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Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentCave Art
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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Things To Do

Activities

Activities in the Monument include bird watching, fishing, hiking,  interpretive programs, nature walks, stargazing, and wildlife viewing.

Activities in the wilderness include backpacking, bird watching, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, stargazing, and wildlife viewing.

Guided Tours
Guided tours of the Cliff Dwellings are offered twice daily, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through Lador Day weekend, and once daily at 12:00 p.m. (noon), the remainder of the year. Please note that the tours start at the Cliff Dwellings and it takes about one half hour to walk up from the trail head.

Other tours and programs may be offered depending upon staffing availability. Check ahead for times and other activities by calling the Gila Visitor Center at 575-536-9461 or visit the on-line calendar of scheduled events.

Hiking
Hiking in the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness areas are popular activities in the area. Call ahead for weather conditions and backcountry water availability.

Hot Springs
There are several popular hot springs in the area. The closest wilderness hot spring, Lightfeather, is a twenty minute walk from the Gila Visitor Center. The most popular is Jordan, a 6 or 8 mile hike from the Visitor Center, depending upon the trail head used. Private hot springs are also located in the community of Gila Hotsprings, four miles from the Monument.

Robert and Dorothy Yellowtail traditionally dressed in the land of the Bighorn  

Did You Know?
Robert Yellowtail served as the superintendent of the Crow Indian Reservation and was later elected tribal council chairman. Under his leadership, the culture and economy of the Crow people was revived. Although, he opposed the construction of the dam on the Bighorn River, it is named in his honor.
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Last Updated: March 04, 2009 at 18:31 EST