Walnut Canyon National Monument - National Parks (U.S.) on Waymarking.com

Walnut Canyon is a canyon in Arizona, famous for its cliff dwellings. Those dwellings were home to the canyon's only permanent inhabitants more than 800 years ago. Inside the canyon and throughout the pine forests on its rims, these people made their living by farming, hunting deer and small game and gathering an assortment of useful plants and trading. The people are known today as Sinagua - Spanish for "without water" - a tribute to their ability to turn a relatively dry region into a homeland.

Most of the ancient evidence in the area is in the form of cliff dwellings along the Island Trail, but there are also some ruins from an earlier period along the Rim Trail. This two-room pueblo, for example, represents the type of architecture that began around A.D. 1100, shortly before the Sinagua moved into the cliff dwellings.

Rim Trail

	The Rim Trail is a short, wheelchair accessible trail along the western rim of Walnut Canyon. It's a great trail at any given season, even in winter. The trail has a couple of archaeological sites and offers staggering views into the canyon.

Island Trail

Between the visitors center and the "island" is a deep cut through the rock. This "saddle" is the former streambed of Walnut Creek. Long ago, the result of earthquakes blocked that channel and forced the stream into another bed flowing around the obstructed area. The creek cut deeper and deeper into its new bed, finally producing the island effect you see now.

The "island" is a pinnacle, accessible only across a narrow ridge that connects the island with the canyon wall. Thus, in ancient times, the cliff dwellings around the island were very well protected. Today, a concrete stairway with about 300 steps makes this a moderate, enjoyable hike.

Cliff Dwellings

	Cliff Dwellings in Walnut Canyon Click on the pictures for larger images

The Sinagua people arrived in this area about 1,400 years ago. Usually, the built one-room pithouses near their fields, but at about 1125, at the time of the largest geographical extend of the Sinagua culture, they moved into Walnut Canyon. The cliff dwellings were occupied little more than 100 years. By 1250, the people moved to new villages a few miles southeast along Anderson Mesa and were eventually assimilated into Hopi culture. The Hopi today call their ancestors Hisatsinom ("people of long ago"). Their tradition suggests that these early migrations were part of a religious quest to have all clans come together

Room with a view. Click on the pictures for larger images

This is one of the few places where one can actually touch and enter ancient cliff dwellings. If you decide to do so, please do it in a respectful way honoring the spirits of the "People of long ago." Feeling the past Touching an 800 year old hand print in the clay wall.

Walk 3,000 miles in ten minutes

North Walnut Canyon's deep meanders and steep sides create a patchwork of sun and shadow. The shady north-facing slope is cool and moist whole year long, giving rise to ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.

Intense sunlight hitting the south-facing slope even in winter produces near-desert conditions where cactus, yucca and juniper thrive. Within minutes, those walking the island trail pass through vegetation zones similar to those encountered on a trip from Canada to Mexico. South