Parks / Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
National Monument · NM
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.
Official NPS page →Current Alerts (3)
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.
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.
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.
Entrance Fees
This park is fee-free.
Campgrounds (2)
Lower Scorpion Campground
Lower Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than one mile from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument just off NM State Highway 15. Drinking water is available, tables and grills are provided at select sites. Vault toilets are available on site. Camping is free of charge and first-come, first-served.
Details →Upper Scorpion Campground
Upper Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than one mile from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument just off of NM State Highway 15. Drinking water is available, tables and grills are provided at select sites. Vault toilets are available on site. Camping is free of charge and first-come, first-served.
Details →Upcoming Events
Painting the Past
Sep 2, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 2, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Secrets of the Skull
Sep 4, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 4, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Gila Bird and Nature Walk
Sep 4, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Life in the Gila
Sep 4, 2026 · Meet at the bookstore at the trailhead for the cliff dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 5, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Why Save These Cliffs?
Sep 5, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Gila Bird and Nature Walk
Sep 5, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Life in the Gila
Sep 5, 2026 · Meet at the bookstore at the trailhead for the cliff dwellings.
Life in the Gila
Sep 6, 2026 · Meet at the bookstore at the trailhead for the cliff dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 6, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Painting the Past
Sep 6, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Gila Bird and Nature Walk
Sep 6, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Life in the Gila
Sep 7, 2026 · Meet at the bookstore at the trailhead for the cliff dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 7, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Gila Bird and Nature Walk
Sep 7, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Secrets of the Skull
Sep 9, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Guided Walk of Dwellings
Sep 9, 2026 · Meet up at the cliff dwellings.
Why Save These Cliffs?
Sep 11, 2026 · Meet in front of the bookstore at the trailhead for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Visitor Centers
- Gila Visitor Center
- WNPA Trailhead Bookstore
Source: National Park Service.