NPS Photo by Barry Nielsen

Spreading fleabane along the trail to the Cliff Dwellings.

In the vicinity of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, there is a rich abundance and variety of wild flowers. Those who visit the Monument often would notice a constant change of flowers in bloom as the seasons advance. There are many opportunities for someone who likes to capture the beauty of the flowers with their cameras.

Some of the common flowers include:
Common Aster, Beebalm,
Rocky Mountain Beeplant,
Blanketflower, Cattail,
Golden Colombine, Cutleaf Coneflower,
Cosmos, Sacred Datura,
Evening Primrose, False Solomon's Seal,
Four O'Clock, Gilia,
Goldensmoke, Globemallow,
New Mexico Lupine, Goldensmoke,
Horsetail, Larkspur,
Locoweed, Meadow Rue,
Wild Mint, Dwarf Mistletoe,
Yellow Monkey Flower, Morning Glory,
Indian Paintbrush, Beardlip Penstemon,
Purple Penstemon, Prickly Poppy,
Rush, Mexican Silene, Snakeweed,
Vine Snapdragon, Stinging Nettle,
Sunflower, White Sweet Clover,
Yellow Sweet Clover, New Mexico Thistle,
Vervain, Canada Violet,
Watercress, Wood Sorrel,
Western Yarrow, and many more.

In addition, many of the Cactus plants have beautiful flowers. In June, for example, the prickly pear cactus just downslope of the Cliff Dwellings have beautiful yellow flowers. In May, the Clarut Cup Cactus bloom with beautiful red flowers.

If you would like a more complete list of flowers common in this area, click on the link, "Common Plants in the Vicinity of Gila Cliff Dwellings."