• 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 »

Images of Gila Cliff Dwellings

Did You Know?

Cliff Dwelling Vigas

The stone axes made it challenging for the Mogollon to cut down trees for vigas (roof beams) in the Gila Cliff Dwellings.  So, before chopping the tree trunks, they would burn a small fire around the base of the trunk to weaken it so their axes could cut it down more easily.