Tonto National Monument

One goal this winter was to visit Native American archeological and cultural sites. For each campsite I had listed a number of possible sites. Today we chose to visit Tonto National Monument even though it was over a hundred miles away.

It turned out to be a beautiful drive. We drove north across very flat land to route 60, which took us up through the mountains east of Phoenix.

And it did take us literally through the mountains.

The hills and rocks were gorgeous.

Then we took route 188 northwest to Roosevelt Lake. This lake was made by damming the Salt River in 1911. It is the oldest reservoir in Arizona.

Tonto National Monument protects and allows access to two cliff dwellings high above the lake.

From the visitor center we hiked a paved trail about a half mile up to the lower cliff dwelling. Looking back you could see the lake.

Looking forward you could see the cliff face.

As we hiked higher you could see more of the lake…

and we drew nearer to the cliff.

We got a look at the overhang with the cliff dwelling.

The trail came up along the bottom of the cliff.

This was as far as Matey was allowed. We had to take turns visiting the dwelling so one of us could stay with him.

With a view like this, a temperature of about 70 degrees and lots of sunshine it wasn’t much of a chore.

This was one of two cliff dwellings in Tonto National Monument. They were built in the 1300’s by people who had settled in the Salt River basin. The archaeological evidence indicates people from different groups might have lived here together.

Unfortunately little is known about the origin or fate of these people. The Apache and Yavapai people still living in the basin were forced out in the 1860’s and 1870’s and any oral history they might have had was mostly lost through the boarding school system that took their children from them and forbid the children their language, customs and history.

They certainly had a beautiful view as they went about their business. The tools on the floor are for grinding corn.

In the other direction, not looking down at what would have been Salt River, they looked out at Cholla Canyon. It was a long way down to the river, where they had water and grew crops. I think perhaps they only stayed up here in the heat of the summer, or perhaps in times of danger.