Spring (Nogales) Canyon

Despite its location within the Anasazi region, the Nogales Cliff House is not an Anasazi ruin. It belongs to a unique cultural phenomenon that archaeologists call the Gallina Phase (no, these were not prehistoric chicken people. The name comes from the Gallina River near which they lived). One of the best Gallina sites is in Spring Canyon (also called Nogales Canyon) on the Santa Fe National Forest. The site originally had 40 to 50 rooms when it was occupied around A.D. 1200. The photo below shows the best-preserved section. Although the Gallina folk built a number of pueblos and granaries, they are known to have constructed only one true cliff dwelling (used for habitation, not storage), and this is it.