We drove to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument this morning. The drive itself was interesting through Ponderosa pine forests and much of it above 7000 feet elevation (so there is snow accumulation in the shaded areas). But the road is very narrow with constant hairpin curves so the drive, which is only 48 miles long, took us two hours.

Much of what we saw from the road is in the Gila Wilderness Area - interesting that it was established in 1924 and was the very first wilderness area designated by congress (and inspired the 1964 Wilderness Act). Because of the protection of the Gila River watershed it contains the longest stretch of undammed river in the contiguous 48 states. And Abby sure enjoyed a drink of the fresh Gila water.

The Cliff Dwellings were wonderful. They are one of the very few that still allow people to walk through. It is about a mile walk up and down a narrow side canyon to the Gila River.

There was only one other couple there when we explored the dwellings and there was a ranger there to answer questions. The dwellings were home to 35 to 40 people for only about 30 years beginning in the A.D. 1270's. The reasons they came and went are not well understood other than that was a period of rapid environmental changed after the onset of the Little Ice Age.

We spent about an hour wandering through the various rooms and speculating about life in the 13th century. The exit from the dwellings is by a traditional ladder - fun.

Dogs are not allowed in the main ruins so Abby had to stay behind, but she could take other trails to some of the peripheral sites. We had a picnic lunch and then walked to a small ruin with Abby - her first cliff dwelling!

There are also some pictographs nearby.

It was a wonderful day - bright sunshine and pleasantly cool (in the 50s). Tomorrow we head for Las Cruces for a couple of days then off to Texas to visit our niece Shelley and family. For the return trip back through New Mexico and Arizona we are planning our route so that we can visit many other cliff dwellings and Native American sites. So keep visiting our blog for updates and photos of interesting places, things and people.