Wukoki Pueblo: What to See at Wupatki National Monument
Wupatki National Monument sits out on the high prairies of the southern Colorado Plateau, and it feels like a place where time has been carved directly into the landscape. Established in 1924, this monument preserves thousands of archeological sites, though only six are open to the public. On our way from Sunset Crater to Page, my son and I decided to stop for a visit. While the monument is home to the massive Wupatki Pueblo, we spent our time exclusively at the Wukoki Pueblo, a site so captivating that it nearly caused us to miss our scheduled tour of Upper Antelope Canyon.
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Planning Your Visit to Wupatki National Monument
Location: Northern Arizona, about 50 minutes from Flagstaff
Address: 25137 North Wupatki Loop Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time
Seasonal Closures: Most trails are open daily sunrise to sunset, but the visitor center does have Winter hours.
Park Pass Needed: Standard Entrance Pass or NPS America the Beautiful Pass
Entrance Fee: $25/car check the NPS website for current fee pricing
Park Map: Park map
Pets: Dogs are not allowed on trails
FUN FACT: Although the monument is a dry desert today, the sandstone contains ripple marks, mud cracks, and marine fossils that prove this area was once an ancient sea.
Loop Road
The drive along Loop Road between Sunset Crater and Wupatki is a quiet, but very cool experience. We started out surrounded by the volcanic hills and dark cinder cones of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. As we continued, the landscape opened up into broad vistas of desert grasslands, mesas, and buttes. Along the way, we noticed groups of the natural rock formations that had fractured into those perfect, flat building blocks used by the people who lived here centuries ago.
Visiting the Wukoki Pueblo
The pueblo sits on a rock outcropping set within the vast grasslands. From this vantage point, you can look out across the high desert at the deep red sandstone and San Francisco Peaks in the distance.
Wukoki Pueblo Trail
The Wukoki Pueblo Trail is a short, 0.2 mile walk that leads you directly to the base of the pueblo.
Desert Cottontail
Keep your eyes peeled. You might see wildlife, such as coyotes, ground squirrels, side blotched lizards, or gopher snakes. While exploring near the trail, we spotted a desert cottontail hopping around.
Wukoki Pueblo
Wukoki Pueblo is an eight room structure built on a large sandstone pedestal between the early 1100s and mid 1200s CE. During our visit, the area was quiet and we were the only people at the site. The builders used Moenkopi sandstone, which naturally breaks along flat edges to create straight building blocks. These were held together with mortar made from local clay. While occupied nearly 1,000 years ago, this site was a center for daily life where residents farmed the surrounding land, processed plants, and manufactured tools. Evidence of their activity has been found in chert arrow points, pottery, and shell bracelets.
Wupatki is managed alongside Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon as the Flagstaff Area National Monuments, protecting a combined total of over 40,000 acres and 3,000 archeological sites.
Apache Plume
The Apache Plume is native to the southwest and thrives in the high desert environment.
Is Wupatki National Monument Worth Visiting?
If you are in Northern Arizona, it’s definitely worth stopping at Wupatki National Monument. There is something deeply moving about standing in a place that was bustling with life 1,000 years ago. Because the focus is on the pueblos and their significance, the park doesn’t feel touristy. It is peaceful. We loved it, and lingered longer than we should have.
Optional Items to Bring
National Park Service Sites in Northern Arizona
Arizona is home to 22 National Park sites! 13 of those sites are located in the northern half of the state.
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument
- Grand Canyon – Parashant National Monument
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Navajo National Monument
- Tuzigoot National Monument
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
- Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Ancestral Lands
The eruption of Sunset Crater eventually brought Ancestral Puebloan people back to the region, as the resulting volcanic ash created soil that was beneficial for farming. Thirteen federally recognized tribes are associated with the area, including the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Havasupai Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, and the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. These modern communities trace their lineage back to the earlier inhabitants of the area, such as the Sinagua people.
LEAVE NO TRACE
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This review is based only on Jennifer’s experience. Explore at your own risk with the understanding that individual scenarios in a natural environment will be variable.
