Northern Arizona

Walnut Canyon – Flagstaff Arizona Cliff Dwellings

Just east of Flagstaff, Arizona you can see cliff dwellings at Walnut Canyon. You can see Native American, Sinagua dwellings date back some 700 years. There is a small visitor center and two trails available to hike.


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Flagstaff Cliff Dwellings: Island Trail

Originally published June 4, 2020 — Last updated September 2, 2026

The Island Trail is a mile long and considered strenuous. From this trail you can get up close and personal with 25 of the cliff dwelling remains. This trail has 240 stairs, so you will definitely get your steps in on this trail. The view from the trail is beautiful.

Walnut Canyon in Flagstaff
View from Trail

Once you reach the bottom of the stairs the winding path is fairly easy to walk and in no time you will be up close and personal with these ancient limestone cliff dwellings shaped out of shallow caves.

Walnut Canyon Cliff Dwellings in Flagstaff

Considering the Sinagua dwellings date back to the 1100’s it is amazing we have an opportunity to glimpse of how people lived in this rugged terrain. I thought it was amazing people were able to farm on the canyon rims.

walnut canyon cliff dwellings

Rim Trail

The second trail is call the Rim Trail and it is around .7 miles long. This partially paved trail has two outlook areas. If you visit in the winter the only trail that is open is the Rim Trail.

Rim Trail Walnut Canyon  in Flagstaff

While we were not able to see the dwellings up close on this trail we did get pretty close to a deer and had great views from the overlooks.

deer at Walnut Canyon

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Directions:10 miles east of downtown Flagstaff. Take exit 204 from I-40

Step Back in Time: Explore Arizona Cliff Dwellings and Ancient Sites

Nearby Attractions:

Flagstaff Tours

Amber is the writer behind Adventurer At Heart, sharing practical travel advice based on more than 25 years of exploring Arizona and traveling beyond it. She looks for places with a story, from desert trails and historic sites to scenic drives and towns worth your limited vacation time. When she’s not traveling, she’s gardening.