gila-cliff-dwellings | NM | Find park

Sunrise view of Gila Cliff Dwellings with brilliant sky.

Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and dwellings at Gila Cliff Dwellings.

View of Mogollon dwelling rooms within a cave.

Tularosa Phase Mogollon people made these caves their home in the late 1200's.

Cliff Dwellings walls and rooms with narrow catwalk

Most of the dwellings walls are original. Some even preserve a builder's fingerprints that are over 700 years old.

Exterior view of Mogollon Cliff Dwelling

The T-shaped door suggests trade between Mogollon and Ancestral Puebloan.

Distant view of Gila river valley and mountains beyond.

The Oldest Wilderness Area in the United States Awaits.

Light snowfall on red rock cliffs along river.

Winter wonderland along the Gila River

As the first designated Wilderness Area, the Gila offers endless opportunites peaceful reflection.

Physical Address:

26 Jim Bradford Trail

Mimbres, NM 88049

Mailing Address:

26 Jim Bradford Trail

Mimbres, NM 88049

contact-details

Phone Number: 575-536-9461 Voice
Phone Number: 575-536-9344 Fax

Email Address: gicl_information@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Entrance Passes

For thousands of years, groups of nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind.

park designation:National Monument

Directions:

Passenger vehicles can drive north of Silver City, New Mexico to the monument on NM Hwy 15. The 46 mile trip can take up to two hours due to the narrow and mountainous curving nature of the road. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers should NOT use NM Hwy 15. From Silver City, take US Highway 180 to Santa Clara. Turn left onto NM Hwy 152 and drive to San Lorenzo. At San Lorenzo, turn left onto NM Hwy 35 and follow it to its termination at NM Hwy 15. Turn right on NM Hwy 15 and follow signs to the park.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

The National Monument and Visitor Center are open all year and are closed only for Thanksgiving Day (the 4th Thursday of November), Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year's Day (January 1).

Exceptions:

Thanksgiving (November 28, 2024 - November 28, 2024)

Christmas (December 25, 2024 - December 25, 2024)

New Year's Day (January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025)

WNPA Bookstore

At the Trailhead Bookstore, you will find our park store operated by the Western National Parks Association. Many items related to the park, the Gila Wilderness, and the Continental Divide Trail are available, as well as souvenirs and American Indian crafts. Park staff are available to answer questions and help plan visits. Come discover your heritage and your public lands.

Exceptions:

Thanksgiving (November 28, 2024 - November 28, 2024)

Christmas (December 25, 2024 - December 25, 2024)

New Years (January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025)

Weather Information:

Weather is extremely variable. Summers are usually around 90° F. but approach 100° F. Winters have occasional snow or temperatures near 0° F. Thunderstorms are common in the summer and early fall, usually in the afternoon.