Day 245
A long time ago I read an article in National Geographic on the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings of Colorado. I have always been mystified by the builders ability to create such amazing homes in such a unique place. During this trip I looked into the possibility of visiting the Mesa Verde cliffs, but found the location a little risky to take the Rv during the winter months. During our trek across New Mexico, I discovered the Gila Cliff Dwellings just north of Silver City, New Mexico.
These cliff dwellings were located 45 miles north of Silver City and took just over two hours to reach, having to cross two mountain ranges on zig zagging roads. Once we reached the Gila Park Visitors centre we watched a brief documentary on the dwellings and their inhabitants, the Mogollon people. From there, we drove north for a mile on a winding valley road to a secondary parking lot where we would need to hike the rest of the way in.
The trail we hiked was believed to be the same path the Mogollon people used over 822 years ago (minus the modern day bridges of course). When we reached the base, we began our ascent on a zig zagging trail to a level plateau leading to the entrance of the dwellings. The time of construction for the dwellings in believed to be between 1270 and 1300, determined by the growth-rings of the timber used in the construction.
Archeologists estimate that 40-60 Mogollon constructed the dwellings through five caves. Each dwelling had approximately 40 rooms. It is also estimated that no more than 10 to 15 families lived in here at one time, and multiple generations flourished here. In the early 1300, It’s believed the Mogollon people abandoned the dwellings for unknown reasons. Modern studies have proven that the valley below the dwellings was still rich with water and life when they left.
Over the centuries the dwellings had been pillaged of ancient artifacts and mummified remains by private collectors. The act for the preservation of antiquities, commonly known as the Antiquities Act, gave President Theodore Roosevelt the power through executive proclamation to make the site into a US National Monument.
