Wupatki National Monument Reviews

This was unexpected as we were hiking thru Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument not knowing that if you take the 34 mile scenic loop after leaving Sunset Crater you come across the Wupatki National Monument. It's a beautiful drive so make sure to do this. And it is here that you come across the remains of these pueblos that have been preserved with some still to be discovered. Easy to walk thru at your own pace. All paved surfaces. Definitely worth the stop. And so different from Sunset Crater. There is a Visitor Center but with COVID it was closed. The gift shop and restrooms are open.

This National Monument is one of the mant sites to see around Flagstaff, AZ. This cne is north of Flagstaff, and north of Sunset Crater. Wupatki National Monument shows how life was in this era. Very educational and a must see for people that are interested in native american life. d Since this is a National Monument all sites are well marked and descriptive.

Love love love this place. So many different ruins in the monument, all explorable and easily accessible without long hikes. They are beautiful as well with the red of the structures matching the red of the rocks they are taken from and sit on.

Interpretation of the ruins is beginner level, but in many ways there isn't much more known about the occupants.

We were unable to go inside the visitor center, so perhaps that would have provided more information.

Great for a couple hours visit.

Well worth seeing this historical site. Posted signs and photos show how remaining ruins might have looked when still inhabited. Easy walking.

About 18 miles outside Flagstaff on historic route 66 there is a turnoff to a 30-mile loop that takes you to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, provides a view of the Painted Desert, and then takes you to several ancient pueblos carved into red rock including Wupatki National Monument. Well worth the trip.

Great place to see and learn about the history of the area, neat to see the ruins. Park service staff was knowledgeable and friendly, very helpful.

This visit was our surprise of the day. I didn’t think that our teenage boys would be very interested in this, but the trail guide was informative and just gave the right amount. The Pueblo is bigger than it looks and it did take us 45-60 min to walk around the path.

Really interesting that ancient civilizations were living in this area before and after the volcanic eruption. You can tell they were good architects with little to work with.
Best seen in the morning. This was part of out Grand Canyon tour with Great Venture tours

The loop overall is a little over 30 miles and spans a difference of 2,000 feet elevation. On the north end of loop are a series of Pueblo ruins you can visit to see some well preserved homes of the indigenous people in the area. The walks to each ruin are very short and easy. Although I enjoyed seeing these ruins I had very little information to make the visit meaningful. I suggest going when you can have a ranger tour, speaker, or visitor center otherwise you really don’t see much more than rocks. Also, this elevation is low do temperature about 20 degrees warmer than Flagstaff. The south side of the loop are lava fields (really incredible scenery) but there is no view of the crater. I did think this loop is well worth the visit and only 30 min north of Flagstaff.

Be sure to have ample time as the five trails are at different locations along a 14 mile stretch. Each one is unique for different reasons but the Pueblo at the Visitors Center was our favorite. Also, this is the only stop of the five with the running water/flushing toilets as a side note.

There are 3 national monuments within close proximity to one another and Flagstaff -- Wupatki, Sunset Crater and Walnut Canyon. I'll review Wupatki here. Sunset Crater Volcano erupted in 1080 AD, 17 miles away from Wupatki. You can still see evidence of volcanic ash. The pueblos settled in this area after the volcano. The ash actually improved the region's land for farming and allowed the soil more ability to retain moisture. Sounds crazy but that's the amazing thing about geology and science. The pueblo community has 100 rooms (excavated to this point), 2 kivas and a ballcourt. It's quite a site to see and we were there while archeologists were workiing within the site. Worth a stop to see this important piece of ancient history..

Cool little stop when touring the coconino national forest. Easy trail, short, great for people looking for easy access to peublos.

This was not a planned destination but since I was in the area why not? The buildings were more ruins but with the information on the boards you can figure things out. I was able to walk around on the paths. There was a bit of an incline on the way back but very manageable. Covid again interfered with talking to the staff to learn more due to distancing. I t could have been much more interesting but still worth seeing.

This park and Sunset Crater are connected via a 30 mile loop. We didn't do that this time, but toured some of the Indian ruins. Fascinating place to visit.

