Walnut Canyon National Monument

March 20, 2019

The Sinagua people of arid Arizona were a pre-Colombian people who lived in Walnut Canyon circa 1100 CE to 1250 CE. The canyon was formed by Walnut Creek, and lies on the Colorado Plateau. Here, the Sinagua built around 80 dwellings beneath ledges of Kaibab limestone.

The visitor center features architecture from both the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Mission 66 era. The visitor center is the starting point for all visits to Walnut Canyon National Monument.

From the visitor center you can take the Island Trail that is a 0.9 mile loop trail that descends 185 ft into the canyon passing 25 cliff dwelling rooms.  Remember you will have to climb back up the 185 vertical feet via 273 steps.  Make sure you take plenty of water, especially during the summer months.

Though they were adept at thriving in such a dry climate, and are even thought to have established a trading empire that extended towards Central America, why they abandoned their small community in Walnut Canyon remains a mystery. The picturesque site is now a protected national monument and visitors can walk through the ruins of the pueblos nestled beneath the cliffs.

Others have visited the canyon since the Ancients departed. With the construction of the railroad nearby in the 1880s, Walnut Canyon became a popular destination; scores of “pot-hunters” streamed into the canyon. Armed with shovels and dynamite, these souvenir-seekers upturned ancient floors, toppled enduring walls, and desecrated graves.

The theft and destruction alarmed local citizens and led to establishment of Walnut Canyon National Monument in 1915.

Other contemporary habitations of the Sinagua people are preserved in the nearby Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle National Monuments.

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