the Gila River supports native fish and the endangered, reintroduced Mexican gray wolf roams the wider region. The range from river canyon to high forest supports abundant wildlife in one of the wildest landscapes in the Southwest. The monument and surrounding wilderness offer superb wildlife watching and birding for those who venture into this remote country.

The monument and the Gila Wilderness protect a vast, intact ecosystem spanning riparian cottonwood and sycamore along the Gila River, pinyon-juniper and ponderosa-pine forest on the slopes, and higher mixed-conifer in the mountains — one of the largest wild landscapes in the lower 48, home to reintroduced Mexican gray wolves and a great diversity of life. The wild river and the roadless forest are vital. Protecting the river, the forests, the wildlife and the wilderness sustains both the ecology and the cultural heritage of this magnificent country.

Gila Cliff Dwellings holds a treasured place among the icons of New Mexico — remarkably preserved cliff homes of the Mogollon people set in the magnificent Gila Wilderness, the birthplace of the wilderness-preservation idea, and a land woven with Apache heritage including the homeland of Geronimo. The monument connects visitors to the deep human story of the Southwest and to one of its wildest landscapes. Gila Cliff Dwellings is a cherished cultural and natural icon of New Mexico, set in the world’s first designated wilderness.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is in the mountains of southwestern New Mexico, at the end of State Route 15, a long, slow, winding drive (allow about two hours) north of the town of Silver City. An entrance fee applies. The visitor center and the cliff-dwelling trail are near the road’s end, with nearby campgrounds, hot springs and Gila Wilderness trailheads. Services are very limited; fuel up and stock supplies in Silver City. Check the National Park Service and Gila National Forest for fees, hours, road conditions and backcountry information before visiting.

The National Park Service and the Gila National Forest protect the cliff dwellings and the surrounding wilderness. Visitors help by never touching, climbing on or removing anything from the fragile dwellings, staying on trails, respecting the sites as sacred heritage, practicing Leave No Trace in the wilderness, protecting the Gila River’s water, respecting the reintroduced Mexican gray wolves and other wildlife, preventing wildfire, and packing out everything. The ancient structures and the wild land are sensitive. Protecting the dwellings, the river, the forests and the wilderness sustains both the cultural heritage and the wild beauty of the Gila country.

The drive in is long, winding and slow — allow plenty of time, fuel up beforehand, and drive carefully. The cliff-dwelling trail climbs and has some steep, uneven sections and ladders; wear sturdy shoes and watch footing. The high desert and mountains bring strong sun, afternoon thunderstorms and flash-flood risk in canyons (especially in monsoon season); carry water and rain gear. Watch for rattlesnakes, and keep your distance from wildlife. Cell service is absent. Respect the remote roads, the trail terrain, the flash-flood risk and the wilderness conditions.

An entrance fee applies. Do not touch, climb on or remove anything from the cliff dwellings; stay on the designated trail. Camp only in designated campgrounds or per wilderness rules; backcountry travel follows Leave No Trace. Pets are restricted on the dwelling trail. Drones are prohibited over the monument. Respect wildlife, including the reintroduced wolves. Prevent wildfire; follow fire restrictions. Fishing requires a license. Pack out all trash. Check the National Park Service and Gila National Forest for fees, hours, road and trail conditions and current rules before visiting.

The historic mining town of Silver City (the gateway, with services, art and history), the vast Gila Wilderness and National Forest, the natural hot springs near the monument, the wild Gila River and its forks, and the ghost towns and mountains of southwestern New Mexico lie in the region. The Gila country and the Mogollon Mountains define the region. Gila Cliff Dwellings anchors one of the wildest regions in the Southwest, a centerpiece of a New Mexico wilderness adventure, easily combined with Silver City, the hot springs and the trails of the Gila Wilderness.

Allow plenty of time for the long, winding two-hour drive from Silver City (fuel up first), and time your visit to walk the mile-long loop trail up to the cliff dwellings during open hours. Wear sturdy shoes for the climb, carry water and rain gear (watch for monsoon storms and flash floods), and treat the fragile dwellings with care. Soak in a nearby natural hot spring and explore a stretch of the wild Gila River, and base yourself in Silver City for this remote and rewarding corner of New Mexico.