Plan A Field Trip

Ranger-led Programs:

Ramada Talk: 10 - 20 minutes, wheelchair accessible. Orientation/brief history of Tonto National Monument.

Lower Cliff Dwelling Tour: about 20 minutes, once the group actually reaches the dwelling; not wheelchair accessible.

Self-guided activities:

Visitor Center: museum, A/V room with 18-minute video on the history of Tonto National Monument, viewing deck with binoculars. Deck and A/V room not wheelchair accessible; video can be shown in museum upon request.

Lower Cliff Dwelling Trail: One-mile loop trail ascends 350’ to the cliff dwelling, about 60 minutes. Steep with some stairs, not wheelchair accessible. Interpretive signs.

Cactus Patch Trail: 1/4-mile trail, about 20 minutes. Moderately steep, wheelchair accessible. Interpretive signs.

Smaller classes will hike to the Lower Cliff Dwelling as a group, and take the Cactus Patch trail on the way back down. For larger classes, we suggest rotating groups through the cliff dwelling, the museum and video, and the Cactus Patch trail.

Students need to read the signs along the trail, and answer the questions in the booklet. All the answers are on the signs. Click on the link to download the booklet for the Cactus Patch trail and the answer sheet.

Post-Visit Activities

Click on the links to download games and activities for ages 6 and under, 7 – 9, and 10 – 14. These are PDF files. More activities will be added to the website as they are developed.