One of the lesser-known national monuments, Tonto National Monument is the only National Park Service site that is dedicated to telling the story of the Salado people. The museum preserves important artefacts from the pre-Hispanic American Southwest, and the ruins give visitors a wonderful opportunity to see what life would have been like living up high in the hillside caves.
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Archaeologists aren’t certain why people began living up in the caves – perhaps it was for protection from the weather and other people, or maybe just to get away from the crowded and busy life on the basin floor. What archaeologists do know is that the Salado people built these cliff dwellings way back in 1150-1450 AD, long before Europeans had settled the New World so are much older than many things we think of in the United States as being “old”. They also know that, like other ancient peoples in the Southwest, the Salado appear to have abandoned their villages quite suddenly but for reasons again that they can only speculate at- perhaps disease, drought, or warfare.
HIGHLIGHTS OF TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT
Tonto National Monument overlooks the Tonto Basin which, although now flooded to form the Theodore Roosevelt Lake, was originally the basin through which the Salt River flowed making it well irrigated and fertile land. It was established as a National Monument in 1907 by President Roosevelt and thankfully so as it is a wonderful piece of American history.
LOWER RUINS TRAIL
The Lower Ruins Trail is a paved 1/2 mile self-guided trail from the visitor centre/museum up to the Lower Ruins. While paved it is quite steep, but there are several benches and stopping points along the way to take a little rest and take in the views of the Tonto Basin and Theodore Roosevelt Lake.
Also along the way are informational signs about the native plants and animals you can encounter on your climb- especially all the varieties of cacti. Common types include the saguaro, teddy bear cholla, prickly pear, and barrel cactus. In addition to the informational signs, the plants are labelled (well not every single specimen of course) so you know exactly what each species looks like. Who knew there were so many types of cacti and they could be so beautiful? I bet this hillside is spectacular when they are in bloom in the spring.
On the way back down there is a fork in the path which gives you the option to go back to the visitor centre along the path you walked up or take an alternate route (about 1/4 mile) to the parking lot and again there are tons of plants to check out along the way. This is the route we opted for as we headed back to the car.
LOWER RUINS
The Lower Ruins are a two-storey structure that originally had 19 rooms accessible only by a ladder to help make it easier to defend. Most of the area is quite well preserved although some surfaces have been worn smooth from walking over or touching them. Many of the rooms are open so you can walk around them go get a real feel for the area in which the Salado people lived.
The walls are thick and very sturdy (especially to have lasted this long) and the rocks, although mostly greyish, can be quite colourful in places and would have come from the immediate vicinity. The roof beams, however, being made from pine and juniper, had to be brought in from the surrounding mountains. I can’t imagine getting those great logs up the side of the hill. There certainly wasn’t a smooth paved path then!
UPPER RUINS
If you can visit and attend a guided tour to the upper ruins you will be rewarded with much larger ruins than you can see at the lower rooms. About 40 rooms are at the upper ruins, but it is a much longer walk across rougher terrain to get out to them. You must reserve tours to the upper ruins in advance and they are restricted to smaller groups to help preserve them for future generations.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT
Information last updated November 2019
HOW TO GET THERE
The Tonto National Monument can be found at 26260 AZ-188, Roosevelt, AZ 85545.
Parking is available on site and is free of charge to visitors.
HELPFUL LINK:
- If you need an app that will navigate you around whether walking, driving or using public transport and even works offline then click for a guide about how to use Here WeGo.
OPENING HOURS
Opening hours for the lower trail are 0800-1600 every day, except Christmas Day. During June, July and August the trail closes at midday. The upper trail is only open from November to April from Fri-Mon and can only be visited on a guided tour with a reservation. Opening hours can vary, so please check the Tonto National Monument Opening Times for the latest information.
You will be outside all of the time as you walk around the monument. You may, therefore, wish to avoid the hottest parts of the year or times when the weather is bad. We would recommend you allow at least a couple of hours to fully explore the lower trail and ruins.
HOW TO BUY TICKETS & SAVE MONEY ON ADMISSION
Basic admission prices to the lower trail and ruins are $10.00 for over 15s and free for under 16s.
The upper ruins can only be visited by guided tour which is limited to six per group. The tour takes 3-4 hours and covers 3 miles (4.8 km), you will ascend 600 ft on the way there and the path has rocky uneven steps in places.
Being a national park, Tonto National Monument can be visited as part of America the Beautiful Annual Pass.
ACCESSIBILITY
The visitor’s centre and museum are fully accessible. The trail to the lower ruins is paved but is steep and includes some steps. The upper ruins are only accessible by a trail which is unpaved and uneven with many steps.
For accessibility details please visit the Tonto National Monument accessibility page.
IS TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT WORTH THE VISIT?
To learn about the Salado people and see how they lived in these homes built up in the cliffs, a visit to Tonto National Monument is an interesting experience. The hikes to the ruins are not easy, but the views as you climb and the interesting dwellings you can explore at the top make the climb worth the effort.
See what others think of this attraction on Trip Advisor.
ADD TO YOUR PHOENIX ITINERARY
From stunning mountain drives and trails to desert landscapes with their unique flora, Phoenix has plenty of attractions to tempt visitors, from the quirky to the mainstream.
IN THE AREA
- Taliesin West is the winter home of esteemed architect Frank Lloyd Wright It is now home to his foundation and open for tours of this stunning example of how he designed in harmony with nature.
- One of the most popular trails in the White Tank Mountains, Waterfall Canyon Trail passes ancient hieroglyphs en-route to the waterfall. Only running after wet weather, dry weather allows you to climb right up into the fall area that would normally be inaccessible.
- Built by Boyce Gully for his daughter Mary Lou, the Mystery Castle is constructed out of whatever material he could find to provide a castle his daughter could live in, which she did for many years.
- Drive the stunning Apache Trail, part-paved, part-gravel road through the beautiful Superstition Mountains. From Goldfield Ghost Town to Roosevelt Dam this a wonderful drive to enjoy near Phoenix
- See how people lived in Pioneer times at the Pioneer Living History Museum. Visit 30 homes, both authentic and recreation to see how life was lived in the late 1800s.
- Explore 140 acres of Papago Park at the Desert Botanical Garden. Over 21,000 plants are laid out in several ecosystems for visitors to explore.
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RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO PHOENIX
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These are a few tours we would recommend for your trip to Phoenix.
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