Incredible views and solid foundations are part of the charm of these ancient dwellings, built into the cliff face in New Mexico. Nomadic peoples had long used the natural caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter, but it was the Mogollon people who made them their home. Archaeologists believe they created dozens of rooms inside five alcoves during the 1270s and 1280s. Up to 15 families lived here at any one time, raising children, making pottery and looking out over the fertile Gila River valley, where they grew crops and hunted wildlife.

For reasons that remain unclear, the Mogollon people moved on around 1300, leaving behind one of the most important archaeological sites in the American Southwest. On 16 November 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt designated the area Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, helping to preserve it for future generations.