The Peru Gazette

Bob’s Blog journey West #16 Tonto National Monument

We drove to Roosevelt Lake in the Tonto National Forest.  It was about an 80 mile drive and was stellar scenery. (See photos)  Not what we had expected to see in AZ.  Rugged snow capped mountains as we drove through the mountain pass.  The temperature plummeted to well below freezing. We had reservations at the Tonto National Monument for a ranger-guide hike to the site of a Salado peoples cliff dwelling. Our group of 13 were guided up the 1.5 mile trail with 600 ft. of elevation gain to the cliff dwelling.  Eddy, the guide and an archaeologist, was very knowledgeable and stopped many times along the trail with rich history of the native folks.  He explained how each desert plant was used for food, medical, building material, etc.  He explained about the Southwestern Native Americans who inhabited this area from about 100 AD to 1450 AD; colonies along the Salt River, now under Roosevelt Lake, of perhaps 10,000 people.  When immigrants arrived there was unrest and some went up into the mountains and built cliff houses.  Imagine hauling water and other supplies up to the cliff houses!  They have done extensive carbon and other scientific research in the area but this site has never been excavated. The last photo is a view of Roosevelt Lake from the cliff houses.  It is the first in a series of 5 lakes built in the early 1900’s for flood control and to generate power.  It’s 25 miles long and the dam is a laid up masonry and is the largest dam of that type in the US.

Bob Washbourne