Honanki Heritage Site

You park and go to the attendant. It’s five dollars to get in and it’s a 30 minute walk. It’s so beautiful so serene so unbelievable. It is so peaceful and it speaks for itself. Very beautiful place and you can feel the ancient history behind it all. highly recommend going to see it. You will hit some bumpy roads going there before you get there, but it’s so worth it!

We visited here, via Pink Jeep Tours and loved it. Our guide, Cliff, knew so much about the area. It was a fascinating tour!

We hiked here after touring the Palatki Heritage Site. It was nice to do the tour 20 minutes away first to really understand what we were seeing during our experience at Honanki. We were greeted by an attendant that gave us a brief rundown of the site. There were some signs that also guided our study. The loop is less than a 1/2 hr walk and mostly flat. There is one section that breaks off but essentially you are seeing the same thing on both levels. I wish we had known this because we thought we would see 2 different places and ended up going around the entire site twice to follow the other loop. The dwellings were easily accessible for viewing with pictographs and petroglyphs. It is very historic, but unfortunately disrespected in years past by people who have defaced and added graffiti to this historic site. Overall, still worth seeing in combination with Palatki.

Give me a break!!! We drive all the way out today to find you are closed at a little after 2pm. Your gov’t truck parked outside and you hung a closed sign due to heat!!! Are you kidding, it’s Arizona. You could have at least driven back to the intersections where the arrows pointed us in your direction and hung a CLOSED sign! Unbelievable No stars for you Had to give you one so I could write a review

Was able to visit this site unguided by taking our Yukon. Road was a little bumpy at times but not too bad. There was at least one turn off we missed at first. It’s a dirt road. We wouldn’t have wanted to drive it in an open Jeep, you’d be covered in dust. Have to make sure you get there before 3 when they close. There is a dirt parking lot with a pay envelope station so have cash. We visited in May in 2024, it wasn’t too hot or very busy at the time. Short dirt trail to walk to the site was not very difficult, some older folk used walking sticks. It was pretty cool to see the ruins so up close and some petroglyphs. The sign explains how different ages of cultures have used it. Glad we visited!

This was a much better experience than I expected. There is so much to explore on the way but also a very impressive site to visit. A lot of places ro takes great pictures.

Tough getting here, took a ATV. A car might make it in good weather. It’s a short nice hike to see a nice piece of history.

This is fun! It’s a heck of a drive out here but it’s cute seeing the old dwellings in Sedona.

Visited here last week during our Sedona AZ vacation & we were blown away. Seeing & experiencing living history is just amazing. Loved this place!

Bumpy ride to get there but loved the guides and attention to detail of the tour . Very worth it !

This review is specifically about the approved concessionaire of Honanki Heritage Site, Pink Jeep Tours, and does not reflect the quality of the heritage site itself. Pink Jeep Tours is the sole tour guide operator to Honanki Heritage Site, and harasses and intimidates independent visitors to the public site. We were there on October 27, 2024, and were verbally accosted by Christin Glicos in Jeep #69 at the dwellings. As we were stopped and looking up at the walls of the site, she stopped right next to us with her three clients and told us to move along, adding that her clients paid $115 each to visit the (freely accessible) site. We responded that it was a public site and continued to admire the pictographs. It is not our responsibility to move out of earshot of the guides' spiels so that they can make the Pink Jeep Tours seem more valuable. As we returned to the parking lot, the man at the entrance to the Heritage Site, who apparently also works for Pink Jeep Tours, stopped us and accused us of confronting a tour guide (when all we were doing was standing there), and furthermore accused me of guiding an illegal tour. We were a family of four who had just visited the other dwellings and petroglyph sites in the Verde Valley and were familiar with the history and features of them. This accusation was uncalled for, and it is appalling to accost independent visitors at a public site for having knowledge about the sites (and thus not paying for their overpriced tour). Pink Jeep Tours has a monopoly condoned by the Forest Service to operate tours at these sites, but does not have the right to boss around independent visitors to these publicly accessible areas. Find another way to get yourself to this fabulous site rather than ride in an uncomfortable open-air jeep over miles of red sand and rocks and copious amounts of dust only to witness your guide rudely and unjustly chastise other visitors, and failing to provide exclusive information. Furthermore, I recommend visiting the Palatki Heritage Site down the road first, which is attended by welcoming, knowledgeable, and friendly Forest Service docents, to get yourself acquainted with the features of Verde Valley archeology. Then, when you visit Honanki on your own with your newfound knowledge, ignore the rude Pink Jeep Tours Guides, stand where you like, and (optionally) dress up like guides in safari shirts to freak them out.