Just north of Flagstaff, the Wupatki National Monument is an excellent opportunity to see historic pueblo dwellings that were once very impressive communities. Visiting these sacred places, you feel the history and the energy and the soul of those who considered it their home. The signature Wupatki Pueblo is especially interesting, with a ballcout, a blowhole, and many rooms. Driving and hiking to find some of the other pueblos across the Monument adds to the allure of this site. The one drawback is that you have to purchase the interpretive map for the main pueblo but we didnt find that out until after we explored it. For same price, you can also visit Sunset Crater National Monument and its actually more convenient to do so than to drive back to the main highway.

Easy to get to. You can walk up into it and on it. Great for photographers. Not very crowded in May.

This is one of many National Monuments in Arizona that highlight the history of indigenous peoples and that deserves visits from modern Americans who recognize our diverse history.
There are multiple sites within the protected area with the actual "Wupatki" one being the largest--but not necessarily the only one worth a look. All can be easily reached by the road that traverses the monument lands. All require some walking to access, but none involve really long or overly challenging treks.

Take a walk through time to learn about how the native people's lived over a thousand years ago. The structures are quite impressive, although they have had some help with restoration work over the years. It's interesting to learn how the impact of the eruption creating Sunset Crater impacted the people and agriculture of the area. Rangers are very friendly and knowledgeable!

So on my quest to visit as many national parks as I can with my national parks pass [where I want to get as many passport stamps as I can] I visit the Wupatki National Monument in Flagstaff Arizona. This is a unique park where you can see old pueblos from the Hopi Indian Tribe. There is the main one at the visitor center as well as a few more scattered throughout the drive.

This is a definite trip and it is connected to the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, which means you can tour 2 parks in one day!

After researching the area before our trip we decided to visit Wupatki National Monument. Planned on Sunset Crater as well but due to the Tunnel fire that portion was closed to visitors. Wupatki was still an amazing place to visit. There are walkways that lead you through multiple ancient ruins from a Pueblo community. You could walk past homes, ballgame pits, and even a blowhole. There is a visitor center where you can pick up a guide that explains the ruins. Make sure you visit all three Pueblo areas and not just the one at the visitor center.

I have been here several times. Not too far north of Flagstaff. The movie Easy Rider was filmed on the road into here. There are numerous ruins and each is well presented.

This entire region is dotted with unknown ruins yet this one was cleaned up and stabilised to preserve an American community of 1,500 years ago. It doesn’t appear to most to be a favourable place to live but the visitor center displays illustrate how people lived back them and how climatic conditions have changed.

A well documented look at ancient native american culture and beautiful landscape. So glad we preserve these.

Wupatki National Monument preserves a number of massive Native American dwelling places and cultural sites. The Wupatki site is the largest and is remarkably well preserved. The large dwelling structure is the centerpiece with several smaller sites including a geological oddity and a mesoamerican ball field. The rangers here were very helpful with my many questions. The other site I stopped at was Citadel Pueblo. A path leads to the top of the mesa where Pueblo ruins are present. The view from the top overlooking the Painted Desert was awesome. It’s no wonder that people chose such a spot to build and live. This is a must-visit location in conjunction with Flagstaff’s other two national monuments.

So glad we heard about this place when we were at the Ranger Station for the Sunset Crater (and glad we had time to visit!). A bit of a drive north, but worth it, to complement our visit to Montezuma's Castle and Well in the Sedona area. Such unique ruins.

It was a dry hot day. But the trip up from Flagstaff was worth the trek. You can learn so much about early history of people who lived in this region. Make sure you get the maps and descriptions pamphlets offered. It is needed to truly understand what you are exploring. The ruins are fairly intact, but one must read a bit to get the understanding of the site. I have to admit I wish it was not so hot and that I had much more time to explore, read and understand the ruins of these ancient people. I love this type of history and if it is something that interests you, I highly recommend you see it and walk it and feel a bit of the ancient history of the South West USA.

A nice place to view and climb around the ruins. It doesn't offer much else, but if in the area, they are worth visiting. The drive connects to Sunset Crater, which is a decent drive through.

