9014 Brooklyn Mine and Aqua Fria Ruins

The American Southwest is rich in Native American History but very few locations allow off-road enthusiasts the opportunity to drive right up to ruins like you can in the Aqua Fria National Monument. Roughly 40 miles north of Phoenix, this little known area has some of the best preserved Indian and early settler stone ruin sites. The earliest inhabitants were people that lived in the region between 1250 and 1450 A.D. They created an intricate network of over 450 mass dwelling sites that are spread out all over the area. The monument was created to protect the ruins, the beautiful Aqua Fria River, and its tributaries. As noted in the Presidential proclamation on Jan. 20, 2011 “The monument contains one of the most significant systems of late prehistoric sites in the American Southwest.” 9014 will lead you back in time to ancient Native American ruin sites that have been naturally preserved for over 500 years. When you walk around the ruin sites, you have to pay attention to where you step because pottery shards are all over the ground. These small pieces are easily spotted by their smooth surface and red hue but please only take pictures to help preserve the history for future generations. You can also view thousands of petroglyphs lining the cliffs, while below there are old remains of the Brooklyn Mine operation.