Tonto
National Monument has several trails available for hiking: the Lower Cliff Dwelling,
Cactus Patch, and Upper Cliff Dwelling.
The
Lower Cliff Dwelling consisted of 16 ground
floor rooms, three of which had a second story. A self-guided, paved trail
with booklet and interpretive signs ascends 350 vertical feet to the dwelling.
The 1/2 mile trail is considered moderately strenuous; allow about an hour for
the round-trip walk.
The Cactus
Patch is an off-shoot of the Lower Cliff Dwelling Trail. The paved 1/4 mile
trail has interpretive signs about the cacti and other plants native to the
Sonoran Desert. Allow about 20 minutes to complete this trail.
The Upper
Cliff Dwelling had 32 ground floor rooms,
eight with a second story. A dirt/rock 1.5 mile trail ascends 600 vertical
feet, and is considered strenuous. You must be accompanied by park staff to
visit this dwelling; guided hikes are conducted from November through April,
and last three to four hours. Three to four tours are given weekly, but
are limited to 15 people and often fill quickly; call early for reservations.
Leashed
pets are allowed on the Lower Cliff Dwelling and Cactus Patch trails; pets are
not permitted on the Upper Cliff Dwelling trail.
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Updated
July 19, 2005