Roughly an hour from the East Rim entrance of the Grand Canyon, this is a fantastic excursion if you only have half a day for exploration. We left the Grand Canyon Desert View Watch Tower at 1:30 (after a full morning on the East Rim) and were back in the Grand Canyon park by 6 -- just in time for dinner. This park is a gem for several reasons. 1) You travel toward Cameron, where you will see the impressive Painted Desert in the vast horizon (you can also get lunch or snacks at the roundabout here), 2) You pass through various different ecosystems to get there, 3) You travel through Navajo Nation to get there and that has its own sights and opportunities for souvenirs/jewelry/buffalo jerky, 4) The park is located on the beautiful Antelope Prairie flanking the Painted Desert, and 5) If you only see one pueblo in the park, see the one behind the visitor's center, which will give you an idea of native American culture as it existed 900 years ago . I had modest expectations of this little park; the sights and wonderful rangers, however, blew me away. We were traveling with our teens, who had never seen any dwellings like this on the East Coast. The park has a visitor center (only 8 people at a time due to COVID) with nice auxiliary bathrooms (no people limit), a water fountain outside, a place to fill up your water bottle inside, appropriate and informative exhibits, a movie (you watch it outdoors due to COVID) and a gift shop. The ranger who was out in front of the visitor center was full of great information. Around 1100, this land was occupied by about 900 native Americans, and you can visit some of the excavated sites of their dwellings. My favorite sites were the citadel (before you get to the visitor center), a 3-story tower that may have had as many as 50 rooms, and the pueblo behind the visitor center, which includes a sporting ring, a ceremoinal ring and a blow hole (a true favorite of my teens, who liked to stand over it for the "air-conditioned" natural air). If you have extra time, go see Sunset Crater, which is in the same park. My younger teen was feeling too hot (yes, bring water bottles, which we didn't) and tired, or we would have traveled another 16 miles into the park to see the crater. If you feel like visiting Flagstaff after you've been to the park, you can but it's another 50 minutes down the road. The ranger said that that is her nearest grocery store. (The ranger staff live on the property.) Yes, the park address is Flagstaff, but it's a ways away from downtown. Just so you know! Overall, I highly recommend the Wupatki experience for Grand Canyon visitors who want to see the Painted Desert AND the prairie AND a pueblo but don't have loads of time! Even younger kids will like this, and it doesn't involve tons of walking.

We didn't make it while the visitors center was open but we're still able to go and explore even after hours...

Loved the views and some of the historic lessons taught by the Ranger. We drove off the main road to the headwaters of the Little Colorado River...miles before it meets up in the Grand Canyon. The Wapatki village was fascinating, including the amazing hole in the ground where the earth "breathes!"

Our grandkids (10 and 7) loved the National Park Junior Ranger program. The rangers were very friendly and helpful. Pueblo was very interesting.

Very interesting, short and doable hike with interesting artifacts. The blowhole was my favorite and really does work!

This was SO cool. Really interesting and informative signage. It is hard to imagine how early people were able to live in such inhospitable terrain, but the ruins made it easier to do so. It was extremely hot the day of our visit, remember to use sunscreen and bring water. You can refill your bottles here, too.

We went to both this Pueblo and Montezuma’s castle on our vacation, and they are both amazing and quite different from one another.

Allow about 60-90 minutes to visit this pueblo and the lava flow. Definitely worth a trip and admission price.

We combined a day trip to Sunset Crater and then Wupatki National Monument as they are 30-40 minutes apart. In the 1100's there was a vast farming community living at Wupatki whose descendents are the Hopi, Zuni and Navajo peoples of the Southwest. These ruins are a reminder of the migratory people who lived here when the soil supported their crops and who moved on when it became less fertile.

I did not do enough research beforehand to take advantage of everything the ruins have to offer. There are actually many separate ruins to see at the location. You could easily spend the whole day here and nearby Sunset Crater.

This is a fascinating place. You can walk down to the village and see that there was a spring in the center. It is interesting to contrast how this one was built differently than those of the cliff dwellers. This park has a nice gift shop that you can visit as well, (a good place to cool off after the hike down to see the village.)

Easy drive and short walks to incredible structures built many hundreds of years ago. Highly recommended. Only frustration was that the museum was closed when we were there in the middle of the day.

