Hiking Trails and Outdoor Recreation in the US National Parks, Forests and Monuments

Arizona Monuments

 

















 

 

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Sunset Crater National Monument

Sunset Crater National Monument is a 100 foot high cone shaped volcano colored bright red, orange and yellow surrounded by black basalt. 

 The volcano
 erupted A.D. 1064 and continued for 200 years.  It has 2 trails, the Lava Flow Trail is 1-mile through the lava flows and explores a variety of volcanic formations.   The Lenox Crater Trail  which is 1-mile round-trip provides gives you the chance to climb a cinder cone. It is 93 miles from the Grand Canyon South Rim and 21 miles from Flagstaff.  It is a good way to spend 2 hours while touring through the Flagstaff area, less than 25 miles away.

Montezuma's Castle National Monument

Montezuma Castle National Monument is about 51 miles south of Flagstaff on I-17.  The castle is a well-preserved cliff dwelling built in the twelfth and thirteenth century. It is a  5-story structure built into a recess in a white stone cliff about 50 feet from the ground originally occupied by Sinagua Indians who farmed the surrounding land.  A short self-guided trail takes you past the castle but it can only be viewed from the ground; tours inside the structures are not permitted.

 

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Walnut Canyon National Monument is located off exit 204 on I-40 then 3 miles south on a short spur road. It is 98 miles from the south rim of the Grand Canyon and 12 miles from Flagstaff.    It is a 400 foot deep gorge with over 300 cliff dwellings once inhabited by the Sinagua Indians in 1000 to 1200 A.D. There is a  visitor center with a small museum that is on the cliff edge with panoramic views east and west. Two trails include the flat 0.7 mile Rim Trail, which goes along the canyon rim and passes a few ruins.  The 0.9 mile Island Trail Loop descends 185 feet by 240 steps and passes several cliff dwellings with views of other ruins in the opposing cliffs.  You can step inside the dwellings to get a feel for how the inhabitants lived.

Wupatki National Monument

Wupatki National Monument is on US 89, thirty five miles north of Flagstaff.  There are hundreds of ruins once occupied by the Hopi Indians from 1100 to 1225.  There are 3 trails in Wupatki that will take you past the ruins: the Wupatki Pueblo Trail is a self-guided tour of the largest pueblo in the park and is less than .5 miles round trip; the Lomaki Pueblo Trail is a .5 mile walk to several pueblos and the Doney Mountain Trail ascends .5 mile  from the picnic area to the top of the cinder cone for  views of the surrounding area.

Chiricahua National Monument

The Chiricahua National Monument's spires and rock formations were formed by a volcanic eruption 27 million years. Two thousand feet of silicious ash and pumice fused into a rock called rhyolitic tuff that formed the formations as it eroded.Chiricahua plants and animals represent one of the premier areas for biological diversity in the northern hemisphere. There are 17 miles of trails in Chiricahua National Monument.  Of particular interest is:

  • Echo Canyon Trail (3.5 miles) - moderate trail that begins at the Echo Canyon parking area. Goes through  spectacular rock formations to Echo Park and returns via the Hailstone Trail. Probably the most scenic trail in the monument. Soon after starting the trail reaches "Wall Street", where the tall rock columns crowd in the trail and then drops into Echo Canyon where there are many great views of the rock formations among pine and oak fed by ground water.

  • Heart of Rocks Trail (1.3 miles) - This difficult trail also begins at the Echo Canyon parking area or you can start at the Massai Point parking areas. Goes through pine and fir forests and offers great views of the Totem Pole, Balanced Rock, Punch & Judy and other rock features. A short loop of 1 mile just beyond Balanced Rock leads into the Heart of Rocks area. If you prefer a longer, scenic route, begin at the Chiricahua visitor center. The trail is 7.1 miles beginning along the bottom of Rhyolite Canyon where the small stream is enough to support oak and pine. After 1.5 miles, you will follow along Sarah Deming Canyon with more vegetation and beautiful rock formation. After another 1.5 miles you will reach a junction with the Heart of Rocks Loop that will go .9 miles. Return the way you came unless you have a car to get back that you park at the above Echo Canyon or Massai Point trailheads.

  • Inspiration Point Trail (1 mile) - A moderate trail that offers views all the way through Rhyolite Canyon. It begins at the Heart of Rocks trail , approximately two miles from the Echo Canyon or Massai Point parking areas.

The free hiker's shuttle leaves the Visitor Center every day at 8:30 a.m. Park staff drive you to the upper canyon trailheads so you may hike back down the canyon.

Mammal species include: javelina, coatimundi, hog-nosed and hooded skunks, white-tailed deer, bears, and mountain lions. Birds seen include: magnificent hummingbirds, black-chinned hummingbirds, Scott's orioles, hepatic tanagers, painted redstarts, yellow-rumped warblers, red-faced warblers, and black-headed grosbeaks.

There is an 8-mile scenic drive to Massai Point. Along the derive is Faraway Ranch, hike the Echo Canyon Loop trail (3.5 miles). Stop at Faraway Ranch, a pioneer homestead and later a working cattle and guest ranch that offers glimpses into the lives of Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson, and their children. The house is furnished with historic artifacts which not only give us reminders of our youth and our ancestors, but one can also trace the development of technology during the first half of the twentieth century.

Visitor Center: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily; closed Christmas Day. Peak season is from March - May

Directions: Located 120 miles east of Tucson. Exit I-10 at Wilcox, and follow State Route 186, 36 miles to the monument.

