• Lower Cliff Dwelling

    Tonto

    National Monument Arizona

Tonto National Monument

Situated within rugged terrain in the northeastern part of the Sonoran Desert, these well-preserved cliff dwellings were occupied during the 13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries.

Features

  • Lower Cliff Dwelling

    Prehistoric Peoples of Tonto Basin

    Shallow caves overlooking Tonto Basin shelter masonry dwellings nearly 700 years old.

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  • crested saguaro in bloom

    The Sonoran Desert

    There is an amazing diversity of life in the desert. There are snakes and cactus, but there are also frogs and wildflowers.

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  • old postcard of Apache Trail

    Tonto Basin Tales

    As prehistoric groups left Tonto Basin, other native peoples used the valley. The Spaniards arrived in the 1500's, followed by pioneers from the east.

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  • bee swarm

    Africanized Bees

    During any trail closures, visitors may be allowed to hike the Lower Cliff Dwelling trail to within viewing distance of the ruins.

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Did You Know?

cotton fiber with spindle and whorl

One of the earliest known cotton farming communities, dating from approximately AD 100 - 600, is located near Tonto National Monument.