Reviews of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (Park)

Diane Iverson

My favorite place in the area and a National Park. It is informative beautiful and very peaceful. Sometimes when I feel reflective there I wonder if the comforting breeze is the the breathe of the ancient people's who built it.

Missy Padilla Runyon

Great place to visit. The volunteers are very friendly, and they have a real understanding of which they speak. It has a very nice little gift shop, including some luxury licorice. No charge for the exhibit, and it's nice to be able to walk around and look on our own time. We highly recommend this as a stop for your family.

brock besser

Great spot not far from Phoenix to learn about the original inhabitants of this area. Some cool ruins, a nice visitor center with a good 20 minute film that explains how these inhabitants survived in this brutal climate. Plan on one or two hours for this monument.

Mark Lebans

If you are interested in history the story here is for you! I really appreciate the job they have done in telling the story of these ancient people. If you go please take the time to enjoy and respect the grounds.

Caleb Watson

A very interesting place. An awesome feat of the ingenuity of the indigenous people of Arizona. Lots to read on the self guided tour. Casa Grande itself is also pretty amazing. Having said all that $10 on a standard day when you basically walk yourself through it seems a bit steep, but on a day where there is more going on would definitely be worth it. Steep or not I'd say go for it anyway. Giving money to preserve this is site is and absolutely worthy cause.

Jeanie Starkka

Great thing to learn about but I thought they had hiking trails too but they do not. No entrance fee but not sure I'd drive so far to see again.

Wanda Majeski

Casa Grande ruins what a historical place! Has been there for a long long absolutely long time! When you pull up there you swear an alien spaceship has landed and then when you get close enough to really look at it you say wow people lived here after all those years of wandering around the desert?! But they are gone and no one knows where they went and they left behind their buildings of adobe mud abodes. The gift shop was very nice with beautiful items that would just make your eyes hurt they were so pretty and they had books on educational Hohokam life that was discovered after the ruins were uncovered in the area and they had other books and DVDs about how life was and how people survived in treacherously hot climates that is around Casa Grande Arizona. The prices on the items were very reasonable and this area around the ruins is natural desert with no sign of human encroachment so it's a beautiful place to know what the desert would look like back all those centuries ago unchanged and Wild with all kinds of desert animals. It is really worth the trip and the museum is very educational and it only cost $10.

Karen Booth

Great cool t shirts

Jay Bird

Casa Grande Ruins in Coolidge is a nice place to bring the kids.. Thumbs up!!

Patti Gerstenberg

Beautiful place.. worth the stop

Diane Madir

Amazing site to visit, very accessible with educational video to fill in the details.

Gordon Phillips

l love this place, one of my favorite things to do.

jude f.

My 2nd visit. Thoroughly enjoyed myself both times. There will be a 3rd.

Curtis Edenfield

Way cool place to visit!

Kathleen Kennard

They have done a wonderful job in their attempt to capture and maintain the heritage of the area. It does cost more than most national parks and only the casa grande house and immediate area are available for viewing. However, if you are interested in learning a little bit about the cultural area, this is one of the best places to go.

Alexander Tang

Plenty of context and background info for you to take in. Its a bummer you cant go inside the main ruin building but its cool to walk around and imagine what this community center was like in the past.

Christina Callisto

Very informative and fun. Bring a hat and sunscreen. Museum is great, small hands on station for kids and adults alike. Nice theater space for informative video.

David Coulson

This is an interesting monument and worth spending a couple hours, but not worth a special trip. As we're staying in Tuscon it was worth it. Only got in an hour and wished we'd had time for a tour. Sense access is limited to a small portion of the land. A bit disappointing on that account. Plus, the hours are limited, plan accordingly, which we didn't.

Scott Taylor

What a unique experience to step back in time to see how advanced these native peoples were. Very cool place to visit.

Ron Spyker

Great piece of history of PINAL County. Lots of great volunteers share very informative information.

Zuri Mervyn

I LOVED walking around these ruins. You get a real close up view and it's just fun to try to imagine life back then.

Lauren Nelson

Nice stop along the way, great staff, good learning experience.