Casa Grande National Monument

is almost midway between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona near Interstates 8 and 10. 80 miles north.  It is the nation's first archeological preserve, protecting the Casa Grande and other archeological sites within its boundaries, including remains of a walled village near the Big House and remains of other villages nearby.

 

 

 

 

 

Tumacacori National Historic Park

66 miles south of Catalina State Park preserves the ruins of 3 early Spanish colonial missions on 47 acres of southern Arizona. The oldest and best preserved of the three, San Jose de Tumacacori, was built on the site of a Pima Indian village and has been under administration of the National Park Service since 1908.

 

 

 

 

 

Navajo National Monument

The monument is a bit out of the way, its 278 miles NW of Phoenix and 140 miles NW of the south rim of the Grand Canyon but the scenery on the drive there and the cliff dwellings are worth the trip.  There are three of the most intact cliff dwellings of the ancestral puebloan people (Hisatsinom). The monument is surrounded by Navajo Nation land, which is essentially private property. The Navajo people who live here today call these ancient ones "Anasazi."  There is a visitors' center with a museum, exhibits about ancestral puebloan people, modern Navajo culture, and a movie about the cliff dwellings. Traditional Navajo demonstrators show their rug and basket weaving, silversmithing and paintings.  The visitor center is open 8 AM to 5 PM, seven days a week.

Behind the visitor center there are two trails to a distant overlook of the Betatakin cliff dwelling, and an overlook of a relict forest left over from the Ice Age. Signs along the trails identify native plants and how the Hopi and Navajos use them. Hikes to Betatakin must be led by a ranger and are available every day at 8:30 and 11 AM. It is a strenuous 5 mile hike. No fees are charged. Hikers should bring drinking water and be prepared for a strenuous trek.

A 17-mile round trip hike to Keet Seel is available  You must have a permit and because the number of permits is limited, you should reserve them far in advance (928-672-2700). The hike begins the same as the trail to Betatakin and once it breaks off from that trail it goes along the sandy bottom of Keet Steel Canyon. There is great red rock scenery along the way. Keet Steel is one of the South-West's best preserved ruins. There were 160 rooms and it was built between 1250 and 1286AD.  A ranger at the ruins will give a tour. There is a primitive campground (no water or wood is available). Temperatures in the canyon can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit so bring a lot of water. 

Navajo National Monument is on State Hwy 564, 10 miles from its junction with US 160.

Organ  Pipe Cactus National Monument

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument exhibits an extraordinary collection of plants of the Sonoran Desert.  Altogether 26 species of cactus inhabit the monument, including the saguaro and the organ pipe cactus, a large cactus rarely found in the United States.

The best hiking months are October through April because of the intense heat.  Bring a gallon of water per person, per day. Trail in the park are:

  • Visitor Center Nature Trail (0.1 mile round trip) An introduction to the desert and its plants. It can be negotiated by wheelchairs. A guide pamphlet is available at the trailhead.

  • Campground Perimeter Trail (1 mile round trip) An ideal leisurely walk at the start or end of your day. Pets are permitted.

  • Desert View Nature Trail (1.2 miles round trip) A circular route leading to vistas of Sonoyta Valley and the pink granite Cubabi Mountains in Mexico. Trailside signs describe features along the way.

  • Palo Verde Trail (2.6 miles round trip) trail connects the campground and the visitor center and is highlighted by views of the rugged Ajo Mountains. Pets are permitted.

  • Estes Canyon-Bull Pasture Trails (4.1 miles round trip) A strenuous climb to a high plateau where ranchers once wintered cattle. The trail passes some beautiful cactus and passes through Bull Pasture, a grassland sprinkled with cactus and surrounded by the Ajo Mountains. Hikers get great views atop Mount Ajo at 4,808 feet of Bull Pasture, and on a clear day, the Gulf of California.

  • Victoria Mine Trail (4.5 miles round trip) A hike over rolling terrain to the monument's richest and oldest Gold and silver mine.

The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm MST Check with the visitors' center for closings. They can provide you with helpful tips on hiking, exciting trails, and places to spend the night where you can find facilities on a par with those in aberdeen hotels. The Monument is 22 miles (35.4 km) south of Why on AZ Hwy 85 and 35 miles south of Ajo.

Kris Eggle Visitor Center - 520-387-6849

 

Tonto National Monument

The monument's well-preserved cliff dwellings were occupied by the Salado culture during the 13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries. The people farmed in the Salt River Valley and supplemented their diet by hunting and gathering native wildlife and plants. The Salado were fine craftsmen, producing some of the most exquisite polychrome pottery and intricately woven textiles to be found in the Southwest. Many of these objects are on display in the Visitor Center museum.

The monument is located in the Upper Sonoran ecosystem, known primarily for its characteristic saguaro cactus. Other common plants include: cholla, prickly pear, hedgehog, and barrel cactus (blooming April through June); yucca, sotol, and agave; creosote bush and ocotillo; palo verde and mesquite trees; colorful wild flowers (February through March); and a lush riparian area which supports large Arizona black walnut, sycamore, and hackberry trees.

A paved trail to the Lower Cliff Dwelling is self-guided (one mile round trip). Guided tours to Upper Cliff Dwelling, November through the end of April; three to four hours, three miles round trip; reservations required. Four tours given weekly, depending on staffing. Tours limited to 15 people and often fill quickly; call for reservations early. Pets are not allowed on the Upper Cliff Dwelling Trail.