Tonto

https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonto_National_Monument Tonto National Monument is a National Monument in the Superstition Mountains, in Gila County of central Arizona. The area lies on the northeastern edge of the Sonoran Desert ecoregion, an arid habitat with annual rainfall of about 16 inches here. Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant groups that lived in the Tonto Basin. Together they formed a new ideology, which archeologists refer to as Salado. Today, descendants of the cliff dwellers continue to call Arizona home. The cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument are roughly two hours from the Phoenix metro area, located in the Tonto Basin. The Monument is off AZ Highway 188 near Roosevelt Lake. The nearest major towns are Globe (30 miles) and Payson (50 miles). See our Directions page for recommendations on the best way to drive here from the larger metro areas of Arizona. Visitor Center The Visitor Center offers an introduction on the people who built the dwellings 700 years ago. Artifacts and replicas of pottery and textiles are on display in the museum while the park store, operated by Western National Parks Association, sells educational items. The 20-minute park movie, located on the upstairs viewing platform, shows on demand throughout the day. Ask park staff for accessible movie options. Located near Roosevelt Lake on Highway 188. Tonto National Monument is 2 hours from the Phoenix area and about 3 hours from Flagstaff or Tucson, Arizona. The nearest major town is Globe, Arizona. Lower Cliff Dwelling cliff dwelling in the spring with desert plants and wildflowers. The Lower Cliff Dwelling in Spring Saguaro Cactus Hillside with Saguaro Cactus Hillside with Saguaro Cactus near the Lower Cliff Dwelling Visitor Center Dwelling Visitor Center with cliff dwelling and a rainbow in the background. The Visitor Center sits below the Lower Cliff Dwelling Upper Cliff Dwelling Two story rooms of the Upper Cliff Dwelling. Front view of the Upper Cliff Dwelling. Upper Cliff Dwelling The view looking out from the cliff dwelling over Roosevelt Lake. The view from the back of the Upper Cliff Dwelling. It’s Alive! Biological Soil Crusts of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts It might come as a surprise to learn that in the sublime expanses of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, some of the most interesting life around can be found in the dirt right in front of your feet! Biological soil crusts form a living groundcover that is the foundation of desert plant life. Soil crust at White Sands National Monument Saguaro Cactus: Sentinel of the Southwest The saguaro cactus is the largest cactus in the U.S., commonly reaching 40 feet in height. The saguaro provides both food and shelter for a variety of desert species and plays an integral role in the culture of the Tohono O’odham people. It has been written that the saguaro can be ecologically connected to nearly every other organism in its range, including humans. Saguaro cacti at Saguaro National Park Climate and Water Monitoring at Tonto National Monument, Water Year 2018 At Tonto National Monument, the built environment reflects the historical importance of reliable water sources. The Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, groundwater, and springs at this park. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting both natural and cultural resources. Learn about our recent findings. A metal box attached to a pole stands on a hillside above a valley. A solar panel powers the box. Monitoring Upland Vegetation and Soils in the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert Networks Vegetation and soils are two of many natural resources monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Learning about vegetation dynamics helps us to better understand the integrity of ecological processes, productivity trends, and ecosystem interactions that can otherwise be difficult to monitor. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor vegetation and soils using the scientific protocol described here. Quadrat used for biological soil crust sampling Dendrochronology at Tonto National Monument Dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating, has assisted archeologists in assigning calendar dates to archeological sites since the early twentieth century. This dating method has played a large and yet disappointing role in assisting archeologists in determining the dates of occupation at the Upper and Lower Cliff Dwellings at Tonto National Monument. Tonto upper dwelling roof beams Protecting Cliff Dwellings from Wildfire In the summer of 2019, the impending wild Woodbury Fire in the nearby Superstition Wilderness threatened the preserved wood found in these ancient structures. Protecting these cliff dwellings from the fire was a major priority for Tonto National Monument. The Integrated Resources staff decided to cover the cliff dwellings in a fire resistant aluminized structure wrap to shield the prehistoric wood, and preserve the dwellings as a whole. Modern wood wrapped by fire crew Roosevelt Red Wares and Salado Polychrome Salado polychrome ceramics, a variety of Roosevelt Red Ware, were the most abundant decorated ware of the Classic period (A.D. 1275 - 1450) southern Southwest. Gila polychrome Wildland Fire in Ponderosa Pine: Western United States This forest community generally exists in areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. Extensive pure stands of this forest type are found in the southwestern U.S., central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Recently burned ponderosa pine forest. Southwest River Environments In the arid Southwest, water means life, and prehistorically, rivers were the lifelines of the people. The Colorado River flowing through a canyon Transition Highlands and the Mogollon Rim The Transition Highlands, or Central Mountains, consist of numerous rugged low mountains marking the boundary between the tablelands of the Colorado Plateau and the southern deserts. Looking out from the Gila Cliff Dwellings What Does Salado Mean? The origins and disappearance of the Salado inhabitants of the Tonto Basin has perplexed archeologists for many years. The Lower Cliff Dwelling at Tonto National Monument. Climate Monitoring in the Southern Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here. Kayaking across a fl ooded parking lot, Chickasaw NRA, July 2007. Saguaro Cactus Growth The saguaro cactus is the signature plant of the Sonoran Desert. This stately giant is not only unique in appearance, it is also unique in its biology and ecological niche. blooming saguaro Geology at Tonto National Monument The geology of Tonto National Monument played an essential role in the lives of the Salado people, providing the raw material from which they shaped tools and the building blocks for their dwellings and terraces. Gila conglomerate Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: Salado Overview The origins and disappearance of the Salado inhabitants of the Tonto Basin has perplexed archeologists for many years. Cliff dwelling, Tonto National Monument Saguaro Trail Crew Assists with Post-Fire Trail Damage at Tonto National Monument The 2019 Woodbury fire impacted soil conditions creating unstable trails, increased flood hazard, and created greater risk of falling rocks or trees. In fall 2019, a trail crew from Saguaro National Park assisted Tonto National Monument mitigating trail damage that resulted from soil movement after the Woodbury Fire. Left: damaged eroding trail with logs next to trail; Right: rebuilt trail with gabion in place. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Tonto National Monument, Arizona Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. cliff dwellings The Precambrian The Precambrian was the "Age of Early Life." During the Precambrian, continents formed and our modern atmosphere developed, while early life evolved and flourished. Soft-bodied creatures like worms and jellyfish lived in the world's oceans, but the land remained barren. Common Precambrian fossils include stromatolites and similar structures, which are traces of mats of algae-like microorganisms, and microfossils of other microorganisms. fossil stromatolites in a cliff face Proterozoic Eon—2.5 Billion to 541 MYA The Proterozoic Eon is the most recent division of the Precambrian. It is also the longest geologic eon, beginning 2.5 billion years ago and ending 541 million years ago fossil stromatolites in a cliff face Two for the Price of One Companion, assistant, confidant, ambassador, host, nurse, cook, secretary, editor, field technician, wildlife wrangler, diplomat, and social director are some of the many roles that people who marry into the NPS perform in support of their spouses and the NPS mission. Although the wives and daughters of park rangers were some of the earliest women rangers in the NPS, many more women served as “park wives” in the 1920s–1940s. Three members of a family The Heliograph: 2020 Edition The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue features stories on how we adapted our operations to minimize field work lost to the covid-19 pandemic, vegetation mapping at Saguaro NP, and communication improvements and opportunities for network parks. We also probe the minds of our interns and celebrate a high honor for our program manager. Person wearing hat and face covering sits near a stream with a bucket and net. The Heliograph: Summer 2021 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue shares predictive tools and planning processes that can help park managers make proactive decisions in the face of climate change. We also explore some explanations for this spring's highly unusual saguaro bloom, celebrate our staff members, and provide updates on our monitoring projects. Saguaro cactus with blooms all over its top Wildfire Fuel Reduction and Defensible Space on Tonto National Monument Following the 2019 Woodbury Fire, resource and maintenance staff at Tonto along with partners from the Southern Arizona Parks Group, Tonto National Forest, Arizona Conservation Corps, and Arizona Salt River Power and Water took measures to reduce wildfire risk and improve ecosystem resiliency within the boundaries of the monument through the reduction of live and dead burnable vegetation. Staff and partners at Tonto National Monument reduce fuels along the AZ-188 corridor. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Changing Attitudes Most women with disabilities hired by the National Park Service (NPS) in the 1970s and early 1980s had temporary jobs. Some built long-term careers with the bureau. Starting before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, these women experienced the opportunities and changes the law brought. It was their hard work and dedication to the NPS mission, however, that continued to change attitudes and educate coworkers and visitors alike. Ranger Shirley Beccue in her wheelchair and NPS uniform and flat hat looks out over the Everglades. eDNA Inventories to Reveal Species Use of Sonoran Desert Network Springs At nine southwestern parks, Sonoran Desert Network staff are performing environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. By analyzing the genomes present in a water sample, eDNA sampling allows us to learn which species use a given area without the use of capture, hair snares, or cameras. The results of this inventory will help NPS staff to prioritize springs for monitoring and conservation. A large tinaja set within bedrock walls The Heliograph: Summer 2022 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. In this issue, find out how eDNA inventories may change what we thought we knew about SODN springs. Learn about the new technology that will improve our streams monitoring, and the lasting contributions of our IVIPs to projects across multiple networks. Get caught up on our latest reports and the status of ongoing projects, and find out what’s happening at the DRLC. Two men at the edge of a marsh. One crouches. The other holds a long metal rod with a disc on top. Intern and Fellow Highlights: Julia Coverdale You may have heard of cultural resources, but what exactly does this work entail and what type of work do interns and fellows do? Meet Julia Coverdale (they/them), who is the American Conservation Experience (ACE) Cultural Resources Diversity, Cultural Resources Preservation Assistant Intern at Tonto National Monument. Intern posing in outdoor gear next to rock features with a lake in the background Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Making an Impact: Long-Term Monitoring of Natural Resources at Intermountain Region National Parks, 2021 Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021. A man looks through binoculars at sunrise. A Changing Bimodal Climate Zone Means Changing Vegetation in Western National Parks When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change. Dark storm clouds and rainbow over mountains and saguaros. Lesser Long-nosed Bat Research at Organ Pipe Cactus Lesser long-nosed bats have been in scientific focus since the late 1900's. These unique animals face different obstacles in their changing environment, but researchers are at work in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, learning more about these bats. Through research here and throughout Central America, scientists are understanding better how to protect these animals and their environment. A small black lesser long-nosed bat with a black face hovers above a waxy white saguaro flower. Toad Research in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Research at Organ Pipe Cactus has seen large monsoons, drought, and the Sonoran Desert’s impact on different species of toad. The aim of this research is to understand which species are present, as well as the geographical reach of the chytrid fungus. A large dark green-gray Sonoran Desert toad sits in a pool of water. National Park Service project to build up 'workhorse' native seed stocks for major restoration and revegetation efforts The National Park Service, with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be able to build up stocks of the native workhorse plant species that can out compete invasive plant species so that native grasses and forbs can grow in previously disturbed areas.  a man kneels next to a bucket collecting seeds in a field The Devoted People behind Big Data in National Parks Citizen science volunteers collect massive amounts of crucial scientific information. They gather it from sources as varied as oceans, mountainsides, and historic archives. Smart new tools are making their contributions even more powerful. Two smiling women stand in front of a national park sign. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Climate and Water Monitoring at Tonto National Monument: Water Year 2022 Sonoran Desert Network scientists monitor key resources and weather at Tonto National Monument by taking measurements throughout the year, which helps us track changes over time. This report summarizes weather and springs data from Water Year 2022. The data describe a dramatic change to Cave Canyon Spring. WY2022 was the third consecutive year of drought, and the park received less than average precipitation in all but three months. Aerial shot of the lower cliff dwelling, surrounded by saguaro cactus and green desert foliage. Restoring Balance: The Battle Against Invasive Riparian Plant Species We’re incredibly fortunate to have some of the most beautiful mountain, river, and grassland landscapes across the United States but their resilience – a key characteristic of national parklands – is threatened by invasive species. National Park Service (NPS) park managers, restoration biologists, and other partners are at work to control invasive species through multiple projects in parks of the American southwest. An extra wide shot of a desert, dry, barren landscape - with red canyon walls and steep cliffs. Project Profile: Restore Native Plants and Reduce the Vulnerability to Climate Change Across the Arid Southwest The National Park Service will remove over 4,000 acres of riparian invasive plant infestations and replace them with native vegetation in 14 parks, building drought resiliency. A pond surrounded by palm trees with mountains in the background.