David Lewis

Just happened onto this great historical site by accident enroute to Tucson. This national site is now free for everyone. Take the time to do the one hour easy walking tour of this national treasure. All of the staff were very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Worth the time.

Jason Knarr

It was educational to visit the ruins and see how they built these old structures.

Heather Green

Amazing! If you're near the area definitely check this out. And dogs are allowed on leash

Tim Sanner

A very interesting ruin to see. There is an excellent visitors center that tells the history of the area and the main building remains. A worthwhile stop.

Susan Woodard

Wonderful museum area. The tour is quite interesting. Paid admission is good for several days.

Lynda Domina

I loved it! What a wonderful way to learn about the history of this area!

Judie Pokakaa

I loved visiting this National park. They had park rangers all through the park to answer questions. Make sure you watch the movie before heading out the the ruins. It played every half hour.

Georgie Cutright

So cool to see.

Tony Vienonen

If you like history of the indigenous ancient peoples then stop here and take a visit. $10 gets you in (discounts available) this National Park site. Guided tours are on the hour. This site also known as Sivan Vahkih.

Tochukwu Ibe

It’s an awesome sight to behold. The weather is hot. But the Ruins have a lot history behind them

Paula Adams

People were so friendly and kind great talking to them

Daniela Espinel

Is not very amazing, but is free to get in so you can learn a bit of history, is good to go if you have it on your path but I wouldn't change my plans to go there.

Carol Shinske

Absolutely beautiful.. 93 Above...HOT

Michael Hayden

It was a great experience! First time here and enjoyed it.

Rajko Bogdanovic

Great historical place to visit. It reminds me of Vinca (Serbia) and similar life style of people on two so far away spots and yet so similar. This true experience of America history. With deep respect to long gone tribe and with ever present spirit of the old wise people, I was grateful for opportunity to visit such remarkable place.

Tekspouse Tekspouse

We enjoyed ourselves very much

Todd Wisdom

Very awesome place to visit. Cost is 10 per person. Worth admission. I really enjoyed it. Took 70ish pics. Try it out if in Coolidge AZ ...Worth going

Dawn Pyykkonen

It was cool to see!

Wendy Garcia

If you have visiting friends or family the Casa Grande Ruins is a MUST! The monument now has a donation based entry fee which makes it affordable for all to enjoy! You get to hear about the heritage of the area when you take the free guided tour or you can tour the grounds at your own pace. It's great for kids young and old alike.

Beverley Robinson

A sacred place.

Elizabeth Spence

Very interesting. I love learning about the indigenous cultures and their rich history. Guided tours, movie, museum, free to public. Well worth the time to visit. Rangers great.

James Overdorff

Very interesting, not a planned stop but glad we did. If you like history of Native Americans this will show you how they survived in the desert. Very informative.

Ronnie Negley

Interesting video to start your walking tour of the grounds. More there than I expected. Easy walking, flat grounds and benches available. Impressive.

MkUltra

Very fascinating piece of history. Very well organized museum. Highly recommend dropping by if you are in the area.

2AnyWhereTheWindBlows

Great part of Arizona history... must see the video to appreciate what your seeing. Great presentation of history!

Gina Hedges

So educational and fun. Beautiful scenery

Shalena Hoffman

Dear old white people: don't stomp on ruins. I witnessed some couple trying to enter this site and disregarded the signs to "do not touch".

Mr Mike

Quite, and easy going. The mood here is welcoming and awe inspiring. Crafts for the kids and a touch and feel section. A movie and a very small gift shop.

Victor Flores

A sacred site & sight. Must visit if you're in the Greater Phoenix area.

Bonita Thomas

Very interesting historical Ruins - well preserved. Free entry. Lots of historical facts and displays inside. Need to do some walking to tour the ruins.

Nikki Ellringer

Loved it will be back in colder season. Hard to see everything with a heat advisory in effect.

Jim Eves

Doesn't look like much from the road, but get in there and it's a ton of history. Take the free tour as well, learned a bunch and the guide was excellent.

