Tonto National Monument

Tonto National Monument is located in the Tonto Basin area on the eastern slope of the Superstition Mountains. Tonto Basin, east of Four Peaks Mountain, was home to the Salado Indians between 1150 and 1450 AD. While living in the area, the Salado Indians occupied cliff-dwellings in shallow mountain caves. During that time, Tonto creek and the Salt River naturally flowed through Tonto Basin, providing a water source for farming irrigation. The Salado Indians seem to have abandoned their villages suddenly, early in the fifteenth century, for reasons which are unknown.

The Monument is comprised of two dwellings, the Lower Ruin, and the Upper Ruin. To access the Lower Ruin, a paved, half-mile self-guided trail leaves from the visitor center up the steep slope to the ruin. This dwelling originally had 19 rooms; these are well-preserved and the monument permits walking around the inside. The second dwelling, the Upper Ruin, is larger with 40 rooms. Access to this area requires a ranger guide. Tours to this dwelling are conducted November through April. Tours last approximately 4 hours and are three miles round trip. Tours are limited to 15 individuals and fill up fast. Call the Monument offices for reservations.

In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt established Tonto National Monument to protect the national treasure for generations to come. The National Monument was one of the first to be proclaimed under the new Antiquities Act of 1906.


View from the lower ruin out to Roosevelt Lake.

To get to Tonto National Monument from Fountain Hills, take Shea Boulevard to State Route 87 (Beeline Highway) and turn left. Drive north on State Route 87 to the junction of State Route 188. Turn right. A rest area is located at this junction which makes it a great place for a break. Follow 188 past Roosevelt Lake and cross the Roosevelt Bridge. On the south side of the bridge, 188 ends at State Route 88. Turn left and proceed through the community of Roosevelt. Several miles south of Roosevelt on the right side of the road is the entrance to the National Monument.


Close-up shot of one ruin at the monument.

Tonto National Monument
HC02 Box 4602
Roosevelt, AZ 85545
Tel. (520) 467-2241

Online:
http://www.nps.gov/tont

Hours:
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Fri.
Closed December 25.
Up hill travel on the Lower Ruin Trail closes at 4 p.m.

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