conditions or mobility issues. Visitors are advised to wear shoes that provide good traction and support and to bring sun protection and plenty of water. Our approach to the Gila from south-central New Mexico led us from I-25, just south of Truth or Conse- quences, west on State Route 152 (exit 63) through the resurrected ghost towns of Hillsboro and Kingston to Silver City. We couldn’t resist pulling the Win- nebago in under a row of century-old
Modern carbon and tree-ring dating techniques have pinpointed their arrival in the canyon, as well as their departure, but scientists and other experts aren’t certain why the Mogollon left so abruptly and after such a brief stay. This mystery only added to the fas- cination of our visit last summer to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and the surrounding 558,000-acre Gila Wilderness Area. This was America’s first officially designated wilderness area (1924), and it in turn is ensconced within the vast 3.3-million-acre Gila National Forest, which covers a great swath of southwestern New Mexico. Climbing a set of steep stairs to enter the first of six caves that reveal evidence of habitation, we had to use a bit of imagination to picture it as once being a communal kitchen. A volunteer Forest Service guide (there’s generally one on duty in each of the caves) pointed out the excavated foundations of three small food storage rooms, a hearth and a pair of circular depressions believed to have supported large round-bottomed pots. Cave Two was much more revealing of Mogollon architectural skills. Here the cliff dwellers built eight rooms on two levels, with the second floor balcony supported by original wood beams, or vigas. The workmanship is clearly re- markable. Nearly 80 percent of the origi- nal structures has survived through the centuries. A closer look, however, points to some fine modern-day restoration and preservation on the part of the National Park Service. The Gila dwellings had been looted and seriously damaged by the time Adolph Bandelier published the first archeological report on the Mogollon complex in 1884. When the government finally stepped in to protect the site in 1907, the NPS had a sizable rescue mis- sion on its hands. Cave Three proved the most enchant- ing with its narrow, clamshell opening
that protects against weather extremes and extends to a large natural amphithe- ater where scientists suggest the magic and mysteries of the world were likely celebrated. Remnants of reed cigarettes, seashells and exotic bird feathers (trade items, likely from Mexico) found in the cave lend credence to the theory that this was a ceremonial site. M oving at a leisurely pace that al- lowed time for photography and to chat with guides, we spent about two
To Albuquerque
G I L A N AT I O N A L F O R E S T
25
Mogollon
Gila Cli Dwellings National Monument
Glenwood
Gila Hot Springs
Truth or Consequences
15
180
Kingston
35
Caballo Reservoir
Gila
15
Mimbres
Cli
Pinos Altos
Hillsboro
152
San Lorenzo
Hatch
Silver City
27
61
26
90
70
26
180
Lordsburg
To Las Cruces and El Paso
Deming
To Tucson
10
0
20
40 Miles
hours exploring the dwellings. The trail is fairly level except for the steep section (including 180 stairs) leading up to the caves. That section could present prob- lems for folks with heart or respiratory
shade trees in the center of Hillsboro, a rustic, somewhat ramshackle 1877 mining town. In its time, Hillsboro was one of New Mexico’s largest cities, but it’s now home to just 200 or so artists,
16 COAST TO COAST Spring 2013
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