Bert Therrien

A very interesting Monument. It is a great history lesson given by volunteers, of the areas first settlers in this valley. The Sonoran Desert People as they are known, were quite self sufficient in their designs of living in the AZ environment back in 300 B.C. They engineered their canals, 220 miles worth, some still being used today by the Phoenix water authority, and used what was available on the land to build their compounds, and produce agriculture for their livelihood. The settlement was first discovered by a Spanish Priest, who named the large building Casa Grande, meaning Big House. Worth the trip. You'll also learn allot about the cactus growing in AZ that you may never have learned.

Ray Wardell

Great ruins. Awesomely preserved

Brion McCoy

Stopped at this majestic location adter dropping off an uber passenger... Very scenic. A must see when in Coolidge/Casa Grande AZ.

Gene Siepka

Small site, but interesting nonetheless. Worth a stop if you are in the area. It's a free site to visit, National Park pass not required.

Scott Arnold

Fascinating National Monument of the Ancestral People of Sonoran Desert. Excellent & very knowledgeable volunteer guides on property share their passion for this national treasure. Dates to approximately 1350. The First Masters of the American Desert. They created vast canal systems for their crops. This archeological structure is protected by an impressive steel canopy built in 1934. The museum has excellent artifacts--very useful for those interested in further researching the Hohokam culture. Check it out, it's worth the drive!

Billy Randall

This is a must stop for any traveler, especially if one can get the younger generation's nose out of their cell phones to learn history & geography before we lose everything to show what past history of our ancestors struggled to make a life, living off the land, etc.. And not bragging, but my cousin works there & very knowledgeable of history & geography.

Marcia

Very interesting history, great hiking. Local Indian items available to purchase. Great spot for a picnic.

V R

If you enjoy visiting a part of history then this is your place. It's a small and quiet location, and the ruins are fantastic. I would have like the place to be bigger, but its great for the size it is.

Melissa Dale-Pickell

It was amazing to walk around the ruins and see what the ancient people were able to build. The people were courteous and fun to talk to.

Kelly Zimmerman

Very interesting, tours available or self guided and a hands on area to learn about weaving and grinding corn by hand. It's all FREE :) A great stop on your travels

Sarah Landen

What a random but fascinating find in the desert. Really interesting info about the history of Arizona and it's native people over the last thousand years!

Debbie Constable

The tour guides and staff were knowledgeable and helpful. The exhibits are informative and well-kept. It was a wonderful, moving experience.

Della Ethington

Fascinating peak at the history of the desert peoples. We were allowed to bring our dog so that was nice. Nice indoor museum of artifacts, small but good.

Bill Ryan

One of the places which should be added to your list to visit while in Arizona.

James Gunter

If you haven't been you should really take the time to check it this site. It's amazing what the builders did here hundreds of years ago with such primitive tools.

andrea penaflor

Nice place learned a lot inexpensive but I suggest going in the fall or spring definitely not a good place to go in the summer

Diana Franqui

Great place to take children to ,a must see to respect native American culture

Chad Reynolds

Very pleasant visit. Interesting information on the ruins...the Staff at the park were awesome and super nice. I was honestly expecting more given how many advertisements and things that I have seen but it was a nice experience and interesting.

Cliff Hernandez Sr.

I really like this place. It was interesting and informative. I only wish they would protect it more from the elements. There is less of it than when i first visited it 10 years ago. Sad. I do recommend seeing it before its gone one day.

Rhea Galati

Fascinating! This is one of those National Monuments that might be overlooked, but it is well worth the trip. The abilities of ancient people cannot be overstated. The mysterious origins and uses are interesting and thought provoking.

tanechia solomon-Jackson

It was okay, very informative and clean air conditioning inside building.

Hot Monjaras

I love history and anything associated. The casa grande national monument didn't disappoint. Take cash, so you can donate to the theater and just because. Keep this place nice and great.

Pedro Rodriguez

The ruins now have no entry fee!! I took some friends from out of town here and it was really cool.

William Gudim

Amazing place to see the history of Arizona... loved the film....

Maury Wrightson

Great place to learn about the history and culture, and friendly staff!

