Gila Cliff Dwellings

When you get out in this vast country of ours, you will happen across some sites and places that are quite memorable. Even a roadway can stay with you, which is the case with visiting Gila Cliff Dwellings. The site itself is stunning and awe-inspiring, so why shouldn’t the road getting there be.
Be prepared to take 2 hours to go 44 miles. There are more narrow, blind, 180 degree turns than you can count. In some places, you hope you don’t see a car in the opposite direction. When you finally loosen your grip, thinking you are almost there, you realise you’ve only travelled 5 miles.
Then that undeniable thought inevitably crosses your mind, "Is this place really worth all this?"
Yes, it most assuredly is! You are transported to an extremely remote and ancient Native rich environment. It is peaceful and beautiful walking along a trickling stream with many bridge crossings making perfect picture opportunities.
High on the mountain, the sheer walls break to show you a small glimpse of the final destination. The work and layout of this incredible construction were quite ingenious. Although the Mogollon people only stayed here for about 20 years.
Come along and see one of our favourite stops on this journey through New Mexico.
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[@buckwheatsofia]

Amazing, really enjoyed this

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you Becky, we have plenty more fun adventures to come!

[@charlescharles6239]

Thanks for the tour

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you for watching!

[@rebeccahylant7695]

That was a tough climb!

[@PinInTheAtlas]

And totally worth it Rebecca!

[@dennisrhoads8866]

Guys, that was awesome! I have always wanted to tour the Dwellings there. Thanks to you guy's, I had a wonderful tour. The views are incredible. Love you

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Definitely one to 'pin', Dennis. The camera doesn't do the place justice. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jenniferdeleon8954]

Wow how peaceful! You both have very calming voices nice to listen too.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you Jennifer, we love the compliment!

[@bdbeatle1]

Another great exploration from you two!

[@ronlawrence342]

Loved the net work of bridges along the cozy trail . Really looked peaceful winding around through the trees and over the stream. I think you guys are giving MacDonalds a complex . 😆🍔🍔. Just a few thoughts on the village site . Sooo fascinating ! I just kept thinking of all the enormous labor to carry all those smooth stones up there for the walls . Wasn’t like they were being carried on a level plain.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

They only lived there for a short time before moving on. Very interesting and leaves many questions unanswered. Hairy road to get there!

[@patrickcarroll3901]

I can't imagine building those stone stairs. Truly a test of time that will last forever. Great video, better than cable television can offer. I always look forward to seeing you both, oh and Tonto too. Thank you.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank You Patrick, Tonto was a little camera shy on this one!

[@danamiranda]

stone stairs were constructed by the national park service not the people who built the dwellings

[@josephbingham1255]

Nice video. During the depression the WPA had some of these dwellings in the West partially restored and paths made. It gave young men work. So likely a mixture of original and new. My father was one of two men that found a cave north of Geronimo, Arizona. When investigated by archaeologists they found a burial under the floor of the cave that contained an atlatl.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Wow, Joseph. That is pretty amazing. What an incredible story to tell.

[@josephbingham1255]

@@PinInTheAtlas Next time you are in Arizona go to Lehner Mammoth Kill Site in Cochise County. An ancient mammoth kill site by early man 9,000 BC Could make an intersting video

[@PinInTheAtlas]

@@josephbingham1255 Thanks for the tip. If you have any others, please email them to [e-mail]

[@kingbaldwiniv5409]

Really enjoying your tours, thank you very much.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you for watching!

[@hopefloats4123]

Love the out takes. You two are so cute. Thank you for taking me places I could never get to on my own. I also appreciate it when you comment to the evil people who deface an area. Makes me sick too. You take a place like the Gila Cliffs and I just can't fathom someone today feeling their self importance so much they think they are being part of history doing this. Anyway, I'm almost caught up with your adventures. Thank you.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

We totally agree with you, Hope. It always amazes us how ignorant and destructive people are! Glad you've almost caught up. Lots more to come. See you on our next adventure.

[@lorenreece1665]

This reminds me of Mesa Verde dwellings in Colorado.

[@delphiniapickett2934]

My step brother lives in Chandler, Az. I fly in I asked him he wants to see this. He does. He has a big diesel truck we will have to pack and get things together but we would like to go. I'm trying to get my brother to more outdoor stuff and it's not easy. We where at the Renaissance festival in early March and that was pretty cool if you could get to the shows but the fun part is watching everyone in their costumes that was the most fascinating thing. Maybe there in June flying in from Tennessee but will be stopping by California probably in the way back to AZ . Y'all around Chandler maybe a co-host yall a barbecue with my brother. Thanks for the videos great work.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

This certainly is a great National Monument, and worth the drive. The roads are narrow with lots of switchbacks. There are places to camp nearby, and you'll find the Park Rangers there are a great source of info, Delphinia. Hope you and your brother have a great time.

