If it is hot where you are, and you are anywhere near Silver City, NM, why not take a day off to cool down at the Gila Indian Ruins about 40 miles above Silver City. At its nearly 7500 foot elevation, Silver City is guaranteed to be a lot cooler than most places around the country even though we are heading into the dog days of August.
My husband and I loved our visit to these ruins, and can't recommend a side trip to see them highly enough.
The hike up to where you can actually go inside the dwellings is a little more difficult than just an afternoon stroll in the park, but once you reach the ruins and enjoy the fabulous view from the top, you will agree that it was well worth the effor. Besides, there are little benches all along the way so you can stop and catch your breath for a few minutes every now and then before traveling on.
A tourist center located at the bottom of the hill has lots of reading material available and a gift shop loaded with wonderful items you'll want to purchase as mementos of your trip. The tour is self-guided (and free) with little signs explaining everything along the way so you don't have to worry about keeping up with a group.
My husband and I conbined our trip to the ruins with a trip on over to Albuquerque NM for the Gathering of the Tribes ceremony, another must see thing if you are ever in the vicinity.
If you want to bone up on ancient cliff dwellings before you go, two good books to check out are Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument by Laurence Parent and Ancient Ruins of the Southwest, by David Grant Noble.
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