Trailwind
National monument · NM

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

National Park Service
DesignationNational monument
StateNM
Managed byNational Park Service
Best seasonApr–Oct
On the map
Map showing the location of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

About Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

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.

Things to do

Hiking

When to go

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best Apr–OctAverage monthly sunny share of daylight: 69%3.0 wet days / month
Weather data & source

Each figure averages the highlighted months. 2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). ERA5 via Open-Meteo AWS Open Data

Plan your visit

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is managed by National Park Service. Check current conditions, permits, and reservations before you go.

See it on Recreation.gov →