Tonto National Monument
Also see nearby:
Besh-Ba-Gowah, in Globe
Tonto National Monument is located on Highway 88 in Arizona, 25 miles north
of Globe. The landscape in this area is very beautiful - very
mountainous with the mountainsides covered in huge rocks, saguaro, agave
and prickly pear cactus, mesquite trees, and hundreds of just-bloomed
yucca. The guidebook says to stop at about 25 miles from Globe and look
up to the cliff-side to the left - if you do, the upper cliff dwellings
are visible from the highway.
A beautiful view to the Salt River Valley with ocotillo, cholla and saguaro
cactus
There is a self-guided tour through the 13th century Salado
Indian cliff dwellings. The Salado were not as skilled as building cliff
dwellings as the Pueblo Indians from the Colorado area, according to the
literature, but they looked pretty good to me. Because they were built into
a cave which receives virtually no direct sun, combined with the dry Arizona
weather, the site is incredibly well preserved. Even woven cotton fabrics
were found intact. (The Salado grew/traded cotton and wove it into thread.)
There was also only one entry, up a long ladder. There was a room at the top
of the ladder for a guard to rest while he watched for intruders. In times
of trouble, the ladder would simply be pulled up and no one could enter.
Much of the adobe still is in place and fingerprints can be seen in the
dried clay. The roof of the cave is still black from smoky fires. Here, you
almost have the feeling you are snooping around someone's house while they
have stepped out.
Some time around 1400 the dwellings were abandoned - the
same time the Hohokam people abandoned Casa Grande. Scientists are not sure
what happened to the Salado and Hohokam peoples. It was once believed they
were forced to leave because of the invading Apache, but it was then
discovered the Apache did not arrive in this area until much later. So now
the possibilities range from saline in the water table to climatic changes.
I think maybe they decided it was just too damned hot.
The Lower Dwellings at Tonto National Monument
RV parking, bathrooms, gift shop/book store, water. The Upper
Dwelling is only accessible a few months of the year and you must be accompanied
by a ranger for a special tour... but the LOWER dwelling is open to anyone
willing to hike straight uphill for half a mile.
Tonto National Monument
26260 State Highway 188
Roosevelt, AZ 85545-8148
(928) 467-2241
TO SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS & LEARN MORE:
Read our Postcard
from Tonto National Monument