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Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentCave Art
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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Things To Do

Activities

Activities include backpacking, biking, bird watching, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, interpretive programs, nature walks, stargazing, wilderness area activities, and wildlife viewing.

Guided Tours
Guided tours of the cliff dwellings are offered twice daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from mid-spring through mid-fall, and once daily during the winter at 12:00 p.m. (noon). Please note that the tours start at the Cliff Dwellings and it takes about a half hour to walk up to them from the trailhead.

Other tours and programs may be offered depending upon staffing availability. Check ahead for times and other activities by calling the Gila Visitor Center at 575-536-9461 or visit the on-line calendar of scheduled events.

Hiking
Hiking in the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness areas are popular activities in the area. Call ahead for weather conditions and backcountry water availability.

Hot Springs
There are several popular hot springs in the area. The closest wilderness hot spring, Lightfeather, is a twenty minute walk from the Gila Visitor Center. The most popular is Jordan, a 6 or 8 mile hike from the Visitor Center, depending upon the trailhead used. Private hot springs are also located in the community of Gila Hotsprings, four miles from the monument.

Battle of Palo Alto  

Did You Know?
Palo Alto Battlefield has become home to a small herd of Nilgai—a type of antelope native to India and Pakistan. Originally brought to Texas ranches for exotic hunts, the animals have migrated into the Rio Grande Valley.

Last Updated: April 20, 2008 at 15:11 EST