• Visitors hike along the base of the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

    Gila Cliff Dwellings

    National Monument New Mexico

  • Area Forest Fire and Smoke

    Smoke from the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire will likely be encountered at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Areas of the Gila National Forest have been closed. Call the Gila Visitor Center at 575-536-9461 for more information. More »

Ranger Guided

A park ranger points out an artificat found on the ground.
Remnants of the Tularosa and Classic Mimbres Mogollon people are still found throughout the park. Please remember to leave artifacts where you find them.
 

CLIFF DWELLINGS TOUR
approx. 2 hours

Objectives: At the end of the tour, students will be able to

  • Describe what the Tularosa Mogollon people ate.
  • List the animals the Mogollon hunted.
  • List the foods they farmed and where they farmed them.
  • List what they gathered in the area.
  • Discuss how archeologists know what they know about the Cliff Dwellers.
  • Analyze ways students can help preserve archeological sites.
  • Discuss the importance of taking care of archeological sites.

This program is ideal (and benchmarked) for New Mexico classrooms grades 3 through 8.

 

Pre-Visit Vocabulary Sheet

Student Handout (to be used while at the park)

 
Benchmarked for Grades 2 through 6
In this activity, students will represent deer populations and exemplify how population changes are dependent on the resources available in a given area.

Teacher Info

 
mule deer on side of the road looking at camera
There are four things within an ecosystem that all living things need: food (energy source), water, shelter (protection from the elements) and space. Explain that all animals (humans included) need these four elements to live in an area. When there are enough of these resources in an environment, then populations increase. But if even one of the elements is scarce, then populations decrease because individuals from the population compete for the limited amount of resources.

Did You Know?

700-year old corn

When visiting the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, you’ll see corn cobs that are over 700 years old!  The Mogollon people grew corn, beans and squash, including some varieties from Mesoamerica.  This substantiates trade amongst the peoples of a large region.