Many folks head to the Grand Canyon by way of Williams. For those who want to take a different route, I would suggest Hwy 89 North with a long stop at Sunset Crater. If you are camping, don't dismiss Bonito Campground, a small but delightful place to spend the night with flush toilets, water and lots of space between sites. Wupatki is worth the drive because you see a gorgeous view of the Painted Desert on the way and are treated to the wonderfully preserved Wupatki ruins. Young and older folks and especially children will love the "blow hole" and the ball court at the bottom of the ruins. If you continue on the loop you can resume your trip to the "Big Ditch" (as we call it here) with a stop for breakfast in Cameron, if you like. You avoid the crowds by entering the Canyon and visiting Desert View before the somewhat lengthy drive to the El Tovar (another must see building with a fabulous lunch and dinner opportunity!) I live in Flagstaff and I still take the trip several times a year--it's totally worth it!

Great place to learn of previous cultures that lived in this area. The ruins are well maintained with trails taking you each specific area. Great learning experience

I drove through the whole monument and stopped at about half of the villages but it didn't really impress me. Why, I actually don't know but I think there might be nicer things to do out there, especially that I found most of the things to be rather small.

A beautuful look at a once thriving COMMUNITY long ago! Wooden walkways make it accessible & makes it easier to check out smaller ruins in this area!

One of the points of interest on the way to the canyon as part of the Great Venture Tour w Mark Friedman

Not a lot is made of this historic site so it was surprising to find so many ancient structures within the area. The Wutpaki main site, a large structure part of what would have been a sizeable town 1000 years ago. Then the ruins of Wukoki pueblo standing tall alone in the desert surroundings and Citadel pueblo. History would have you believe that there were just a few people living in tents before the white man arrived, fortunately it's being rewritten.

There are great views here along with many pueblos. The largest pueblo is the Wukoki Pueblo which at about 20 feet tall is one of the largest free-standing pueblos in the southwest. We were the only people at it & it was neat to be able to closely examine it. I'm glad we came to the park.

Stopped and toured the ruins after driving by Sunset Crater Volcano. If you paid the entrance fee there then Wupatki is free - just have to show your receipt. Very cool ruins you can walk around and its very well marked with interesting history bits on each section. The park ranger can give you a plastic binder with the info on each area. But be forewarned - there is NO shade out there and it is melt your face HOT HOT HOT....Bring lots of water to drink. Fairly easy walk - wouldn't wear flip flops - but definitely interesting and well worth the visit.

Well worth a stop to look and explore. Another great spot in Arizona's history. Get a park's pass so you can keep on exploring!

October 2025 government shutdown means this vistor center is closed and blocked off. The dwellings behind the visitor center are also blocked off. Oddly there seemed to be employees there…I suppose to keep people out.

The good news is there are at least three other Pueblo dwellings that are not blocked off and well worth exploring. They are all within 5-10 minutes from the visitor center.

We also found a couple of Navajo Nation trading posts along the side of the road and picked up some cool jewelry.

Wupatki Natl Monument is well worth the stop. We decided to get their as soon as it opened figuring we would beat the heat and everyone else. We were right, we got there at 9 am on a Wednesday and had the great experience of touring the entire place by ourselves before the sun started to fry us. The park ranger was super informative and lent us a laminated guide so we could stop at numbered signs throughout the site to learn more. It had nice historic photos and renderings of what the Pueblo may have looked like. I also liked that Wupatki was accessible. It was a short, fairly flat walk from the visitor center and then you could either tour it via steps or down a dirt ramp in reverse room order on the guide. That was great for me as my ankle hadn't forgiven me for hiking Walnut Canyon the day before. Overall, it was much larger in person than the photos on the website make it out to be. They had nice bathroom and a small exhibit space. Then we headed to the other side of the loop to see Sunset Crater, which was a a gorgeous drive through changing scenery from painted desert, to pines, to lava fields.

Beautiful drive across miles of federal untouched land. Ruins interesting and nice walk to see. I liked the drive a lot. My wife was able to see all here whereas at Walnut Canyon she didn’t want to climb stairs.

We stopped here on our way to Flagstaff from Page, AZ in January. As soon as you turn off Hwy. 89 there is a directional sign letting you know the monument is 13 miles on a well maintained paved road. (This is the entrance further north on Hwy 89).

We decided to take the time to enjoy the quiet drive. I had a colleague recommend the stop when he knew I would be in the area.

Arriving at the Visitor's Center we were greeted by a friendly gentleman who accepted my "America the Beautiful" military pass as payment. We were provided a booklet to take down to the monument which he told us was about a 1/2 mile walk.

