Gila Bend is an important stop on your history tour of the Southwest. Located in the cattle and farming region of the Gila River Valley, the first farms were established by Jesuit missionaries in 1699. West of town is the site of the 1851 Oatman Massacre, where west-bound settlers and their covered wagons met the local Apache Indians.
Things to do in Gila Bend
Organ Pipe National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument celebrates the life and surrounding beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Here, you can drive a lonely road, hike a backcountry trail, or just soak in the warmth and beauty of the great Southwest. The Monument exhibits a wonderful collection of plants of the Sonoran Desert, including the organ pipe cactus, a large cactus rarely found in the United States. Call 520-387-6849 for more information.
Painted Rocks Petroglyph
The Painted Rocks Petroglyph is an ancient archaeological site containing hundreds of symbolic and artistic rock etchings, or "petroglyphs," produced centuries ago by prehistoric peoples. Many well- known events in Arizona history occurred near the Petroglyph Site, including the expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza that founded San Francisco, the Mormon Battalion and the Butterfield Overland Mail. Call 623-580-5500 for more information.
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