Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona

The Monument Casa Grande Ruins NM protects a large
ancient ruin of the Hohokam Indians inbetween Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. The Monument is
located east of I-10 on Arizona 87/287.
Our Visit We visited Casa Grande Ruins as part of our 8-Park Southwest
tour during March. In one day, we were able to see three ruins sites at Casa Grande, Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle.
Our Weather Hazy and unseasonably warm at 85 degrees
Overall Impression Casa Grande Ruins are not as spectacular as many ancient
Pueblo ruins. The ruins are in the middle of the desert, not a scenic canyon, and the
modern-looking canopy (erected to mitigate erosion) stands in stark contrast to the
crumbling adobe. What makes Casa Grande worth visiting is the educational value. Inside
the visitors center is a fantastic museum with artifacts, models and drawings of ancient
Hohokam life. You can learn how these Indians used large mats to control irrigation via
canals and how they got together with other villages in sporting contests. A quick tour of
the ruins themselves will give you a chance to learn more from the very knowledgeable
rangers on site.
Visiting 1 to 2 hours is enough time to visit Casa Grande Ruins. Be sure to take
your time in the excellent visitor center/museum and consider tagging along on a guided
tour of the ruins.
Nearby Towns Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande, Phoenix (Arizona)
Other Nearby Attractions Saguaro NP
Official NPS Website Casa
Grande Ruins NM
Photos
Click on thumbnails to view larger image

The Casa Grande ruins are protected by a large canopy erected by the Civilian Conservation
Corps in the first half of the 20th century (March)
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