Low expectations again were proven wrong. We allowed about 45 minutes for this stop and stayed over 2 hours. We were able to join a ranger talk and it was well done with a history that predated many of the ruins we have been touring. This building under a roof for protection dated from 800 to 900 years ago. The culture is much older with evidence of canals being built as early as 1300 BC and well established villages from 600 AD. The mature form of these occurred from 900 to 1450. At one point there were 250 miles, hand dug with sticks - of irrigation canals in this Gila River Valley supporting a large population in many walled communities. This four story structure, it is thought, was built to aid in managing these canals. Speculation that a massive flood destroyed the canals and thus forced the population to disburse for they could no longer feed the community. It took months to dig a few feet of these canals with the crude digging sticks they used. .
This male Great Horned Owl found shelter and a great place to hunt in the rafters of the protective roof.