Good farmland, wild plant foods, and forests filled with game attracted the Sinagua
to this pretty canyon more than 800 years ago. Ledges eroded out of the limestone
cliffs provided shelter from rain and snow—the inhabitants merely had to build
walls under the ready-made roofs. Clear waters of Walnut Creek flowed seasonally
in the canyon bottom.
After occupying Walnut Canyon from A.D.
1125 to 1250, the people moved on. Some Hopi clans trace their ancestors back to
Sinagua at this site. More than 300 cliff dwellings remain; you can see and enter
some along a loop trail. Another loop trail on the rim passes viewpoints, a pithouse
site, and a two-room pueblo.
Visitor Center
A small museum (928/526-3367,
www.nps.gov/waca, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily,
usually extended in the warmer months, $5/person age 17 and up) displays pottery
and other artifacts of the Sinagua culture. Exhibits show how the people farmed
and how they used wild plants for baskets, sandals, mats, soap, food, and medicine.
A map illustrates trading routes to other indigenous cultures. Staff offer interpretive
programs and answer questions about the archaeology and natural history of Walnut
Canyon. During the summer, they lead the Ledges Hike to cliff dwellings off the
main trail, the Ranger Cabin Hike to a 1904 Forest Service cabin that once served
as a visitor center for Walnut Canyon, and a Moonlight/Starlight walk that introduces
archaeo-astronomy; call ahead for times and to make reservations for the hikes.
A bookstore sells a wide selection of books, maps, and videos related to the monument
and region.
The self-guided 0.9-mile Island Trail begins
behind the visitor center. As it winds past 25 cliff dwellings, you begin to get
a feeling of what it was like to live here. The paved path descends 185 feet with
240 steps, which you'll have to climb on the way out; allow 45–60 minutes.
Because of the high elevation (6,690 feet), the trail isn't recommended for people
with mobility, respiratory, or cardiovascular problems. The easy Rim Trail
visits two scenic viewpoints, a pithouse site, and a small pueblo; signs describe
plants and wildlife found here. Allow 20–30 minutes for the three-quarter-mile
loop, which is paved, level, and wheelchair accessible. Pets cannot go on trails.
Vegetation changes dramatically from the pinyon and juniper forests near the rim
to the tall Douglas firs clinging to the canyon ledges. Black walnut and several
other kinds of deciduous trees grow at the bottom. Rock layers will be familiar
to Grand Canyon visitors. The lower 100 feet of Walnut Canyon is Coconino Sandstone,
265-million-year-old sand dunes that have turned to stone. The upper 300 feet is
Kaibab Limestone, formed in a sea about 255 million years ago.
Walnut Canyon National Monument remains open all year except Christmas, though snows
can close the trails for short periods. Vehicles pulling cars and large trailers
may have trouble negotiating the turnaround loop at the visitor center. You'll find
picnic areas near the visitor center and on the drive in. From Flagstaff, head east
seven miles on I-40 to Walnut Canyon Exit 204, then turn south three miles on a
paved road.
Arizona Trail near Walnut Canyon
Hikers and mountain bikers enjoy forests,
canyon scenery, and views of the San Francisco Peaks along this section of trail.
A sign 2.5 miles in on the Walnut Canyon National Monument road points the way to
a trailhead 1.7 miles to the west along a graded dirt road. From here the path heads
southwest, crossing a side canyon of Walnut and paralleling the rim before dropping
down into upper Walnut Canyon just west of Fisher Point in about six miles. A branch
of Flagstaff's Urban Trail System joins here. In another mile you'll reach the junction
for Sandy's Canyon Trail, which climbs the canyon to a trailhead near Lake Mary
Road in three-quarters of a mile. The Arizona Trail curves to the southeast and
continues four miles to Marshall Lake. Mountain bikers may need to walk the steep
sections at the side canyon and at the descent into Walnut Canyon. The monument
visitor center may have a map.