Looking to take in some of Arizona's most popular sites on your next RV vacation? Plan a trip to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. It's a great place to learn more about America's history.
Casa Grande Ruins Monument is situated approximately 15 miles outside the town of Casa Grande, and forms the midway point between Phoenix and Tucson. The landscape is dotted with saguaro cactus plants that are indigenous to the region and flourish in its arid climate. Casa Grande Ruins Monument sits in the middle of the desert and experiences temperatures in excess of 110 degrees, making the air extremely hot and dry year-round.
It is believed that the monument sits in the midst of what was once a vast network of canals for irrigation that were very sophisticated for their time. Developed in 1350, the property was once home to a large trade irrigation operation for a period of one thousand years. In later years, a sampling of earthen structures and red on buff pottery was discovered on the property, a memorial to the Ancestral Sonora Desert People who made this area their home. These desert nomads left behind no written language, so all that is understood about their history, culture, and way of life has been gleaned from artifacts and journals written by explorers to the region.
Casa Grande Ruins Monument sits on the banks of the Gila River. Guided tours of the grounds and ruins are available by reservation and for a fee. The area is also extremely picturesque, littered with many picnic tables and pavilions where families can enjoy a packed lunch out of the heat of the sun.
For an interesting day exploring one of America's oldest and most mysterious civilizations, plan a trip to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. You'll have an amazing time.