Carl Siegrist

Well worth taking the more scenic route between Phoenix and Tuscon so you can visit here. We learned a lot.

William Leary

I had some time to kill and didn't know what to expect. I figured it was only ten bucks and I could add a sticker and stamp to my National Park Passport book. Was pleasantly surprised! The structure was bigger than I expected. The tour lasted about a hour and was very informative. Well worth the time an money.

Thomas Janecek

Filled with neat and very old dirt

Linda Hoffner

It was very interesting. They have a movie of u don't want to do the heat. It was neat to see the way the built and lived and farmed.

Adam Snyder

Now free! Great info. Presented well and the ruins are amazing!

Kylene Thomas

Make sure you don't go in the heat of the summer. Our day was beautiful. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. The video was informative and the whole experience was great

David&Jeannine Pine

This place is really unique and amazing.

Marc Holmes

Free compelled to disagree with other reviews. There are a lot a beautiful places in Arizona. This is not one of them. Flat square of land with a small crumbling wall dwarfed by a massive metal sunshade that destroys the feeling of history. It might be educational for kids but it’s not much to look at. Not worth a drive.

Pauline Snook

Great place to take out of town visitors

S.M.P. Newstead

Really neat tour and a fascinating experience. Also an owl lives above it

Tony Guzman

Free great family field trip which includes an awesome history lesson!

Vern Christensen

Pretty cool place. I would highly recommend going there.

Callie Russell

I spent about an hour here, and really enjoyed it. The visitors center had a movie that I found educational. I would recommend.

Gabriela Rodriguez

It's a nice place to check out when in the area. They offer a 30min informational video about the ruins which is really nice. Doesn't take much time to explore the place we took our sweet time and still finished walking the ruins in like 30-40min. You could see the ruins in 10min it's small but like I said we took our time looking and reading what they had outside. Went during summer (July) and it was HOT! They do have an a/c building with with info/little exhibits and gift shop.

Katherine Lewis

Really interesting site full of history and cool artifacts. Worth a stop!

Linda Reagan

Very informative. Great place for history buffs.

David Trebacz

Amazing ruins with a lot of mystery of how and why they were built.

Theresa Beights

Get down there and get educated about the ruins.. was a great time and learned some history..

Marcia Schindler

Beautiful place to visit with alot of information on Arizona

Martin Mumford

What a gem and a treat if you can Handel the heat, the history and struggles of these beautiful people is something to be admired. The welcome center and gift shop are well equipped so you are immersed in the culture through exhibits, movie and just walking on this sacred land was well worth the trip..

Christopher Elsberry

I've seen the signs for this for years and finally made the stop. It was a great venture to see the ruins and the lives of the people that used to live her. The national monument is easily viewable in an hour and you'll be able to see everything. You can get right up close and touch the buildings and walls. Definitely a place a good stop if you love learning about the ancestral people of this region.

Carlos Ortega

Great piece of history. Definitely a must see at least once.

Hilary Vernon

You can't spend a full day here but it's definitely worth the visit. The museum was interesting and the movie was very informative.

Ben Swanson

Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Perfect size for my 8,6 and 3 year old. Big enough to run through in an hour. Passionate guide with a passion for history

Daniel Whalen

Very enlightening, great history and well layed out. Easy access.

Melinda Carlson

This place made for an interesting afternoon with a short drive outside of the Phoenix metro area. The old buildings are impressive, and it was neat to read about the history of the area. The park rangers are nice, and I appreciated the dioramas.

Manuela Barsan

Got here at around noon on January 3rd only to find the park closed with no additional explanations, when even the website and on the google page it shows open and closes at 5 pm. So if you plan to visit outside the busy periods you’d better call and make sure it’s open

Craig Smith

Good place to visit for some local history. Pretty informative. Good facilities too. Handicap accessible.

John Dunn

I love exploring native American sites. This one is really nice. I really enjoyed exploring and learning about this wonderful site.

Walter Johnson

It was fantastic a reminder how our ancestors lived

Danny

Very informative! Glad someone took the initiative to preserve it. Great historical structure. Definitely worth the drive to the thriving metropolis of Coolidge.

