Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of the Mogollon culture who lived in the Gila Wilderness from the 1280s through the early 1300s. The surroundings probably look today very much like they did when the cliff dwellings were inhabited. Archaeologists have identified 46 rooms among the Cliff Dwellings, and though small by comparison to other ancient New Mexico civilizations, the Gila Cliff Dwellings are remarkable in their setting amidst vast wilderness.

The monument is surrounded by the Gila National Forest and lies at the edge of the Gila Wilderness, the nation's first designated wilderness area. This designation means that the wilderness character of the area will not be altered by the intrusion of roads or other evidence of human presence. Getting to the Gila Cliff Dwellings and other Gila attractions is short in mileage but longer in travel time. The roads can be tricky in inclement weather, but this makes the area all the more rewarding once you have arrived.

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