I love visiting national parks and national monuments but I had never heard of Walnut Canyon Nation Monument prior to our trip to Flagstaff. Once I realized that we were only 15 minutes away from the national monument, my husband and I decided to take a side trip and check it out. Oh boy, were we glad we did! Walnut Canyon National Monument is truly an impressive place full of history and dramatic views. So, here are my reasons why you should see the Walnut Canyon in Arizona:
Why you should see the Walnut Canyon in Arizona
#1. Explore the ancient cliff dwellings
Walnut Canyon National Monument will give you an amazing insight into the cliff dwellings that the Sinagua people inhabited more than 700 years ago. The cave dwellings are perched into the canyon walls high above the ground. If you take the Island Trail, you’ll be able to walk into many of them and see how the Sinagua people lived.
#2. Admire the amazing canyon
Walnut Canyon is certainly spectacular. We were shocked at how deep and lovely it looked! The canyon walls have partly exposed Kaibab limestone and are covered with ponderosa pines. All around the upper part of the canyon walls, you will see the cliff dwellings. The scenery is really dramatic!
#3. Enjoy the hiking
If you like to hike, why not come to Walnut Canyon National Monument? The park offers two wonderful trails. The Rim Trail is an easy and flat 0.7 mile trail that offers nice views of the canyon and scattered ruins. The Island Trail, much more spectacular in my opinion, requires you to descend (and later ascend) 185 feet into an island in the canyon. However, this trail takes you directly next to the cliff dwellings and offers dramatic views of the canyon. While I would definitely recommend the Island Trail, there is nothing wrong with just doing the Rim Trail if you’re not up to climbing stairs at 7,000 feet of elevation. Regardless which trail you take, you’ll definitely enjoy hiking here.