Cool & scenic drive to Honanki cliff dwellings. It's a 10 mi dirt road to the site but any car or suv can make the drive (just a bit bumpy w washboard & rocks at times). Amazing mountain views along the drive. It's open 9-3

Worth the long and bumpy ride! The Honanki Ruins are located at the end of long 5 mile road that will be even a bit rough in a high clearance vehicle. Our little 4 wheel drive SUV barely made it and we needed to go slow. Yet, once you make it to the ruins, you'll know why the trip was so worth it! The ruins are so well preserved and the path provides an up close and personal experience. Seriously, you can still see the cave paintings, etchings, and standing structures at the ruins! Take the time to take in the views and wander slowly through the park. Since the park is not too large, it is able to be trekked through in around 30-45 mins. Definitely make the time to visit the Honanki Ruins if visiting Sedona!

The road says 5 miles and it doesn't say you need 4-wheel drive or a high-ground clearance vehicle but I'd be really, really cautious about attempting this 5-mile route in a standard car. I'm not sure my Honda Accord could have navigated the entire route. We were traveling with my brother-in-law who was driving a Jeep Cherokee. We really didn't need the 4-wheel drive but the high-ground clearance was most beneficial. O.K. - assuming you have a high ground clearance vehicle or you're brave enough to attempt this in your standard car -- this site is well worth the trip. The site is actually being managed by the company that runs the Pink Jeep Tours so you'll see a lot of Pink Jeeps in the parking lot. The hike back to the ruins is less than a mile and the terrain is not very challenging for the average adult. The trip in and the hike back to the ruins are worth it. The ruins are old cliff dwellings dating back about 1,000 years. The ruins are amazing and there is a lot to see. In addition to the ruins of the cliff dwellings, there are also a number of pictographs in and around the site. Great site to visit if you can get there.

4.5 miles dirt road not too rough but recommend taking Jeep, truck and or SUV. Parking day pass is required $5 and can be purchased at the trailhead via kiosk. Plan 45 mins to hour at the ruins.

The Honanki ruins, off of Route 89A (past mile marker 365) on Forest Road 525 in West Sedona, is just down the bumpy dirt road from the Polatki ruins nearby. The Sinagua people resided here from AD 1130-1280 and they left behind some wonderful pictographs in addition to the primitive structures that have stood at the base of a cliff wall. So many pictographs -- rock drawings for those unfamiliar -- in the southwest have been vandalized over the years by trigger-happy crowds and teenagers who obviously needed a better after-school program. Although you'll see remnants of some old school graffiti, many of this site's pictographs appear as if they had been drawn not too long ago. The colors are still vibrant and images bold. In spite of the dirt road to this site not being too friendly, it hasn't scared off visitors to this place. When you've had your fill of buying new age crystals and eating ice cream on Sedona's main street, take your newly energized Chakras out for a spin and check out Honanki.

The Honanki Ruins are as much a journey as they are a destination. If you have four-wheel drive and high clearance, start the drive on 89A in between Cottonwood and Sedona. The dirt road slowly deteriorates the closer you get to the ruins. For the first half of the drive, vanners, RVers, and weekend tents will dot the drive in. The campsites are sparse, not offering much more than a quiet view of the Sedona Red Rocks. The camping stops at the halfway point with offroad Razors as your only other competition. Views of the red rocks, grey rocks, and brown rocks continue to get better. The Sedona views are a strange beauty because they are not accompanied by the amusement park noise and crowds that generally come with the area. The last couple of miles are the roughest and you will only find Toyotas, Jeeps, and Razors parked at the Honanki Ruins. The difficulty of the ride there means that you will have the ruins to yourself. When my wife and I walked the short trail to the ruins, we were able to experience the whole thing alone, as if we had walked out of the Mesquites and were the original Honanki Ruins explorers.

