Casa Grande Ruins, Arizona

The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona is the domicile of a prehistoric Hohokam farming village and the 'Great House'. It was fashioned as the United States' premier archeological protected over a hundred years ago and has been of keen interest to many a tourist. In fact, most cannot resist its magnetic draw.

Sightseers delight at discovering the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, the country's number one archaeological location. They revel in the ancient village and the famous 'Great House', once the home of a prehistoric culture.

Since it was dubbed as a new national monument (1918) in Arizona, many volunteers, archaeologists, biologists and other scientists have worked closely to protect, preserve and care for the old buildings, artifacts and ruins. In fact, any visit to the site is strictly monitored, and local rangers will search all bags when one leaves the park to prevent the theft of any national treasures.

Anyone considering a tour of the site has to take into account the local weather conditions because this is a desert region. Temperatures during the summer can rise rapidly to over one hundred degrees. In the winter, they remain fairly temperate, but be warned that night times can dip well below 0 on occasion, so any camping trips need to account for this. It should also be noted that camping in and within close proximity to the ruins and the archaeological areas is strictly forbidden. Special designated areas have been set up, but numbers are limited to prevent damage or the compromise of any research going on at the time. Also, special permits are to be obtained prior to setting out, which are available from the local visitor center or any ranger station across the state.