Of the places most people begin their vacations, Phoenix is a common port of entry to fly in to. The city of Phoenix is what most people consider to be the west; at least a big city out west. With lowland desert, scrub-brush plains, and the quintessential heat. The changes as you move north or east, but for those spending a few days in Phoenix before or after their trip, can experience an ancient meeting place a part of a network across the southwest that lasted thousands of years.
About a hour south from the center of Phoenix is a National Monument that protects a large meeting house four stories high, that has stood abandoned for seven centuries to date. The surrounding acre of the “grand house”, contains a myriad of other ruins, consisting of support structures and a ball court. Though Casa Grande steels most of the attention. Entry to the big house is restricted however, in an effort to protect it’s longevity. Free Ranger Programs augment your experience, as trained interpreters paint a picture of a time long gone for you. You can find more information here.
While the grounds of the monument are small, caution should still be given to avoiding being outside during the hottest time of the day; 1 p.m.-4p.m., and that plenty of water is drank. Average adults require close to a gallon a day, and average visitors should expect to drink at least a liter of water while visiting the monument.