Wupatki National Monument — Attraction in Flagstaff

Step Back in Time in Northern Arizona

Wupatki National Monument is a historical site located north of Flagstaff, Arizona. It is where ancient Anasazi people lived and thrived in the desert. One can see impressive stone structures and learn about a fascinating past.

I first visited the site many years ago. At that time, it was not well excavated, and only a couple of dirt roads led to it. However, that has changed since then. Not only have the roads improved but there is also much more unearthed.

Wupatki means "Tall House" in the Hopi language. It was home to the Ancestral Puebloan people, also known as the Anasazi. They settled here around 500 AD and saw a boom in their community after the Sunset Crater Volcano erupted in the late 11th century, enriching the soil for farming. When I first visited more than twenty years ago, the assumption was that Anasazi people left the region because of the eruption.

The main attraction, Wupatki Pueblo, is a large stone building with over 100 rooms, a community room, and a ball court. This pueblo was a central place for trade and gatherings. The ball court is especially interesting as it suggests they had cultural connections with other regional groups.

There are other sites within the monument. One of them is the Lomaki Pueblo, a smaller site with nine rooms on a canyon's edge. Then there is the Citadel Pueblo, positioned atop a hill, offering great views and believed to serve as a lookout. Finally, the Box Canyon Dwellings, built within a canyon, show how the Pueblo people adapted to their environment. The Pueblo people left Wupatki around 1225 AD, but their well-preserved buildings and artifacts remain. Today, various Native American tribes consider Wupatki a sacred ancestral site.

You can explore the pueblos at your own pace through self-guided tours. I highly recommend you start at the visitor center to learn more about the history through exhibits and a short film. For a deeper dive, you may join guided tours and ranger programs to understand the daily lives of the Ancestral Puebloans. Wupatki offers several hiking trails with beautiful views. The Wupatki Pueblo Trail is an easy walk, while the Doney Mountain Trail provides a challenging hike with panoramic views. The monument's diverse ecosystem is home to various plants and animals, including jackrabbits, coyotes, and desert vegetation.

You should check the National Park Service website for details on operating hours, entrance fees, and amenities. Whether for a day trip or a longer stay, Wupatki National Monument promises an unforgettable experience, offering a glimpse into the past and the beauty of the ancient world. It is a historical and...

I didn't know a whole lot about this site other than that it was close to Flagstaff, and that we could visit TWO National Monuments on the same road! I love a twofer, so we arrived at Wupatki after a long drive in from Vegas.

First let me say that the problem with traveling in winter is the limited amount of daylight to get anything done. However, the bonus of traveling in winter is that the Golden Hour is pretty much stretched out to all afternoon. So it was that we pulled in to the entrance of Wupatki at 3:30 with the most beautiful winter light highlighting the grass and the landscape. It was utterly enchanting. Coming in from the north, our first stop was the Box Canyon Pueblos, and they glowed. The trail to see them all was easy and worthwhile, and I couldn't stop muttering "oh wow, oh wow" when I thought that these gorgeous ruins are over 1000 years old!

Next stop, The Citadel. This one is VERY cool. Don't make the mistake, as I initially did, of thinking that the pueblo in front is what you are there to see. That is just the storehouse! The pueblo is on top of the hill, with a trail leading to the top, and it is SO COOL! Be careful with little kids, though...there is an unexpected drop off as you round the bend.

From here, the road crests over a hill revealing the most incredible view of the desert. The transition from grasslands to desert vistas is really spectacular!

Finally we made our way to the Visitor Center. There is a lot of great info here, but the real reason you make the stop is that the main attraction, the Wupatki Pueblo, is out back. WOW. What a sight! And the best part is that there is a trail so you can walk right among the ruins, unlike at other places. Kid had a great time exploring here, and she was very curious about the different details, like the blowhole and the gathering circle.

Whether you love ancient history or have imaginative kids or you just enjoy beautiful landscapes, this is definitely a great place to visit!

JUNIOR RANGERS: The book here is small and required some exploration of the Visitor Center and the pueblo. It can be finished in less than an hour, though you can start it here and finish it at Sunset Crater if you need to (and vice versa); the rangers have the books and pins for both sites. Badge is a basic pin, and a Flagstaff Area Jr. Ranger patch is available for sale at any of the...

This was part two of our National Parks tour for the day. (We stopped at Sunset Crater first). Wupatki is about a 25 min drive from Sunset crater.

The visitor center is along the left side of the road when coming from Sunset crater and the blowhole and Pueblo is located behind the center.

The restrooms are great here as well. Very clean. The visitor center itself is smaller and full of information. The rangers were so helpful with information.

My kids also completed the Junior Ranger program and got their badges for both Sunset Crater here as well as Wupatki.

The Pueblo is stunning. You can walk around it and close to it on the pebble trail. If you follow the trail to the right, you pass by other structures. There is a book you can purchase in the visitor center for $2. It’s a great price and packed with info!

Follow the trail all the way down and to the right and you will come to a place that looks like a square chimney coming out of the ground. This is the blow hole. It’s so cool! We were visiting on a day where the blow hole was blowing air out and not sucking it in. To understand how this works, read the sign!!

What a fun place to visit! We are so glad we stopped. We even saw a lizard.

Go back out on the road and go to the Lomaki Pueblo as well. Look over the ledge of the flat part of it to see a petroglyph.

Don’t forget to get your National Parks passport stamp here!! My kids love collecting them in their books! A daily fee is paid at the visitor center. We are active military so we have a free national parks pass. Buying a pass would be worth it so you can visit all the wonderful parks in the USA!!

Don’t forget to get your photo in front of the monument sign! It’s a couple miles from the visitor center on the way from Sunset crater. It comes up quick so be ready to pull...