Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument • New Mexico

Sunrise view of Gila Cliff Dwellings with brilliant sky.

View of Mogollon dwelling rooms within a cave.

Cliff Dwellings walls and rooms with narrow catwalk

Exterior view of Mogollon Cliff Dwelling

Distant view of Gila river valley and mountains beyond.

Light snowfall on red rock cliffs along river.

Eroded cliffs reflecting off a river

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.

Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and dwellings at Gila Cliff Dwellings.
NPS/Janice Wei

Tularosa Phase Mogollon people made these caves their home in the late 1200's.
NPS Photo

Most of the dwellings walls are original. Some even preserve a builder's fingerprints that are over 700 years old.
NPS Photo

The T-shaped door suggests trade between Mogollon and Ancestral Puebloan.
NPS Photo

The Oldest Wilderness Area in the United States Awaits.
NPS Photo

Winter wonderland along the Gila River
NPS Photo/VIP Janice Wei

As the first designated Wilderness Area, the Gila offers endless opportunites peaceful reflection.
NPS Photo/Janice Wei

A sign with a silhouette of a dog and cat with a line mark through it.

No pets are allowed on the trail to the Cliff Dwellings.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Sign

Getting here is half the fun! Give yourself time to reach the park and enjoy the scenery! Better yet, plan on staying for a few days.

A bright comet with a glowing tail streaks across the night sky beside the hazy band of the Milky Wa

Join park rangers beneath the dark skies of the Gila for an evening of stargazing and discovery

An image of the inside of the dwellings with stone masonry construction visible.

Check out what programs you can attend on your visit!

A pig like animal crosses a river splashing the water as it crosses

The Gila is full of a variety of wildlife!

A Piece of Gila Conglomerate which is a yellowish rock with other rocks sticking out of it

Learn about the Geology in the Gila!

A night sky is illuminated by a vibrant aurora borealis displaying deep red and purple hues.

The Night Skies are always something to marvel at, and who knows you may even get lucky and see the aurora every few years.

Group of yellow prairie coneflowers

The Gila is full of diverse ecosystems all having their own unique plant life

he scene showcases a rugged terrain of rolling hills covered with sparse vegetation.

There are many opportunities for backpacking in the Gila!

Last updated: September 12, 2025

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

26 Jim Bradford Trail
Mimbres, NM 88049

Phone:

(575) 323-2904

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