Evan Nystrom

Great to see/talk through the ruins. Not sure if it's $10 per person, but nice anyway

Charles Stigger

Another amazing dwelling build by the ancestral Pueblo peoples of the southwest. Love seeing this type of 700 to 1100 year old architecture. Using no steel or metal instrument, these buildings continue to withstand the test of time. A must see if you are in the region.

Russell Williams

Pretty cool place particularly if you love history and some mystery, about it's origin

Janie Macintosh

Is an interesting place. Tour guides nice

Tighe Burg

We frequent a lot of national parks and monument and really enjoyed our visit here. The rangers where excellent and taught us a lot. If you have kids definetly do the junior ranger program!

Dale Pekar

It'd be easy for me to pass up this monument when I compare it to other National Monuments. Casa Grande is impressive but there's just not that much to the site. It might be my fault though as I only undertook to check out the grounds immediately around Casa Grande per se. Maybe there are additional interpretive features around the irrigation works or something like that?

Susan Armstrong

Small area. Not a long stop but very historically informative and good RV parking and picnic stop.

Lisa Molloy

Very clean, nice displays and informational sections. The day we went, there was torrential rain and although we did walk outside, it was miserable. Definately a good weather destination. Was a little shocked that it cost $10 for a 14 year old

Asim I

A great place to see the prehistoric side, I lived in Arizona over 20 years and finally got to see this extremely beautiful monument. It’s a must see

Gretchen Littlefield

This was a very nice day trip from Mesa, AZ. Visitors could browse the grounds alone or take a guided tour. The guide I spoke with was Aaron, he was very passionate and knowledgeable. I also enjoyed walking over by the picnic area to see the ball/sports arena. There were many ways to gather information throughout the area. I recommend this scenic trip.

Maria Sotelo

Great information and visual as well.

Todd Long

Really enjoyed seeimg these Ruins! We watched a short video before looking through the Ruins so we had a better understanding of what we were seeing. Great place to see!

connie simpson

Very interesting look at the history of this area, learned about the foods and seeds they had from the things that still grow here today. And the canal system

David Mosher

Educational, as a grounded Wiccan the energy was phenomenal. Possibly located on a lay line? Research when I am home.

Scott Humphrey

This is an interesting site, but I'm not sure I would drive more than about an hour out of my way to get to it. It really helps to see the movie, because otherwise the ruins ARE relatively unexciting.

Debra Berkey

Very nice facility. Lots of good information about the ancient people and their life style. Some hands-on experiences for kid as well as guided tours to optimize the information available.

Annie Chen

Pretty cool. It's a nice place to stop and check out between the drive from Phoenix to Tucson. No entrance fee.

Mary Spruell

We found the ruins to be a great place to learn a lot of information on the American Indians and there way of living! Loved our tour. Really worth stopping and visiting!!

Angie Papple Johnston

This is a beautiful site. The owls are still living here. It's very small, though, and there are some snakes and lots of bugs.

Raviraj Vader

Very nice place to visit as a picnic spot. Lot of significance due to historical structure and American Indian culture study. There is not a lot of walking to do, so can take kids and seniors.

Richard Shackley

Great guided tour, and informative movie. Worth the visit.

James Aderman

This small national park is worth a visit. It marks an ancient civilization (ca 1400 CE) that flourished in the desert, using irrigation for its crops. At the center of this site is what was an imposing four-story building.

Lori McDonald

The AMAZING archeological ruins are located in the small town of Coolidge. CAUTION: It is outside and very hot if you go during the summer, especially for anyone with heat sensitivities. You will learn all about the 4-story monument dating from the late Hohokam period at the visitors center. The desert grounds are beautiful. There is a short historical movie inside.

David Arnold

The ruins themselves are fairly small and not really very accessible. Interpretive center is pretty good. With all the ruins in Arizona that you might just want to drive by this one.

