Rosy Cliff Dwellings

Rosy is Roosevelt Lake's nickname; the cliff dwellings themselves aren't rosy at all.  They're (relatively) easy to access via a steep, half-mile, paved trail that starts at the Tonto National Monument visitor's center.  A fee is charged for trail usage: $7 per person.  However, if you're a senior citizen with an OFP (Old Fart Pass), it's free.  Eat your heart out, you young whippersnappers!

Below, Trish pauses on the trail to the cliff dwellings to do her classic Lewis and Clark pose, pointing out the route ahead.  Actually, she's pointing at a saguaro cactus with several, downward-pointing arms, fairly low to the ground.  She dubbed it the Hula Skirt Saguaro.

Up close and personal, the dwellings aren't that impressive but do have one hell of a view.  That's Lisa in the picture below.

Below, David, wannabe building inspector, critically examines the structural integrity.

The shot below was taken from the parking lot of the visitor's center at 10X zoom.

The Salado Indians built and occupied the dwellings around 1250.  200 years later, they abandoned the site.  Why?  Nobody knows.  The reason may have been climate change, rendering them unable to continue growing their crops.  Or, it could have been encroachment from more aggressive Indian tribes.  Where did they go?  Nobody knows.  If you happen to be a long-lost member of the Salado Tribe, perhaps you could enlighten us?