Casa Malpais Archaeological Park and Museum

10/27/2026

🌅 **Experience the 2026 Winter Solstice at Casa Malpais!**

Join us December 21 for a memorable evening among ancient stone ruins as we welcome winter with **two solstice viewing locations.** Bring your camera and experience Casa Malpais in the golden evening light!

🎟️ **$12 per person • Limited to 25 attendees**
CONTACT: 928-333-2656 x230
Prepay to guarantee your spot—we’re sorry, no refunds.

📍 **Start and end at the Springerville Heritage Center**
418 E Main St., Springerville, AZ

🕓 **Arrive by 4:00 PM**
🚌 **Bus leaves at 4:15 PM**

🥾 Be prepared for a moderate hike and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes.
🧥 A jacket, camera, and small flashlight are recommended.
🌦️ Event is weather dependent.

**Reserve your place with prepayment at the Heritage Center—space is limited!**

10/21/2026

⛈️ **CASA MALPAÍS TOUR CANCELLATIONS**

Casa Malpaís tours are **cancelled October 21 & 22** due to impending high-risk weather.

We hope to resume tours **Friday, October 23**, pending weather conditions and an assessment of any storm damage.

Please call **928-333-5375** to confirm tour availability before visiting.

Thank you for your understanding as we keep our visitors and guides safe! 💛

10/20/2026

Casa Malpaís: Where Ancient Stories Meet Arizona’s Volcanic Landscape

Imagine a place where ancient stone walls rest among rugged lava formations, a staircase leads toward a volcanic rim, and the sun helps tell the story of the seasons. Just outside Springerville, Arizona, Casa Malpaís invites you to discover a remarkable chapter of the Southwest’s past.

Built and occupied approximately AD 1240–1350, this Mogollon pueblo once included roughly 50–60 rooms. Today, its surviving features reveal the ingenuity of people who built a community within a challenging volcanic landscape. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, Casa Malpaís preserves a history that reaches back nearly eight centuries.

The landscape itself is part of the story. Builders incorporated natural cracks in the basalt into their construction, adapting their architecture to the ground beneath them. Anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing, who documented the site in 1883, described it as a “Fissure Pueblo.” What might first appear to be an unforgiving landscape becomes, on closer inspection, a remarkable example of human resourcefulness.

Along the guided route, discover the Great Kiva, a large ceremonial chamber, an ancient staircase, rock art, and a solar calendar. These features invite you to consider how community life, ceremony, and observation of the natural world were connected. Before exploring the site, the museum’s introductory film offers perspectives from Hopi and Zuni elders, adding cultural context to the experience.

For travelers drawn to archaeology, outdoor adventure, or places that spark curiosity, Casa Malpaís offers a memorable addition to a White Mountains getaway. Come ready to look closely, ask questions, and imagine the lives once lived among these stones.

Begin your visit at the Springerville Heritage Center, 418 E. Main Street. Access to Casa Malpaís is by guided tour only. The hike crosses uneven, rocky terrain, so bring water, wear sturdy shoes, and use sun protection. Tours depend on weather and staffing; call 928-333-5375 to confirm availability and reserve your experience.

Discover Casa Malpaís—an ancient community with a story still worth exploring.

10/20/2026

10/20/2026

Casa Malpaís: Where Ancient Stories Meet Arizona’s Volcanic Landscape

Imagine a place where ancient stone walls rest among rugged lava formations, a staircase leads toward a volcanic rim, and the sun helps tell the story of the seasons. Just outside Springerville, Arizona, Casa Malpaís invites you to discover a remarkable chapter of the Southwest’s past.

Built and occupied approximately AD 1240–1350, this Mogollon pueblo once included roughly 50–60 rooms. Today, its surviving features reveal the ingenuity of people who built a community within a challenging volcanic landscape. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, Casa Malpaís preserves a history that reaches back nearly eight centuries.

The landscape itself is part of the story. Builders incorporated natural cracks in the basalt into their construction, adapting their architecture to the ground beneath them. Anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing, who documented the site in 1883, described it as a “Fissure Pueblo.” What might first appear to be an unforgiving landscape becomes, on closer inspection, a remarkable example of human resourcefulness.

Along the guided route, discover the Great Kiva, a large ceremonial chamber, an ancient staircase, rock art, and a solar calendar. These features invite you to consider how community life, ceremony, and observation of the natural world were connected. Before exploring the site, the museum’s introductory film offers perspectives from Hopi and Zuni elders, adding cultural context to the experience.

