casa malpais archaeological park & museum

Started the tour in the city building where the excellent little museum is located. After watching a short video about the background of the ruins we left for the tour. I was the only guest, so I got a private tour of the ruins. Fascinating site with some awesome petroglyphs and solar calendar. Guide was very friendly and informative.

Tour begins in museum/gallery for ruins in downtown Springerville. DVD backgrounding archaeology on ruins was informative, as well as pots, sherds and implements on display. Our guide was Carol, who gave the two couples on the tour multiple bits of local history until van arrived at ruins parking area. There is a restroom at the parking area, but wear sturdy boots shoes and bring water and sunscreen. Climb is very steep and primitive to the pueblo ruins, so if you are real shaky/elderly skip it. Commentary by guide was very well informed and she gave everyone a good overview of the Mogollon civilizations and the Anasazi precursors. Astronomical significance of rock placement & petroglyphs was very educational. The view of the mountains and flood plain of the Little Colorado has many photo ops.As usual take only photos and don't leave anything but footprints.

Very special place,the prehistoric dwellings.Tour starts out in Springerville chamber building and museum.Museum is great!Tour guide talked too much and made her own facts up as she wished the ancient world existed. Hint most of the answers as to how the ancient people lived is no one knows- another hint WOMAN HAD NO RIGHTS OR PRIVILEGES IN PRIMITIVE SOCIETY'S!!!!!!!!!!!

great little museum filled with artifacts from the archaeological site.And right next door a wonderful exhibit of European art and more. It's quite a story how it got there. Don't miss it.Xenagirl

There were five of us for the 9 am tour - wish I had asked our guide his name, as I'd really recommend him. As of right now he works Tues, Weds and Thurs. You meet up at the C of C / tourist info / museum on Main Street, watch a video, and then hop in the van which take you to the site about 5 miles away. Our guide pointed out a few things "in town" and then led us, at a good pace with appropriate stops through the pueblo.It appears that all archeological activity has stopped based on sensitivity to the Hopi and Zuni peoples who both claim connections to the site. The result, for good or for bad, is the ability to walk into, on, and around an area and use your own imagination as to the lives that were lived there 700 years ago.Be advised that the terrain is if not exactly rugged, at least stone strewn over uneven ground. You gain about 200' in elevation (think 20 story building) and you rightfully keep an eye our for snakes. Our guide faithfully tapped his walking stick on rocks as he led the way, as the vibration will cause most snakes to head the other way.

The Casa Malpais museum is located in Springerville, Arizona and is housed along with the Chamber of Commerce and Police Dept. The have some great Mogollon Indian artifacts along with some treasured items from a personal collection. We did not take the tour to the Indian ruins but would have if we had the time.

My wife and I read about Casa Malpais in our local newspaper and so we thought we would check it out. What an experience. Our guide was well versed in the history of the site, the local history surrounding the area and the indigenous people. The tour took about 2.5 hours to complete. If you are not used to Arizona's summer heat, it is best to do the tour in the morning hours. At the tourist center there are archaeological exhibits that are a must see.

What a nice surprise in the Springerville / Eager area of North Eastern Arizona. Fantastic little museum with lots of artifact examples and knowledgeable staff to explain it all to you. The tour of the Casa site itself was well done, there is some light to moderate hiking involved but it is not hard and it is well worth it. The tour guide was very informative about the buildings and surroundings of the Casa site. The views are also nice from the site. Take your camera.

This park can only be visited via a guide tour - and it's worth every minute. Check for tour times with the museum; they will take you over in a bus. The museum itself is interesting, but the treasure here are the ruins - brick pueblos built around 1100AD on volcanic basalt ledges. The trail winds around a "condo" of more than 100 homes. An optional detour is up an 800 year old stairway through a crack in the lava up to the plain above - and a view down over the entire village - including the ancient observatory. A trained docent does an excellent job of interpretation.

The museum is small, but has some neat artifacts. The bus took us to the sight which is maybe five minutes away. The hike had several stops along the way so people could catch their breath and the guide could point out interesting site details. The site it self is amazing. Taking the extra time to go to the top is worth it. We really enjoyed ourselves.

I have visited the museum 3 times and the archeological ruin twice and find that it is probably the best thing to visit in the White Mountains. The park ranger's knowledge of this particular ruin is extensive and the ruin itself is a real treat and somewhat compact for such a major ruin! You must take a tour-can't do it on your own- but that protects the property from vandals and litterers, so it is well worth the supervision. The charge is nominal and several tours are available every day. There is an astronomical calendar, a kiva, petroglyphs or pictographs and an ancient stairway inaccessible to all but the hardiest. The recently updated museum features artifacts from the site and a video introduction by Hopi and Zuni elders, both of whose tribes claim ancestry here. In May the museum hosted an opening featuring a talk and slides by Adriel Heisey who is an excellent aerial photographer. Many of his photos of the site, as well as of other archeological sites, are on display in the museum. As positive as I feel about the place, I am almost hesitant to praise it too highly, lest it become overrun with tourists who are looking for more of a theme park experience than a tour of an ancient civilization. I shall return.

My second trip here, though I seem to remember enjoying it more the first time (in 2006). Still, an interesting place to visit, and you get your money's worth.