The Honanki Ruins and heritage site is a nearly 1,000 year old cliff dwelling that was once inhabited by the ancestors of the Hopi tribe. The drive to the ruins is hard on your car. The roads are not regularly maintained by the county and there are a few really rough spots. We made it in a Toyota Corolla, but my girlfriend was grinding her teeth for the entire 9 miles drive. The scenery along Route 525 is amazing. It's totally worth the wear and tear on your car. The ruins consist of a dozen or so small clay and stone dwellings that were built directly into the mountain side under an overhang. Each dwelling is about the size of a New York apartment, in other words, pretty small. We found the ruins by mistake while were driving around on the backroads. It was one of the best things we saw in Sedona. There were a ton of tour groups ferrying people to the ruins in those pink Jeeps. The hike to ruins from the parking lot is only a quarter mile, so pretty much anyone can do it. You need to have a Red Rock pass to park. Directions: From 89a in Sedona, Turn onto Forest Road 525. Follow Forest Road 525 for 9.5 miles. From here, cross over the cattleguard into the parking area. There are several brown signs for the Honaki Ruin along Route 525, so you'll know that you are headed in the right direction. I have a bunch more Sedona area hikes on my blog at http://www.southcaladventures.blogspot.com/

We had the added bonus of coming in winter. While the road is indeed bumpier and muddier, it's far more worth the drive. Though it's possible a regular car could make the trek, I wouldn't do it unless I were in a jeep, truck, or SUV. I tell you the drive to the ruins was an adventure all its own with the vehicle sliding this way and that in the mud, driving through frozen rivers, and worrying about encountering oncoming traffic on a road only wide enough for our SUV while going around hairpin turns. Use extreme caution when considering this drive. I have included a few photos displaying the various conditions of the dirt road in winter. But getting to why it was far more worth it during this snowy time. A small waterfall, above the ruins, rains down a light mist which hits the trees below. As you hike through the snow, you suddenly encounter this gorgeous winter wonderland of icicles (see photos: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ilKrttSK1RgSIW8vKkO2hw?select=v1VBDTjTAkVl5YCeHdz6Cg). You can go right up to the ruins and look at the pictographs of people and animals left all over the rock walls. It's very fascinating. When you first get to the parking lot, you encounter a small shed-like structure. Inside is a ranger who briefs you about the ruins: how old they are and how you shouldn't touch them. The ranger we met was a sweet older lady with an Australian shepherd for company. The hike to the ruins isn't very long, but it sure is pretty. If you can make the drive, I'd thoroughly recommend coming. If you aren't into exploring such things with many people and tourists around, the added bonus in coming during the winter is having the trail and the ruins all to yourself for the most part. It wasn't until we were leaving that a Pink Jeep from Sedona pulled up.

See my other review on Palatki ruins. Both are small settlements in cliffs and most likely were occupied by the same families. Great history on both places and its nice to see places like this are valued and keep from being destroyed. Entrance is free but a parking permit is required. Tour is self-guided. Its about 4.5 miles past Palatki ruins and its worth the drive on the dirt road to get there.

Make sure you get a parking pass. If you go to a "Visitor's Center" that is not affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, they may give you the wrong information --and tell you that you don't need a pass for Honanki-- But YES, you DO. They don't sell them. You can get a $5 pass for the car at the Chamber of Commerce. Also, you do NOT need to call in advance to get a reservation to walk through the Honanki ruins. Most literature will tell you to call ahead because they only "take groups of 10 people at a time, every twenty minutes". This is NOT for Honanki, even though you may have a brochure that tells you this under the "Honanki" section. The phone number they list is for all of the local ruins, and if you call they are scheduling you for the Palatki Heritage site, so make sure you clarify this when/if you call. You are free to browse Honanki all by yourself. The hike there is pretty quick and you cannot touch anything, but it is really cool! Totally worth going. We suggest you call ahead to ask about the road conditions before you go. Our Buick made the trip just fine, but it is slow going. The road is hard packed dirt and lots of rocks. A smaller car might have trouble with shocks. A jeep is perfect. The dirt/rock road has some dips and hairpin turns. It is eleven miles from 89A, if you are taking FR 525, west of Sedona. If the weather is good and dry and you have a sturdy car, don't let the road prevent you from going! Try it! Our visit was on December 28, 2013 and the day was chilly and sunny. There was zero mud. When we got home there was dust on the car, but no mud. So--it depends on the day and the time of the year.

