Round Trip Distance: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 7201 - 7576 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Trailhead: 36.40308, -106.87261
Fee: none
Attractions: scenic cliff dwelling
The Nogales Cliff House is located in the Sante Fe National Forest north of Cuba, New Mexico. Attributed to the prehistoric Gallina Culture the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The ruins are ensconced in a side branch of Spring Canyon at an elevation of over 7,500 feet.
For turn-by-turn directions to the trailhead enter 36.40308, -106.87261 into your driving app. (The well known trailhead, 'Trailhead for Nogales Canyon Cliff Dwellings', is misnamed and might cause some pedantic to change it in the future.) From NM 96 you will be directed north on NM 112 for 11.25 miles to the turnoff of Forest Road 313.
After another 0.7 miles take the right fork turning off of FR 313.
Continue of 1.1 miles and go left for the remaining 0.6 miles to the trailhead which is at the north end of a well site. All the roads are suitable for 2WD vehicles during dry weather.
At the northwest corner of the well site look for a well worn trail that heads up Spring Canyon.
The trail itself is very pleasant to hike as it heads up the canyon but becomes much steeper once it turns up the side branch to the ruins.
Right before reaching the main block of ruins there is a smaller one above the trail that may have served as somewhat of a guard house. Coincidence or not in this case it is a feature that we come across quite often.
Some pictographs can be found on the same ledge.
This is the view as you first come up to the cliff house.
Here a tunnel provides access to the upper alcove. There aren't any signs forbidding its use but being alone I opted to forgo it on this trip.
Vantage points with good views exist on the opposite side of the canyon.
Here is a row of rooms on a picturesque bench below the ruins.
On the bench right below the Cliff House is what seemed at first may have been a large square kiva. The inside walls are thoroughly blackened. With the second tunnel that is behind this room it would have served as a good furnace for the upper alcove.
The outside wall of that area has a large spiral that turns counterclockwise.
Stepping back for another photo to show a little more.
Higher up on the cliff at the back of the canyon there are the remains of another room. The structure commands a view of the area in front of the Cliff House and may have been built there solely for defensive purposes.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
