Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a National Monument in New Mexico. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 6 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Gila Cliff Dwellings
We matched 6 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Gila Cliff Dwellings. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Hot Springs (1)
Caves (4)
Cave
Cave
Cave
CaveWilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Gila Cliff Dwellings the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 245° | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:59 PM | 256° | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:21 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:44 PM | 283° | 13h 00m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 294° | 13h 52m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 299° | 14h 20m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:24 PM | 297° | 14h 09m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 287° | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 274° | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:41 PM | 260° | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 248° | 10h 27m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 243° | 9h 58m |
Computed for the park's reference point (33.2272, -108.2707); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Gila Cliff Dwellings, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.7 | 17° |
| March | 3:54 AM – 5:54 AM | 2.0 | 24° |
| April | 1:51 AM – 5:11 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| May | 11:52 PM – 4:32 AM | 4.7 | 28° |
| June | 10:07 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.2 | 28° |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.8 | 28° |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:50 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:44 PM | 2.0 | 25° |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:53 PM | 0.8 | 17° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather is extremely variable. Summers are usually around 90° F. but approach 100° F. Winters have occasional snow or temperatures near 0° F. Thunderstorms are common in the summer and early fall, usually in the afternoon. https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=33.2296&lon=-108.2639#.YUX0_SuSmUk
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Passenger vehicles can drive north of Silver City, New Mexico to the monument on NM Hwy 15. The 46 mile trip can take up to two hours due to the narrow and mountainous curving nature of the road. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers should NOT use NM Hwy 15. From Silver City, take US Highway 180 to Santa Clara. Turn left onto NM Hwy 152 and drive to San Lorenzo. At San Lorenzo, turn left onto NM Hwy 35 and follow it to its termination at NM Hwy 15. Turn right on NM Hwy 15 and follow signs to the park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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