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.

Walnut Canyon National Monument preserves some of the Southwest’s earliest history, these incredible ruins are shockingly intact and preserved by the park service for anyone to enjoy. There are 25 cliff dwelling rooms constructed by the Sinagua, a pre-Columbian cultural group that lived in Walnut Canyon from about 1100 to 1250 CE.

This Chaco Canyon Valley, high-desert landscape has long winters, short growing seasons, and marginal rainfall. Yet, it became the center of a thriving culture a thousand years ago. It was an unlikely place for a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture to take root and flourish. The grand scale of its architecture is monumental, making it a center hub for far-reaching commerce with complex community life and high levels of social organization, creating a cultural vision unlike any other seen before or since. That began in the mid 800s and lasted more than 300 years. Their descendants are the modern Southwest Indians. Many Southwest Indian people look upon Chaco as an important stop along their clans' sacred migration paths-a spiritual place to be honored and respected.

Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico is home to a complex of ancient ruins built by the ancestral Puebloans over 900 years ago. As I walked through the park, I was struck by the impressive masonry of the structures and the rich history and culture they represent.

Explore the fascinating Temi' Po' Op' site, pronounced "tumpee poo oop," located near the Santa Clara River. This family-friendly hike offers breathtaking views and hundreds of petroglyphs. Uncover the remnants of an Anasazi Farmstead and learn about the rich history of this area. Choose between the longer, winding trail or the shorter, well-developed shortcut to access the remarkable rock art that showcases the artistic legacy of various native cultures.