Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Protected park · NM, USA
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in NM, USA. Operated by National Park Service.
Quick answers
When is Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument open?
- Mon–Sun 9:00–16:00
About
Entrance / day-use fee applies.
For thousands of years, groups of nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind.
This park's official page lists: Store / concessions, Visitor center, Picnic areas.
When is the best time to visit Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument?
By typical weather, the best months for a day outdoors here are April, May, and October.
The weather works against it in January and December.
The warmest month is June, with average highs near 87°F (31°C); the coolest is December, near 47°F (8°C).
July is the wettest month, with about 3 in (76 mm) of precipitation in a typical July.
Official facts
On the Forest Service's 2023 map, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument's mapped point sits in the moderate wildfire hazard class; that is a measure of the land, not a forecast.
The nearest live USGS river gauge to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is West Fork Gila River At Gila Cliff Dwellings, NM (09430010), under 1 km away.
Critical habitat: Narrow-headed gartersnake (threatened). Thamnophis rufipunctatus. Endangered Species Act critical habitat (final rule published 2021-10-21, 86 FR 58474), mapped at or near this park.
Critical habitat: Loach minnow (endangered). Tiaroga cobitis. Endangered Species Act critical habitat (final rule published 2012-02-23, 77 FR 10810), mapped at or near this park.
Critical habitat: Spikedace (endangered). Meda fulgida. Endangered Species Act critical habitat (final rule published 2012-02-23, 77 FR 10810), mapped at or near this park.
At the park
- Caves & caverns
- Stargazing
- Wildlife & bird watching
- Backpacking
- Hot springs
Shows and experiences
- Ranger & guided programs
What's on at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
The park's own calendar lists eight dated events from November 8 to November 12, 2026, five different events in all.
Four of the eight one-day events fall on a weekend; Sunday has the most, with four.
Dwellings Tour is held on two dates, Solar Viewing at the Visitor Center is held on two dates, and Stars Over The Gila is held on two dates.
By kind, the calendar holds eight regular events.
Start times are spread through the day, from 11 am to 7 pm.
Events
- Dwellings Tour
- Painting the Past
- Solar Viewing at the Visitor Center
- Stars Over The Gila
- Secrets of the Skull
Before you go
- Limits
- No pets are allowed on the trail to the Cliff Dwellings
- Limits
- This section of Highway 15 is NOT RECOMMENDED for RVs over 25 feet or trailers over 20 feet
- Park alert: Secure trash and food
- Pack it in, pack it out! There are no trash services in or around the monument. All food & trash must be secured inside a vehicle. Ravens routinely open zipped bags & tear into trash bags left outside or in the bed of a truck.
- Park alert: No Pets are allowed on the Cliff Dwelling Trail
- Pets are not allowed onto the Gila Cliff Dwelling Trail. Kennels are available at the Trailhead on a First Come First Serve basis and are available to those that are going on the Cliff Dwelling Trail not the Wilderness trails.
- Park alert: Water Availability
- There is NO water at the scorpion campgrounds and the trailhead for the cliff dwellings. Water is available at the Visitor Center, Woody's corral and TJ's corral.
- Getting there
- Passenger vehicles can drive north of Silver City, New Mexico to the monument on NM Hwy 15. The 46 mile trip can take up to two hours due to the narrow and mountainous curving nature of the road. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers should NOT use NM Hwy 15. From Silver City, take US Highway 180 to Santa Clara. Turn left onto NM Hwy 152 and drive to San Lorenzo. At San Lorenzo, turn left onto NM Hwy 35 and follow it to its termination at NM Hwy 15. Turn right on NM Hwy 15 and follow signs to the park.
- Weather & when to go
- Weather is extremely variable. Summers are usually around 90° F. but approach 100° F. Winters have occasional snow or temperatures near 0° F. Thunderstorms are common in the summer and early fall, usually in the afternoon. https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=33.2296&lon=-108.2639#.YUX0_SuSmUk
- Visitor center
- Exploring a Piece of Mogollon Cultural History
- Visitor center
- Gila Visitor Center — Gila Visitor Center — Plan extra time to get to the park. Narrow, mountainous, and winding roads require slower speeds and cautious driving. NM Hwy 15 from Silver City is only for passenger vehicles and motorcycles. Typical driving time is 1.5-2 hours. For RVs and trucks with trailers: take NM Hwy 152 from Santa Clara to NM Hwy 35. NM Hwy 35 connects with Hwy 15 to the park. Typical driving time is 2-2.5 hours.
- Visitor center
- Gila Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Gila Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- WNP Park Store
- Visitor center
- WNP Park Store
- Visitor center
- WNP Park Store — This bookstore contains gifts, books and so much more. This is where you will find your park patches, pins and postcards, as well as maps, American Indian crafts, and more. — From the visitor center, drive 2.25 miles along park road to cliff dwellings trail head.
Facilities on the park map
8 benches, 1 defibrillator, 1 first aid kit, 2 picnic areas, 9 restrooms, 7 visitor information, 1 water fountain.
Where to stay
- Lower Scorpion Campground
- Upper Scorpion Campground
History
- Opened
- 1907
- Heritage status
- Listed heritage / protected status
- Park opened