For travelers drawn to archaeology, outdoor adventure, or places that spark curiosity, Casa Malpaís offers a memorable addition to a White Mountains getaway. Come ready to look closely, ask questions, and imagine the lives once lived among these stones.

Begin your visit at the Springerville Heritage Center, 418 E. Main Street. Access to Casa Malpaís is by guided tour only. The hike crosses uneven, rocky terrain, so bring water, wear sturdy shoes, and use sun protection. Tours depend on weather and staffing; call 928-333-5375 to confirm availability and reserve your experience.

Discover Casa Malpaís—an ancient community with a story still worth exploring.

10/17/2026

🧥💛 FINAL DAY—ONLY 2 MEDIUM COATS LEFT! 💛🧥

We are out of all other coat sizes, but two medium coats are still available for community children. Stop by before 3 PM TODAY, Saturday, October 17!

📍 Springerville Heritage Center
418 E Main Street, Springerville, AZ

⚠️ First come, first served, while supplies last!

A heartfelt thank-you to Operation Warm, the Town of Springerville, and our wonderful volunteers for helping make this giveaway possible. Thank you, too, to every family who stopped by—we’re glad we could share a little extra warmth with you! 💛

We’re proud to serve our community and look forward to more opportunities to bring kindness, support, and warmth to our neighbors

10/16/2026

⚠ Chaco Road Update - October 15th ⚠

The north road (CR 7950) remains impassable. Recent temporary repairs on the new wash have been washed away entirely by the rains earlier this week.

The south road (Hwy 57) is currently the only access road to enter the park. Luckily it is drying out faster than expected! Expect a bumpy drive, with some large mud puddles closer to the park. There had been some bypasses around those puddles; don't be afraid to get out and scout the route before driving through/around them. At this time we would recommend medium to high clearance vehicles, and AWD is a plus. At least one 2WD low clearance has made it through, and we expect conditions to improve as long as we continue to see sunny weather.

As a reminder, if you encounter a section of road that makes you uncomfortable to drive over, you can always turn around. Your safety is the top priority! If you would like additional details about the current weather/forecast, the condition of the road, or would like to hear additional advice on visiting Chaco at this time, please call us at 505-786-7014. We will answer your call between 9-5 when we aren't helping visitors. We hope to hear from you - and see you - soon!

Photo credit: K. Housley

Image is of the new wash on the former north road (CR 7950) as of Wednesday evening (10/14).

09/29/2026

🏞️ **Follow the Little Colorado River through Round Valley’s story**

The Little Colorado River begins on the slopes of Mount Baldy, flows through the White Mountains and Round Valley, and eventually joins the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. What a journey for a river that runs through our own backyard!

Near Springerville, the river has long supported plants, wildlife, farming, and the people who call this valley home. For the people who lived at **Casa Malpais**, the surrounding landscape offered water and resources essential to daily life.

On a guided tour, look beyond the pueblo walls. A nearby terrace where rocks were cleared offers another clue to how people used this land. Was it prepared for growing food or another purpose? The landscape still has stories to tell.

Come discover the connection between river, land, and history in Springerville. Casa Malpais tours depart from the **Springerville Heritage Center, 418 E. Main Street**. Reservations are strongly recommended, and tours depend on the weather.

08/20/2026

🏺 Explore Casa Malpais—FREE guided tour! 🏺

Join us for a FREE Casa Malpais National Historic Landmark Open House on Saturday, August 29, from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Discover one of Arizona’s most fascinating archaeological treasures and learn about the people who called this remarkable site home centuries ago.

📍 Meet at the Springerville Heritage Center
418 E. Main Street, Springerville

🚌 A shuttle bus will provide transportation to and from Casa Malpais.

Bring the family, wear comfortable walking shoes, and come experience local history where it happened! **This is a REGULAR hike - not a flat paved path. Not accessible for walkers/wheelchairs. This is a MODERATE hike, not suitable for injuries or accessibility issues**

🎟️ FREE to the public!

07/28/2026

A huge thank-you to Arizona Highways for featuring the Casa Malpais Archaeological Site and Museum in its July 2026 edition! 🎉

Discover what makes Casa Malpais special—and see the other 249 amazing things to love about Arizona. Support Arizona Highways and its wonderful work by grabbing your copy today! 🌵🏺