Honanki ruins are neat. The walk path leading up is manageable for pretty much all. We brought someone with bad knees along and they were able to navigate it slowly but ok on the occasional harder section. The only drawback is the graffiti on the landmark.

We rented an ATV from Sedona ATV and Buggy Rentals (highly recommend!!) and took the trail through the red rocks to get to this beautiful place. The large rock that the ruins are located in is breathing taking and GIGANTIC!!. Really fun experience. You can also drive there if you'd rather not ATV, but I highly recommend the ATV. Beautiful!!

I came here last year on a Pink Jeep Tour with my family. After an off-roading adventure across the rocky desert and down nearly vertical hills, the ruins were a cool finale. It was remarkable how relatively well preserved everything was. It's impossible not to let your mind travel back in time and imagine what life would have been like in this beautiful cliff dwelling. You can still see the marks where the smoke from daily cooking hit the overhanging wall and there are pictographs everywhere. Very cool. The hike in is very easy and we saw tons of wildlife hanging out near the beaten path. You can also see the Polatki ruins nearby. We did come across a lot of bees, so if you're allergic, be sure to come prepared.

Great, family friendly tour. A few different options of different time and hiking length. Educational and interesting. Recommended

Beautiful, educational and unique. Adults and kids enjoyed it. Easy, short hike. Note: There are 2 parking areas. Many make the mistake of parking at the first parking area and the hike up the dirt road is long. There is parking right next to the entrance of the Honanki Ruins. Also there are 2 trails. The Discovery trail is slightly longer and the better way to go to the Honanki Ruins

Just finished the early (8am) Pink Jeep Ancient Ruins tour with Kelli: would highly recommend both her and this tour. Early tour got us there before masses of folks arrived-cooler air to enjoy the short walk right up to view the living spaces, pictographs and petroglyphs. We would never have known any of the information about the native cultures, plant life, the secrets of the original buildings, or how the land came to be preserved and the covenants for homesteads that we passed. While folks can hike in on their own, there isn't signage to provide comprehensive information. One of the best parts is leaving the drive across rough backroads, to a pro, so we both could enjoy the glorious vistas.

While my wife and I were on vacation, we decided to visit the Honanki Ruins. If you are in the area, I would highly advise taking the time to visit. You can't wander on your own; you must choose one of the tour times they have available. The husband and wife team that run the place are delightful. The gentleman who gave us the tour was knowledgeable and a pleasure to listen to and speak with. Then there are the ruins. Absolutely beautiful views and a visit to 1,000 year old cliff dwelling that was inhabited by the Hopi tribe. Words can't do it justice - just visit!

You have to venture further from Polatki on an even bumpier and muddier road to visit Honaki. You can walk right up to these ruins, which has encouraged vandals to create their own "rock art". That is unfortunate. Still, I appreciated really getting up close and seeing the rooms and the fire marks and imagining the people who lived there. Some interpretive signs would have been nice because there was no ranger there. The trail to the ruins was incredibly muddy, but short. A nice little side trip in Sedona.

The ruins and pictographs were great. These are much more spread out than the Palatki ruins. At this location you hike up on your own. There are no volunteers at the ruins to give you a history or tour. I would recommend seeing the Palatki ruins first for the information. Beware, though the volunteer at Palatki ruins said you could easily take a car up to the location, I would recommend only a high clearance vehicle. We did it in a sedan but it was pretty rough and bumpy. Take water and a hat.

Closes at 3PM and it is not advertised very much like it is at the ruins close by called Palatki. pretty sure it would have been equally awesome, but since we rolled in at 3:15 we could only look from the parking lot. they let the Pink Jeep Tour people in after 3 which is a total racket if you ask me. Next time we will get there earlier and I will write another review. Palatki is amazing so we are excited to see these ones too. Another word of caution is the last 7.5 miles is pretty nasty road meant for a 4 x 4. we made it in our minivan but it was slow going. luckily the whole area is so unbelievably beautiful just being there is always great!

This place was great. I felt like an explorer looking for treasure. My kids loved it too.