Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon protects cliff dwellings built into limestone ledges in a forested canyon just east of Flagstaff. A stepped trail loops around an island of rock in the canyon, passing close to about 25 rooms, and a level rim trail looks across at many more.
Fast facts
- Established: 1915
- Size: about 3,500 acres (14 km²)
- Signature trail: the Island Trail, a 1-mile (1.6 km) loop with about 240 steps
- Builders: the Sinagua, who lived here from about 1100 to 1250
- Gateway: Flagstaff, Arizona, 7.5 miles (12 km) west
- Managed by: the National Park Service
The landscape
Walnut Creek has carved a canyon about 400 feet (120 m) deep into layered limestone and sandstone. Softer layers eroded into long overhangs, and people walled them in to make rooms facing the sun. Ponderosa pine grows on the rim, with oak, juniper and desert plants on the canyon’s south- and north-facing slopes.
Best time to go
Spring and fall are best. Summer brings heat above 95°F (35°C) on the south-facing Island Trail and afternoon storms from July to September. Winter can bring heavy snow and ice; the canyon sits at about 6,700 feet (2,040 m).
Getting there and around
Take I-40 exit 204 east of Flagstaff and drive 3 miles (5 km) south to the visitor center at the end of the road. The trails start at the visitor center.
Things to do
The Island Trail drops about 185 feet (56 m) by stairs from the visitor center and circles a promontory in the canyon, passing about 25 cliff dwellings close enough to look inside. The Rim Trail, about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) round trip and mostly level, passes a pueblo and a pit house with views across the canyon.
This is a short visit. For longer hikes, the Arizona Trail and the trails around Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks are close by.
Staying safe
The climb back up the Island Trail’s stairs is strenuous at this altitude; take it slowly and carry water. The trail has drop-offs. Ice and snow can close it in winter. Afternoon lightning is common in summer.
Know before you go
An entrance fee applies (America the Beautiful pass accepted). The monument has set opening hours, and the Island Trail closes earlier than the visitor center. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm hours and trail status with the National Park Service before you go.
- Coordinates
- 35.1801, -111.4950
- Magnetic declination
- 9.7° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 2
Park entrance
Visitor centre
On the trail 3
Trailhead
Routes
Sights 2
Heritage sites
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Spring, Fall
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- Access / trailheads
- I-40 exit 204 east of Flagstaff, then 3 miles (5 km) to the visitor center.
- Water
- At the visitor center.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Fair near the visitor center.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911. Visitor center: 928-526-3367.
- Permits & regulations
- Entrance fee (America the Beautiful pass accepted). Set daily hours.
- Leave No Trace
- Stay on trails, never enter or lean on walls, and leave artifacts in place.
January
- Below-freezing nights
February
- Below-freezing nights
March
- Below-freezing nights
April
May
- Day-to-night swing of 31°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (31°F)
June
- Day-to-night swing of 31°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (31°F)
July
August
September
- Day-to-night swing of 32°F (18°C)Day-to-night swing of 18°C (32°F)
October This month
- Day-to-night swing of 32°F (18°C)Day-to-night swing of 18°C (32°F)
November
- Below-freezing nights
December
- Below-freezing nights
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Walnut Canyon National Monument station at 6,695 feet (2,041 m)2,041 m (6,695 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Arizona’s youngest volcano, a thousand-year-old cinder cone north of Flagstaff, with easy lava-flow trails and a loop drive to Wupatki.
-
Wupatki National Monument
Stone pueblos on the high desert north of Flagstaff, including the largest in northern Arizona, on a loop road with Sunset Crater.
-
Petrified Forest National Park
Fossil logs more than 200 million years old, the pastel badlands of the Painted Desert and Route 66 history in northeastern Arizona.
-
Grand Canyon National Park
A mile-deep (1.6 km) canyon carved by the Colorado River, with rim viewpoints and inner-canyon trails.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
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