Echoes of the Past: Honoring the History of Our Land
Dove Mountain is more than a scenic retreat — it’s a community that connects you to the rich history and beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
Our two newest neighborhoods, Boulder Canyon and Saguaro Reserve, offer residents a front-row seat to this ancient landscape, where rugged rock faces and rolling hills lead to protected peaks dotted with petroglyphs reflecting millennia of human history.
As we observe National Native American Heritage Month this November, we honor the successive generations of Indigenous people, including the Hohokam and Tohono O’odham, who have inhabited and shaped the terrain we call home. Join us as we explore their profound impact and enduring traces on this remarkable land.
12,000 Years of Human Presence
There’s a reason Tucson, Arizona, is lovingly called “The Old Pueblo.” Tucson is one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in all of North America.
Though hunter-gatherers roamed the Tucson Basin at least 12,000 years ago, permanent agricultural settlements first sprang up at the base of Sentinel Peak (“A” Mountain) around 200 BCE. Considered Tucson’s birthplace, this site was home to the Native American village of Cuk Ṣon (pronounced Chuk Shon), which gave the city its name.
These early farmers of the Santa Cruz River floodplain were the first to develop irrigation canals to nourish their crops of maize (corn). Between 50-500 CE, they also crafted the oldest ceramic pots discovered in Tucson. These innovations paved the way for the complex agricultural societies that would follow, including the Hohokam and their descendants, the Tohono O’odham people.
The Hohokam: Engineers of the Desert
With sophisticated canal systems stretching over 500 miles, the Hohokam flourished in Central and Southern Arizona between 500 CE and 1450 CE. By harnessing water from the Santa Cruz, Gila and Salt Rivers, the Hohokam transformed the desert, nourishing 110,000 acres of fertile farmland and sustaining the largest population in the Southwest. In the process, they engineered the most expansive and complex irrigation system on the continent. Indeed, some of the state’s earliest canals were repurposed from the Hohokam, and modern water canals still follow Hohokam routes.
The Ancient History of Dove Mountain and the Tortolita Fan
The Tortolita Range, Dove Mountain’s majestic backdrop, bears witness to the rich history of this region. Here on the northern edge of the Tucson Basin, archeological evidence shows sporadic human settlements stretching from the Early Agricultural Period (c. 2100 BCE-50 CE) into the early Hohokam Classic Period (c. 1150-1450 CE), with the most intensive use between 500 and 1150 CE.
Most of the 48 documented sites around Dove Mountain were temporary camps. However, the largest sites — in the Wild Burro and Ruelas canyons — were likely permanent. It’s easy to see the canyons’ appeal: here, early Sonoran Desert people were perfectly positioned to collect seasonal mountain runoff and fresh water from nearby perennial springs.
While most village structures have been lost to time, magnificent petroglyphs remain throughout Tortolita Mountain Park, offering a glimpse into the spiritual beliefs and daily lives of early inhabitants.
Tortolita Mountain Petroglyph Sites
Experience history first-hand with a hike to the Tortolita Range’s many petroglyph sites, either on your own or with an experienced guide through Marana Parks and Recreation.
For remarkable examples minutes from home, take to the Wild Burro Trail, easily accessed from The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Once you reach the mouth of Wild Burro Canyon, you’ll see pre-Hohokam petroglyphs with elements dating as far back as 6,000 BCE, including depictions of spear throwers with atlatls, ingenious mechanisms to increase the safety, accuracy and speed of spear hunting.
The Wild Burro Trail connects to the Alamo Springs Trail, leading to Hohokam grinding holes and petroglyphs created between 1100 and 1450 CE.
Be sure to admire from a distance to preserve these priceless artifacts for future generations.
Explore Beyond Dove Mountain
Ready to delve deeper into the region’s history? The town of Marana offers a wealth of archaeological sites, including two significant petroglyph locations within a 30-minute drive of Dove Mountain. Grab your hiking boots, hat and water and hit the road to these nearby destinations:
Los Morteros Conservation Area (25 minutes from Dove Mountain):
Just a short walk from El Rio Preserve, this Hohokam village sits west of I-10 near the intersection of North Silverbell Road and West Linda Vista Boulevard. Occupied from 850 to 1300 CE, it can be explored via a system of walking paths with placards detailing its history. Its name comes from the clustered mortar holes in volcanic rock at the center of the site, used to grind mesquite pods, seeds, and corn. Other archeological findings include remnants of trincheras (terraces), canals, pit houses, a ballcourt, roasting pits, trash mounds and pottery.
Picture Rocks Petroglyphs (25 minutes from Dove Mountain):
Hundreds of petroglyphs depicting animals, human-like figures and geometric designs can be found on the grounds of the Redemptorist Renewal Center off Picture Rocks Road at the foot of the Tucson Mountains. Though the site is open to the public, visitors are asked to sign in at the main office. For a special treat, visit on the Summer Solstice or Fall Equinox, when the sun hits the rocks to form an arrow of light at the center of a spiral glyph.
Las Capas Irrigation Canals (25 minutes from Dove Mountain):
The 4,000-year-old Las Capas Irrigation Canal site was continuously occupied from 1250 BCE to 750 BCE. When discovered in 2009, it rewrote history, pushing back the earliest known date for large-scale agriculture in the United States. Located west of the I-10 freeway at Ina Road, thousands of prehistoric striations stretch over the 123-acre site once used for large-scale corn cultivation.
Mission Garden (30 minutes from Dove Mountain):
Stop in at Mission Garden to visit Tucson’s birthplace at the base of Sentinel Peak. This living agricultural museum showcases traditional heirloom crops and offers workshops on native agricultural practices, live demonstrations of ancient technologies, plus farmers’ markets and bird walks.
Romero Ruins (35 minutes from Dove Mountain):
Explore the remnants of one of the last Hohokam villages with a visit to the Romero Ruins at Catalina State Park, dating to 500 CE and once the home of as many as 200 Hohokam people. A short ¾ of a mile hike leads you to a ridge with discernible foundations, ball courts and ancient trash piles.
Signal Hill (45 minutes from Dove Mountain):
With 200 petroglyphs dating from 550 to 1550 years ago, Signal Hill contains the largest petroglyph cluster in Saguaro National Park West. Take Bajada Loop Drive and off North Golden Gate Road, you’ll find Signal Hill Road leading to the trailhead. An easy ¼ mile hike leads you to anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and geometric glyphs.
King Canyon (45 minutes from Dove Mountain):
Start on the trailhead across from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, bear left and head into the sandy wash. This beautiful hike leads to a vast array of petroglyphs less than a mile from the trailhead, carved into the canyon walls between 300 and 1450 CE.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (1 hour from Dove Mountain):
Admire the great house, the largest known prehistoric structure built in North America, plus nearby dwellings and ceremonial mounds at this significant site featuring region’s best-preserved Hohokam structures.
Dove Mountain is more than just a place to live; it’s a community that honors the rich heritage of the land. By preserving one-third of the 6,200-acre property as open space, we ensure that future generations can continue to appreciate the natural beauty and cultural significance of this uniquely special place.
About Dove Mountain
Experience the beauty of living close to nature. At Dove Mountain, one of the best golf course communities in the country, you’ll find Tucson new luxury homes tucked into Saguaro-studded high desert landscapes, including custom homes with mountain and city views and golf course homes on or steps from three of Arizona’s best golf courses.
To learn more about all that the Dove Mountain community has to offer, contact Dove Mountain Properties at 888-603-7600, or connect with us via our online inquiry form.