Walnut Canyon National Monument

See more than 300 Northern Arizona cliff dwellings that were abandoned 800 years ago.

The magnificent geologic formations of Walnut Canyon are reason enough to visit. Upon closer examination, visitors discover a vast collection of cliff dwellings that 13 modern tribal communities link their ancestry to. Walnut Creek carved this pristine canyon just 10 miles east of Flagstaff. Visitors walk to a series of small rooms notched into the canyon walls and get an introduction to the archaeological and cultural legacies left behind by the area’s indigenous people.

Get Up Close

Start at the visitor center and museum perched on the canyon’s rim. From there, two trails bring the ruins into view. The paved Island Trail has more than 700 steps that lead 1 mile in and out of the lush natural area. Keep an eye out for coyotes, mule deer, bears, javelina and mountain lions. Along the trail, walk right up to remnants of the area’s first homesites and see 25 rooms in remarkably good condition. Back up top, the Rim Trail is a flat, paved walkway that features spectacular overlooks of the canyon plus a partially rebuilt pueblo and pit house.

Tour Ancestral Pueblos

Learn about the robust trade routes that once passed through the area and the innovative agriculture techniques born in these villages. Less than an hour north of Flagstaff, Wupatki National Monument preserves the largest free-standing pueblo in Northern Arizona. Visitors can get up close to this site with ancestral ties to Hopi, Zuni and other modern tribal communities. South of Flagstaff near Sedona, see other ancient pueblo structures at the Palatki and Honanki heritage sites. These ancient cliff dwellings are made even more spectacular by their red rock surroundings.

Visit Flagstaff

The historic railroad and Route 66 town of Flagstaff is one of Arizona’s biggest surprises. First, it sits at 7,000 feet and has a ski resort. The college town also takes pride in its pioneer roots and shares those stories with visitors at Museum of Northern Arizona, Riordan Mansion State Historic Park and a stretch of neon signs and motor lodges that preserve a snapshot of Route 66’s heyday. Plenty of hotel and camping options make Flagstaff the perfect spot to turn the trip to Walnut Canyon into a high-country weekender.