Trail of the Month: Gila Cliff Dwellings

By Lale Lovell, PhD

New Mexico Road Trip

I went to New Mexico in late winter to find sunshine and fun. I have always been intrigued by the resourcefulness and creativity of the Native peoples of the American Southwest. I was excited to explore the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in the southwest region of New Mexico. The Gila Wilderness, where the monument is located, was declared the world’s first protected wilderness area in 1924. Today, the wilderness remains uncrowded due to its remote location.

The Gila Cliff Dwellings were home to the Tularosa Mogollon people during the Great Drought of 1270-1300 AD. They settled here briefly and then left. There are many theories on why they did so. It’s a fascinating place to explore and learn more about.

Start Your Journey

Visit Silver City for Old West charm and check out the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Museum. It has collections of prehistoric Southwestern pottery, including Mimbres.

Drive north from Silver City on a beautiful ridge line road. It takes about 2 hours to get to the National Monument. Remember to bring provisions from Silver City since there is no food or gas along the way.

Explore the Past

Once at the Monument, stop at the visitors center to watch a short film that gives context to this amazing place. The ranger on duty will give you directions to the Cliff Dweller trailhead. The trail is relatively short (approx. 1 mile loop) up to the dwellings. Start hiking up the canyon, and as you come around the corner, the dwellings appear. The size and state of preservation of the dwellings is impressive!

There were two more rangers stationed within the dwellings. They answered many of my questions about what the rooms were used for and the Native people’s daily lives. I really enjoyed that you could walk through the rooms and get a feel for the space. It was shaded and cool there, so I could imagine it was a welcome relief from the mesa tops in the summer, especially during a severe drought.

The Mogollon people are distinct from Ancestral Puebloans. For instance, Mesa Verde in Colorado is older than these dwellings. The Gila dwellings do have a T-shaped window, though, reminiscent of buildings in Chaco Canyon, which I visited in 2022.

The ladder is the current exit route from the dwellings (to keep traffic one-way). The view was immense so they would have had an exceptional vantage point of the area.

I headed down after some time, having really appreciated the effort it took to survive in the southwest 1000 years ago. Reflecting on the history of a place is a very grounding experience for me and helps me maintain a longer-term perspective. It’s a great respite from our overly stimulated world.

I hope this Trail of the Month inspires you to explore more of our beautiful southwest!

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