Area
The Salado Phenomena, 700 years ago, blended ideas of neighboring Native American cultures to emerge a unique and vibrant society. Tonto National Monument showcases two Salado-style cliff dwellings. Colorful pottery, woven cotton cloth, and other artifacts tell a story of people living and using resources from the northern Sonoran Desert from 1250 to 1450 CE.
Entrance fee is $10.00.
The entrance fee applies to everyone 16 and older. Children 15 and under are free. Tonto National Monument accepts all Interagency Federal Public Lands passes in place of the entrance fee. These include the Annual, Senior, Access, Military, and Fourth Grader passes.
The cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument are roughly two hours from the Phoenix metro area, located in the Tonto Basin. The Monument is off AZ Highway 188 near Roosevelt Lake. The nearest major towns are Globe (30 miles) and Payson (50 miles). See our Directions page for recommendations on the best way to drive here from the larger metro areas of Arizona.
Weather during the summer can be extremely hot. It is typically 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than Phoenix. Winter weather may create hazardous conditions on the roads to Tonto National Monument. Severe thunderstorms may lead to a closure of the hiking trails.
