View along Edge of Upper Level
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico

The stair and walk shown here are courtesy of the Park Service, allowing access to this late 13th century Mogollon Indian ruin.  They have also capped and stabilized the walls to prevent further decay, but the rest is pretty authentic.  Note the small door openings well above ground.  The original residents could easily cover them with animal skins or thin rock slabs in the winter, and their height offered a certain level of protection from pests.  Photograph taken in 1991 by Howard J. Partridge.

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