Carol Bell

We were there Jan. 30, 2019. Fantastic! This National Monument had been closed for the month and staff were furloughed due to politics. Volunteers stayed and kept watch to prevent vandalism. We were so glad that they opened to the public before we had to return to Canada. Special thanks to volunteer guide , Barb (Pat) for her humour and knowledge as we laughed and learned.

jaimie french

Unique place. Not far off the freeway if you're wanting to kill some time.

Jason Randazza

Recently eliminated the entrance fee so it’s free of charge to visit. Brief film helps contextualize the ruins before seeing them in person, running every half hour though not much is known about the purpose of the main structure in the complex. Not a bad small detour if traveling between Phoenix and Tucson.

Diane Bohuszewicz

Great bit of history. Even the 7 year old liked it.

Tracy Finch

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting these ruins. Highly recommend it!

Jeremy Jones

Nice place to visit if you're in the area

Stacey Shoecraft

It's unique as a historical place to visit at almost 700 years old. I wasn't sure what to expect and it exceeded my expectations. Definitely worth the visit and is actually free, so why not? I liked it because it wasn't something you would normally see. Perfect for the history buff, educators, and families alike.

A Q

Great information. Presenter needs a speaker system on them. Couldn't hear at times

Normandy Helmer

Very accessible, very good interpretive displays, remarkable structure.

Myra Soapes

I loved learning the history of the Casa Grande Ruins. Our guide was wonderful. And this has recently become a fee free park.

Charles Dye

This review is based on Google, not the actual monument. Google & Maps both say that it closes at 5pm. But we got there at 4:10pm on Friday, July 5th, and its gates were shut. Its sign said it closes daily at 4pm.

Kathy Emerald

Doesnt look like much from to road but have a good learning inside ....ruins are really amazing up close.

Ervin Anderson

Feb24...I found this place a profound awakening for me. Traditional teaching essentially taught us that the early natives struggled to seek out an existence in a rather isolated domain. As we are now learning...it's wrong! Tremendous Sonoran culture, using multiple products to trade with other cultures. Advanced knowledge of astronomy, building techniques and a spiritual belief. Lots to learn about here.

Christine Barajas

Interesting historical site, great for the old or young. Watch the informational video on how the monument is now be preserved. Great for both young and old.

Herbie

Staff and docents at this National Park do a fantastic job of educating visitors. Thank you!

brenda Williams

Very interesting area. The book store was very reasonable and well laid out. Signage is nicely informative.

Beth C

This is a really amazing place! It is worth a trip. The structures are incredibly! The framing that was done here is really interesting.

Zach Weber

This place was awesome! It was like stepping back in time. There was so much info and the staff are super helpful. I bought a keychain to remember my trip.

Dan McAuliffe

Neat pla e to visit and see a part of the areas history that has been preserved for many years. Good educational experience. They have mini tours as well as allowing you to explore on your own. I happened to go when almost no one was there which allowed me one on one time with the guides and they were happy to share their knowledge with me. Went as research for a future trip with my son whom I home school. There is a lot to learn and see that helps teach history and science along with the Indian culture. Very pleasant staff and a clean facility. Sad it has to have the huge cover over it but it's worth it knowing future generations will also be able to experience this part of our areas history as well.

Dale Osbahr

The history and the culture.... Everybody should come here at least once.

Deb Reed

This place was definetly something to see. Very interesting and very well preserved.

Christopher Doyle

Fascinating remains of a multistory building left by the Sonoran agrarian society in the Gila Valley. The site provides evidence of their impressive understanding of agriculture, construction and astronomy. Join an hourly guided tour or look around on your own. A small interpretive center puts the site in context.

Robert Saenz

Great historical evidence and archeological preservation of our native culture.

Buddha Tbay

Interesting trip into pre-history to learn about the life of the native Americans in the area. A short self guided tour available to see the ruins. Plaques provide excellent commentary. NOTE: Do be careful if walking off the path. If there has been recent rain, the ground becomes very soft and you will end up with very muddy shoes. We noticed a guide providing a talk (which we did not attend). Short video provides some of the history of the dig and the area. Small museum shows artifacts and provides information about the area and the way of life. Cost of entry into the museum and viewing of video is $10. Worth checking out.