Tonto National Monument Things to Do Tips by Stephen-KarenConn

As we approached Tonto National Monument one of the first sights we saw was the Upper Cliff Dwelling, although it would be easy to miss. From a roadside rest area just south of the Monument entrance we were able to pull the Upper Cliff Dwelling in with our telephoto lens for this shot. This dwelling can only be visited on guided tours, which are offered by reservation from November through March. Although we visited the monument in late December, we did not have a reservation and no tours were being offered on that day.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 1-928-467-2241
Address: HC 02, Box 4602, Roosevelt, AZ 85545
Directions: 110 miles east of Phoenix.
Website: www.nps.gov/tont

The Visitor Center is the obvious place to begin your tour of Tonto National Monument. Here you will see exhibits on the culture and crafts of the Salado people and an audiovisual program. There are also restrooms and a small gift shop. The Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible, and there is ample free parking.

Hours: Open Daily 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. except Christmas

Entrance Fee: $3.00 for 7 days

Leave a Comment

Phone: 1-928-467-2241
Address: HC 02, Box 4602, Roosevelt, AZ 85545
Directions: One mile off AZ Hwy. 188, about 35 miles north of Globe or 50 miles south of Payson.
Website: www.nps.gov/tont
Other Contact: tont_superintendent@nps.gov

The most accessible of the Cliff Dwelllings at Tonto, and the main attraction of the National Monument, is the Lower Cliff Dwellings. They may be reached by a one mile (round trip) hike from the Visitor Center. The walkway ascends 350 feet, but it is paved and well graded. Allow one hour for the trip. The trail closes at 4 p.m.

These dwellings, in shallow caves overlooking the Tonto Basin, were built and occupied by the Salado (people of the Salt River) beginning in around 1300 A.D. The dwellings were abandoned, for unknown reasons, sometime between 1400 and 1450. The Salado left no written records. While archeology has revealed a few aspects of their culture, much remains a mystery.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 1-928-467-2241
Address: HC 02, Box 4602, Roosevelt, AZ 85545
Website: www.nps.gov/tont

Salado masonry was crude by 14th century pueblo standards. Walls were built of unshaped quartzite stones held in place by a mortar of clay and calcite soil. Unlike the finely crafted manonry of the Anasazi to the north, the Salado showed no special attempt at fine rock work. Instead plastering the walls with a thick layer of mud.

Once the walls reached a height of six feet, a large main roof beam was placed across the room lengthwise, with smaller cross-beams of pinyon pine or jupiter placed on top. Saguarro ribs, river reeds, or grasses formed the next layer. A layer of mud, deep enough to allow a hollow firepit in the upstairs floor, capped the roof. Arizona's dry climate and the protection afforded by the cave have preserved some sections of these roofs for almost 700 years.

A parapet, 1 to 3 feet high, usually enclosed the roof, providing a safe place in the open air to work or play. The residents spent most of their time on the roofs or outdoors. Houses served mainly for sleeping, storage, cooking and winter shelter.

(Information taken from exhibit on site)

Leave a Comment

Phone: 1-928-467-2241
Address: Hdqs: 2324 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006
Website: http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/salado.html