GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS

Last Updated on September 11, 2023 by

Make no mistake, this is a hard drive by any measure at over 3 hours from Las Cruces and even farther from Albuquerque. Honestly, I don’t know why any ancient civilization would settle so far from a major interstate, wasn’t life already difficult enough? All kidding aside, it is nearly impossible to imagine anything but a hard life for these ancient tribes.

Even with the newfound understanding these lands were once plentiful with both crops and water, it is still remote and rugged. In fact, it is so remote that Google Maps will only take you by bicycle to the Campground five miles away. Car directions are not possible.

Despite these obvious shortcomings, this is an archaeological find rivalled only by Chaco Canyon. This site does not require a four wheel drive and is only a half mile walk from the parking lot, so there are some advantages.

Unlike Bandelier National Monument, where the inhabitants simply carved into the existing rock, here the caves were actually improved with brick and mortar. It’s impressive, and the caves themselves are located in a beautiful valley that (almost) obscures the fact that we are still in the desert.

What’s even more remarkable is the fact that this site was apparently abandoned after only 20 years of occupancy in the improved state. The caves themselves were inhabited for hundreds, even thousands, of years before the last residents improved and subsequently abandoned it. Of the many (and I do mean many) day trips we have taken out into the desert, this is by far one of the best in my opinion. Absolutely worth the long drive and one of the few times I will ever recommend more driving (6+ hours) than actual tourism (2-3 hours).

So much so that we treated ourselves to some homemade ice cream from the one shop in the entire valley. A delicious end to a really good day of sightseeing.