Walnut Canyon: The Hike to the Ruins

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Walnut Canyon National Monument is located south of Flagstaff in Arizona.  The canyon is approximately 20 miles in length and over 400 feet deep.  When you walk the trails, you will be awestruck by the beautiful scenery and shear cliffs with several types of cacti and Douglas fir trees.  At the end of the trails, you will see the cliff dwellings of the Sinagua people.  I was amazed on how well their homes were constructed and how they were able to live on the side of the mountains.


You will have a choice of two different trails to take.  One is the Island Trail which is 0.9 mile long, with over 240 steps down and then up afterwards, it is about an 185 foot climb.  Coming back up this trail is grueling but worth it.  This is the one my sister-in-law and I went on.  On this trail, you will pass by 25 of the cliff dwelling rooms, some of which you can go inside.  The trail is asphalted, about 3-4 foot wide with sheer cliffs on the side.  This is not a good trail for those who can't handle heights.  The other trail is called the Rim Trail and is about 0.7 mile long.  It has a flatter trail and passes the ruins of rimtop structures.  The park has picnic areas with campgrounds, lodging, and restaurants nearby.

Walnut Canyon National Monument
(928) 526-3367
www.nps.gov/waca
9 am to 5 pm daily except closed Christmas day












Comments

  1. Sharon DayNovember 18, 2015 at 7:53 AM

    Beautiful pics! That place has such a nature and spiritual feel. The ruins are fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Julie FergusonNovember 18, 2015 at 8:00 AM

      I spilt up the trail pictures with the ruins pictures in two separate posts. As usual I took tons of pictures. My next post is on the ruins.

      Delete

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