Walnut Canyon National Monument

This was a nice little stop to see the cliff houses from around 800 years ago. There is a fee to enter but free with the national parks pass. Your first stop will be the visitors center as thats where the trail down to the cliff houses begins, its out the back door. So stop in, look around, then head on downstairs to the trail which was 1.6 miles for me and took 45 minutes to walk. There are over 700 stairs steps in total so you'll get your exercise in, but so worth seeing these houses up close. There are many directly on the trail, and many off in the distance to view. Overall I spent 1.5 hours at the monument.

Busy due to proximity to Flagstaff. Hiked both trails, less than 2 miles total. Moderate hike. 270+ steps to get back to the visitor center from the Island Trail. Plenty of ruins to admire. Visit in conjunction with Wupatki and Sunset Crater for a better trip

I guess I saved the best for last during my Flagstaff trip. You can almost hear the sound of children's laughter. And the voices in the communities here. What a majestic place hike the island trail to really experience the ruins keep in mind you're at elevation and you have to go up and down about 700 plus steps. If you can't make it enjoy my photos.

A really underrated piece of NPS land. My girlfriend and I walked the Island Trail around a bend in the gorge. The trail is short but there are many steps. If you're a fat person you may want to allow extra time (60-75 minutes) to complete the circuit.

Hike down to the cliff dwellings involves lots of stairs but is totally worth it! Volunteers were very informative. Highly recommend! Cliff dwellings and the canyon were fascinating!

The history here is incredible, what a great place to visit. You need to know that it is not a quick in and out if you want to hike the whole trail, and there are a billion, or maybe 10 billion stairs. 😄 But it really is a good hike, read up on it a bit before you go so you can see the significance of this awesome place. The visitors center has restrooms, information, and a small gift shop. There is the Rim trail also which is shorter and flat, in case the stairs are an issue. Plenty of parking too, I highly recommend.

Many visitors skip Walnut Canyon National Monument on their way to the better-known parks, but do yourself a favor and don’t be one of them. This is a small site with an incredible sense of history and scenery packed into a short visit. If you stop by, make sure to take the Island Trail, the loop that brings you down into the canyon and around the cliff dwellings. It takes roughly 45 minutes, give or take, and every minute is worth it. You’ll walk down about 180–200 steps—enough to get your attention, but once you reach the main loop, it levels out and becomes a beautiful walk with views in every direction. Just remember that Walnut Canyon sits at a high elevation, over 6,600 feet, so if you’re coming from sea level, take it easy. The air is thinner than you might expect, and before you know it, your heart will be working overtime. But the reward is huge: stunning canyon walls, remarkably preserved Sinagua cliff dwellings, and a quiet, peaceful landscape that feels far removed from the busier parks. It’s one of those places where a relatively short hike gives you a deep sense of the people who lived there centuries ago. Don’t rush it, enjoy the views, catch your breath when you need to, and take in the history around you.

The rangers and volunteers here are so kind and sweet. Loved this park so much. Love that its less crowded too. Ive been to a few with native dwellings. I plan to see all of them. This one is in the top 3. Beautiful views.