Back in (cough) October (cough), we took advantage of Virginia Tech’s bye week and headed out to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. It’s another Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwelling in southwest New Mexico. This site is a bit out of the way off I-10, so it’ll take some advance planning to visit.
Address and Location
The Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor’s Center sits at the end of New Mexico 15, about 42 miles north of Silver City, New Mexico. It is truly out in the middle of nowhere, and New Mexico 15 is a mountain highway. The drive in is also not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. You’ll be on NM 15 for at least an hour. The speed limit ranges between 25-45, and the road is mainly switchbacks and hills. People who get carsick will not enjoy the ride. It took over 3 hours total driving time from El Paso.
Cost
Exploring Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is free!
What to Do
Head to the Visitor’s Center first (NM 15 ends in the parking lot). They have a small exhibit on the Ancestral Pueblo people and the community who settled the cliff dwellings. Then take the right turnoff to the Cliff Dwellings.
You’ll park in the lot at the end of the road and access the trailhead there. The gift shop has park rangers, and they can update you on the trail and any wildlife sightings. They have javelinas in the area.
The trail to the cliff dwellings is about a mile round trip and gains almost 200 feet in elevation. It is uneven, rocky, and unpaved, and it is not accessibility friendly. Overall, it’s a nice hike that may challenge you in some spots as it sits at close to 6000 feet in elevation. The hike in is uphill, and the return hike is downhill. Be sure to pack water.
The big attraction are the actual Cliff Dwellings. This site is a bit different because you can explore the whole community. As with other Ancestral Pueblo ruins, the whole community lived in a shared space. You’ll see smaller rooms (most likely for families) and larger kiva or other community spaces. You do have to climb ladders to reach certain portions and to rejoin the trail. You’ll find a ranger or a volunteer who can help interpret the site for you. It was super interesting to walk through the different rooms and consider how the Ancestral Pueblo used this area as their home. It also offers stunning views of the surrounding canyon.
New Mexico National Park Service sites: Aztec Ruins National Monument | White Sands National Park | Fort Union National Historic Site | Pecos National Historic Park | Valles Caldera National Monument | Los Alamos – Manhattan Project National Historic Site | Bandelier National Monument | Carlsbad Caverns National Park | Gila Cliffs National Historic Site | Petroglyph National Monument | El Morro National Monument | El Malpais National Monument | Salinas Pueblo Mission National Historic Site
