Sunrise view of Gila Cliff Dwellings with brilliant sky.
Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and dwellings at Gila Cliff Dwellings. NPS/Janice Wei

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

National Monument · New Mexico · National Park Service

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.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking · Horseback Riding

Camping

Camping

Site types & reservations: see the official site.

Know before you go

Phone
(575) 323-2904
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Archeology · Cliff Dwellings · Explorers and Expeditions · Farming and Agriculture · Military · Cavalry · Wars and Conflicts · Tribal Conflicts · Indian and Frontier Wars · Westward Expansion · Homesteading · Animals · Birds · Cats (wild) · Elk · Fish · Wolves · Caves, Caverns and Karst · Canyons and Canyonlands · Climate Change · Fire · Foothills, Plains and Valleys · Plateaus and Mesas · Forests and Woodlands · Coniferous Forests · Geology · Geothermal · Hot Springs · Mountains · Natural Sounds · Night Sky · Astronomy · River and Riparian · Scenic Views · Unique Species · Rare · Endangered · Volcanoes · Watersheds · Headwaters · Wilderness

Activities & features: Astronomy · Stargazing · Car or Front Country Camping · Food · Picnicking · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Backcountry Hiking · Front-Country Hiking · Horse Trekking · Horse Camping (see also camping) · Junior Ranger Program · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • View of Mogollon dwelling rooms within a cave.
    NPS Photo
  • Cliff Dwellings walls and rooms with narrow catwalk
    NPS Photo
  • Exterior view of Mogollon Cliff Dwelling
    NPS Photo
  • Distant view of Gila river valley and mountains beyond.
    NPS Photo
  • Light snowfall on red rock cliffs along river.
    NPS Photo/VIP Janice Wei
  • Eroded cliffs reflecting off a river
    NPS Photo/Janice Wei

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Guides for the trip

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Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12