But along the eastern border, is a 20,850 acres (8,440 ha) U.S. wilderness area on the Tonto National Forest in the state of Arizona.
From 500 to 950 AD the region stood at the boundary between three distinct traditions: the Mogollon to the east, the Hohokam to the west, and the Sinagua to the north.
Tree ring dating of timbers used in construction indicates that the Anchan ruins were built and occupied over a relatively short seventy-year period, from 1280 to 1350, which would make them Salado in origin.
Adding to the mystery is the fact that the ruins are constructed in extremely inaccessible locations, raising the possibility that defense against invasion was a strong motivation.
It has been suggested that this may have been the remnants of an older or hybrid community that managed to cling to its traditions for some time after the surrounding area was occupied by the Salado.