Skeleton Cave (Arizona) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skeleton Cave |
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Skeleton Cave located in Salt River Canyon
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| Location | Salt River Canyon Wilderness |
| Entrances | 1 |
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Skeleton Cave Massacre Site
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| Nearest city | Apache Junction, Arizona |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1872 |
| Architectural style | Natural Cave |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000100 |
| Added to NRHP | February 21, 1991 |
Skeleton Cave is a special cave in Maricopa County, Arizona, in the United States. It is found inside the Salt River Canyon Wilderness. The cave is on the northern side of the Salt River Canyon, close to the Horse Mesa Dam. This place is famous for a sad event that happened in 1872. It was the site of a battle where many Yavapai people lost their lives during the Battle of Salt River Canyon.
Because of its important history, Skeleton Cave was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This list helps protect important places in the United States.
About Skeleton Cave
Skeleton Cave is also known by other names, like Apache Cave or Skull Cave. It's not a very deep cave, more like a rock shelter. It formed where a cliff wall hangs over. The cave is about 40 feet (12 m) deep and around 118 feet (36 m) wide. It sits high up, about 1,200 feet (370 m) above the river, at the bottom of a 170 feet (52 m) tall cliff. You can find it a short distance from Canyon Lake.
A Look Back in Time
The Yavapai people used Skeleton Cave as a hiding spot. They were trying to stay safe from George Crook and his soldiers, the 5th Cavalry. On December 28, 1872, a sad event happened here. Crook and his soldiers attacked the Yavapais in the cave. This was a major battle during the 1872 Tonto Basin Campaign. It was also part of the larger Yavapai War that lasted from 1871 to 1875.
After the battle, the 5th Cavalry left the bodies of more than seventy Yavapai people in the cave. For many years, from 1872 until about 1905, the cave was mostly forgotten.
Rediscovery and Relocation
In January 1908, a local rancher named Jack Adams visited the cave with some friends. They found the remains of the Yavapai people still there. They also found some of their belongings. This is how the cave got its name, Skeleton Cave.
Later, after 1908, new dams were built nearby. This led to the cave being found again. Sadly, some people took things from the cave that belonged to the Yavapai. In 1933, the remains of the people who died in the battle were moved to Fort McDowell.
Today, the area around Skeleton Cave is a wilderness area. It is managed by the United States Forest Service. Getting to the cave can be a difficult hike, but it is an important historical site.
