Tonto National Monument - General Park Information

Situated within rugged terrain in the northeastern part of the Sonoran Desert, these well-preserved cliff dwellings were occupied during the 13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries.

Shallow caves overlooking the Tonto Basin in southeastern Arizona shelter masonry dwellings nearly 700 years old. This was home to the prehistoric Salado people, named in the early 20th century after the life-giving Rio Salado, or Salt River. For three centuries, they made their living from what nature provided in mountainous desert terrain.

This rugged land is full of life. The basin's topography - a river valley surrounded by steep slopes rising some 2,000 feet - created different local environments, each with its own community of wildlife. The Salt River and Tonto Creek deposited rich soil in the floodplain, nourishing thick stands of mesquite, black walnut, and sycamore. The hillsides and mesas supported vegetation characteristic of semiarid climates: saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, agave, and jojoba. A few pinyon and juniper trees grew on the higher hilltops. Deer, rabbits, quail, and other game flourished in this setting. Nomadic peoples found their way into the basin as early as 7,000 years ago.

Tonto National Monument lies within the Arizona Upland division of the Sonoran Desert. At the desert's northeastern edge and farthest range for frost sensitive plants, the monument also lies within the Basin and Range geologic province. Low basins edged by long narrow mountain ranges characterize this province. Beyond the Sierra Ancha range to the north of the monument, is the Mogollon Rim, the southern boundary of the Colorado Plateau. These physical barriers block, direct, or confine any moisture to the desert.

Rain or moisture is divided equally between two rainy seasons, but is not predictable. The winter rains are usually gentler and longer. These storms come in from the north and west, bringing colder rains and sometimes snow. The wettest months are generally December and January, and are important to the blooming of spring wildflowers. The summer monsoon rains begin sometime in July, with August as the wettest month. Monsoon doesn't refer to the rain, but to the seasonal shift in winds bringing periods of wet and dry to an area. These warmer, tropical rains from the south are brought through a shift in weather patterns. These storms may be heavily laden with moisture, bringing flash floods; or dry, dusty, and full of lightning and thunder, without producing a single drop of moisture. Sometimes virga is seen -- rain falling from clouds, but evaporating in mid-air long before reaching the ground.

Winter temperatures at Tonto National Monument are usually pleasant with highs in the 60s (15° - 21°C). The winter rainy season is January/February. Snow, though rare, is not unheard of.

Summers at Tonto National Monument can be extreme, with highs in the 110s (+43° C). Be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat, and to carry (and drink) plenty of water. Thunderstorms frequently occur during July, August, and early September. Lightning is a real hazard, since hikers are often the tallest object on the hillside.

Spring and fall can be the best times to visit. Temperatures are generally mild, and the weather is dry.