tonto cliff dwellings guide
Reading edition
TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT ARIZONA
The Lower Ruin in 1910 Lubken photo, courtesy H. B. Clark
Although Tonto National Monument was established in 1907 it received little protection until 1930. Considerable vandalism and thoughtless destruction of much of the prehistoric material took place in the 1920s.
In recent years some prehistoric Indian ruins have had to be closed to visitors to preserve these fragile structures. Please help us keep the Lower Ruin open for many years to come: restrain children from climbing and running in the dwelling, and keep off the walls.