This document is a "Class I overview" of prehistoric cultural resources within the Lower Gila North planning area defined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Regional Class I overview preparation is an important phase of the cultural resource inventory process outlined in BLM Manual 8111, Release 8-3 (1978). All lands within the boundaries of a study area, not just federally administered lands, are taken into consideration. Based on a compilation and assessment of existing data, the overview provides guidance for future planning and management decisions regarding cultural resources. It incorporates background information on the natural environment, ethnographic occupation, and history of archaeological research; a review of culture history and anthropological research issues; a discussion of site types; and a comprehensive bibliography. The synthesis of this information is used to generate recommendations for inventory, research, and management priorities.