TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT | Lower Cliff Dwelling Ruins | 2020

Many native American Indian ruins across the Southwest must be observed from afar, leaving it up to the visitor to imagine what the inside of the structures looks like. At Tonto National Monument, visitors get a rare glimpse of what lies behind the walls.

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Today we visit the amazing Lower Ruins of Tonto National Monument. These aren't the normal cliff dwellings that are up high above you to simply stare at! The cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument are accessible via a trail and can be entered and experienced up close. You simply don't find experiences like this at most places!

Tonto National Monument sits in the Superstition Mountains surrounded by Tonto National Forest. It is located right off AZ-188 just south of Theodore Roosevelt Lake. The park is open year-round from 8am to 5pm except for Christmas day and is home to two cliff dwellings - the Lower Ruins and Upper Ruins.

To reach the Lower Ruins, visitors should be able to walk up a 0.5-mile paved path that ascends 300 ft and can be steep at times. While the trail is not considered accessible for those with mobility issues, the Visitor Center area is considered ADA compliant. Caution should be taken when hiking to the ruins during hot summer months as there are no shaded areas. We recommend setting aside a couple hours to experience this attraction.

Pets are allowed on the trail but not in the Visitor Center or inside the Lower Ruins.

At the top of the ruins, you will find original walls and wood supports that were used to build the structure. Most rooms can be entered, however, several are off-limits and clearly marked. Frequently volunteers are stationed at the top to assist and answer any questions guests may have. A temporary map may be requested, if available, to provide information on the rooms and their use.


The cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument were inhabited by the Salado people between 1250 and 1450 AD. The term Salado came later in time as they were named after the Salt River, or Rio Salado, which was an important source of water in the area. The area the Salado chose provided trees at higher elevations and rich soil at lower elevations offering plenty of land perfect for farming.

Sometime around 1450 AD, the Salado appeared to have left the area. Not much is known about the mystery of why the culture left. Some theories are that they left due to drought or conflicts with other neighboring cultures. It is sometimes thought that they might have incorporated into cultures or tribes that are known today.

Unlike the Lower Ruins, the Upper Ruins are not open daily but only available by guided tours Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday during the months of January through April. We are looking forward to visiting these ruins in the future so expect to see a video on these soon! Keep checking back!


VIDEO FILMED: 02/26/2020

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⚪ TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT - Upper Ruins | Wild Flowers Blooming | 2020 -    • TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT - Upper Ruins...  

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⚪ Tonto National Monument - https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm
⚪ Directions to Tonto National Monument - https://goo.gl/maps/3E5Wv9NdQK6HYRTt9

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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.

Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking and day trips as well as campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!