[@delphiniapickett2934]

@@PinInTheAtlas what is a switchback?

[@PinInTheAtlas]

@@delphiniapickett2934 A switchback is a tight 180-degree bend in a roadway or pathway which is usually accompanied by an elevation change.

[@pamelacapps8359]

You should go to Mesa Verde Colorado to see the cliff dwellins.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thanks for the tip, Pamela. We’ll pin it.

[@candymcclure2476]

This such a terrific video. It reminds me of the Anasazi Indian dwellings at Green Mesa at 4 corners Colorado. Gramma Candy

[@PinInTheAtlas]

One for us to pin, Candy. Thanks for watching.

[@edwardtraylor3984]

I have visited these ruins a lot back in the 70s when my mother was a cool for the first fighters during fire season. A ranger had told us that they refurbished these ruins has they were in a delapidated state. So what you see is not original. But still beautiful anyway.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you for your information!

[@Gypsy839]

Don’t go there in the summertime 😂😂😂

[@philipcallicoat9947]

All the cliff dwellings have been thoroughly looted for years...💔

[@greenspiraldragon]

We saw some cliff dwellings in Arizona very cool.

[@richardbeee]

Peaceful.Thanks

[@lynnjackson4676]

Is the trading post still open on the way there selling homemade ice cream?

[@PinInTheAtlas]

We didn't see it. Just the large ranger station before you hike up to the dwellings. The road leading up was quite hair-raising and narrow. We needed our wits about us with all the switchbacks.

[@Ohmy1956]

The small doorways is a defensive tactic. They require anyone entering to go single file and bent over head first thus making defense easy and not requiring too many defenders

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Very interesting thank you very much for the comment.

[@dwightpriddy8111]

As is pretty typical of the people during that time, when they used up the resources, when the streams died down, they moved on. The Mogollon people were the ancestors of the current Pueblo people living along the Rio Grande Valley.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Amazing how they built it using the cliff. We really enjoyed exploring this, although the road to get to it was somewhat hair-raising.

[@dezertraider]

FANTASTIC! VERY PRETTY PART OF NM....YOU COULD DONE A HAVE HOUR VIDEO ON THE DRIVE,SOUNDS LIKE JAROM AZ....STAY WELL..YOU ROCK,,PS GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS LAUGHING!

[@PinInTheAtlas]

The drive was teeth-clenching, white knuckles and knots in the tum!

[@dezertraider]

@@PinInTheAtlas LOL..COOL

[@Kyleromancito]

Nice chill hike n sharing the info thank you from Zuni pueblo NM .... those looked to me like grinding stones for variety of things like bowl shaped could be for corn/grains n flat smooth ones could be for sharpening tools n so on but thanks again for sharing and stay safe guys 👍

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you! We really appreciate the information!

[@williamsherman1089]

Wouldn't the people who built the dwellings be the first people to actually discover them?

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Well, how do you discover something you're currently building? They discovered a beautiful area to make their home.

[@danamiranda]

The first written account was from Henry B. Aliman in 1878, when he was getting out of jury duty. The T-shaped is a door, not a window. Its possible they left because the great drought was over. There arrival and departure lines up with the Great Drought 1276-1300. You also should NEVER Touch architecture that is over 700 years old. you could knock a wall down.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thanks for the info Dana

[@lornahardin4563]

The smooth rock at 16:53 are grinding rocks. You might enjoy youtube storiesbyalex He has a great channel. Not sure he is still filming because of his age now, but all his vids are great info on ancient Native areas. This video was awesome and so glad they still allow you to go in and feel the way it was. I agree with Steve, they were safe and dry from the elements and enemies.

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Will check that out. Thanks for the tip. It was a beautiful place to explore and it is fortunate that they still allow people to roam around.

[@hikinganddrone]

Very cool, new subs here...

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Thank you for subscribing, Eli! We hope you enjoy the rest of our videos!

[@LUCKYB.]

I have. Had. An interest in the SPIDER. PEOPLE. THE woman. Made blankets. Round with a. Hole in the center

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Like a poncho you mean?