Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. Best of all here, during warm months, live music
plays on the patio on weekends. It's open Tuesday to Friday 11am to 8pm and Saturday
noon to 8pm.
Isaac's Bar & Grill
offers live entertainment on Saturday nights. See
“Where to Dine in & Around Silver City,” above.
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GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS
44 miles N of Silver City
It takes 1
1
/
2
to 2 hours to reach the Gila Cliff Dwellings from Silver City, but it's defi-
nitely worth the trip. First-time visitors are inevitably awed by the remains of an ancient
civilization set in the mouths of caves, abandoned for 7 centuries. You reach the dwellings
on a 1-mile moderate hike along which you catch glimpses of the ruins. This walk is an
elaborate journey into the past. It winds its way into a narrow canyon, from which you
first spot the poetic ruins perched in six caves 180 feet up on the canyon wall, stone shiny
and hard as porcelain. Then the ascent begins up innumerable steps and rocks until
you're standing face-to-face with these ancient relics, which offer a glimpse into the lives
of Native Americans who lived here from the late 1270s through the early 1300s. Tree-
ring dating indicates their residence didn't last longer than 30 to 40 years.
What's remarkable about the journey through the cliff dwellings is the depth of some
of the caves. At one point, you'll climb a ladder and pass from one cave into the next,
viewing the intricate little rooms (42 total) and walls that once made up a community
dwelling. Probably not more than 10 to 15 families (about 40-50 people) lived in the
cliff dwellings at any one time. The inhabitants were excellent weavers and skilled pot-
ters.
The cliff dwellings were discovered by Anglo settlers in the early 1870s, near where the
three forks of the Gila River rise. Once you leave the last cave, you'll head down again
traversing some steep steps to the canyon floor. Pets are not allowed within the monu-
ment, but they can be taken on trails within the Gila Wilderness. Be sure to pick up a
trail guide at the visitor center.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
From Silver City, take NM 15 north 44 miles to the Gila Cliff
Dwellings. Travel time from Silver City is approximately 2 hours. You won't find any gas
stations between Silver City and Gila Cliff Dwellings, so plan accordingly. Also know
that at the monument, vehicles are permitted on paved roads only.
VISITOR INFORMATION
For more information, contact
Gila Cliff Dwellings
National Monument,
HC 68, Box 100, Silver City, NM 88061 (
&
575/536-9461;
www.nps.gov/gicl).
ADMISSION FEES & HOURS
Admission to the monument is $3 per person, with
children age 12 and under admitted free. The visitor center, where you can pick up
detailed brochures, is open from 8am to 5pm Memorial Day to Labor Day and from 8am
to 4:30pm the rest of the year. The cliff dwellings are open from 8am to 6pm in the
summer and from 9am to 4pm the rest of the year.
SEEING THE HIGHLIGHTS
Today, the dwellings allow a rare glimpse inside the homes and lives of prehistoric Native
Americans. About 75% of what is seen is original, although the walls have been capped
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