The trail is well kept and allows you to stroll down to the overlook which is beautiful. As you proceed closer to the pueblos it was incredible to see the craftsmanship and detail of those who built and lived there between 1000 and 1100 A.D.

You could spend anywhere from 20-60 minutes depending on how much time you have and there is a small gift shop where they have some nice souvenirs as well. Definitely recommend!

Amazed that this piece of 1200 AD is something we can experience in 2020 AD and walk the paths they had walked. What a precious art of our lands history! So worth the the stop & short walk!

We walked around this monument. It was amazing. We took photos and enjoyed our time there. It was a hot day while we were there, but I really liked being there.

I had no idea it was there and so close to flagstaff. Beautiful and serene. A gem. Get a guide to better understand the place

I enjoyed walking around the ruins at this location. It was part of a tour group and we didn't have enough time to really visit here, but the short amount of time I had, I did enjoy.

Fascinating examples of Pueblo life. See ingenious desert survival and brilliant farming techniques.

This was the second part of our day off from strenuous hikes in the Grand Canyon and Sedona areas and was a great way to spend some time in the Flagstaff area. The remains at several stops were really interesting and the placards informative. As an added bonus, we got a cell signal on top of Wupatki which was welcome by my teens in order to get their needed social media fix before we drove back off into the dead zone, lol.

My husband and I made this a priority to see. We got there after the visitor center closed so we had the ruins to ourselves up until sunset. It was such a quiet and serene space. Check out the blow hole, too! Super nice to have cool air in the heat!

To be noted is the free entrance which is welcome The tour is ok, but seems a lot renovated than real ruins. It would be better to have display at each stop rather than having to carry out the booklet.

Most travelers make the mistake of not detouring of 89 to visit this incredible hidden gem. The pueblo ruins offer an insight into the culture and civilization of the Native Americans in the AZ area. The trails leading from the car parks to the sites are well maintained and easy to walk. The photo opportunities are very good just before sunset.

On the same driving loop with Sunset Crater. A great place to visit. The Pueblo ruins still exist after 1,000 years. An easy walking trail to explore the site. From here, you can go on to Flagstaff for lunch. Keep going on your trip and visit Walnut Canyon.

Great drive through National Park that included these ruins and Sunset Volcanic Crater. Enjoy anytime if the year.

This is an architectural wonder! The building next to the Visitor Center is very interesting. Make sure you get a copy of the Guide from the Park Rangers. It gives you a lot of detail about the lifestyle of the former residents.

After visiting Walnut Canyon we drove to this national monument. This place is two gifts in one. We walked on the lava flow surrounding Sunset Crater then drove a scenic drive to walk through a pueblo from approximately the 1100s. The rangers gave us a guide book and the trail is well marked. WE spent about 45 minutes walking through the pueblo and surrounding area. Beautiful.

My wife and i were here last week. Found it to be very informetive. Nice park . People wo.rk.i0ng there very nice !!

We did the whole drive entering at the Sunset Crater entrance and out the Wupatki end. It’s well worth the drive. Bring food as there is none available. The rangers are all helpful and there are plenty of restrooms at each stop. Learned so much!

Wupatki National Monument is certainly worth a visit. It’s a fairly easy walk to reach the ruins. It’s situated in a vast expanse of loneliness.

This is an awesome national monument. There are 4 main stops in Wupatki National Monument, the Wukoki Pueblo, the Citadel and Nalakihu Pueblos, the Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos and the Wupatki Pueblo. While pueblos all have some things in common you should still stop to see them all. The trails to each pueblo are easy to navigate and short in length but each has signage that is informative. The 100-room Wupatki Pueblo is, by far, the largest and if you don't have time to see everything be sure to stop at Wupatki. Pick up a laminated "guide book" from the Ranger in the visitor center. It will explain what you are seeing and contains a lot of information about the pueblo and the people that lived there. This is definitely a must see national monument. Also be sure to stop at Sunset Crater National Monument. It can be accessed via the loop room that connects the two monuments.

Today, since we were passing right by the road to Wupatki, we couldn’t miss it. (well we could, but this makes a better story). It’s 15 or so miles off the main road. At the NM there’s a nice little Visitor Center. One of the clerks was so engaging and encouraging us to take their guide book for the trail. It has numbered stops with explanations. We took it and the trail. What a neat ruins. The Natives built the ruins on a rock outcropping using the rocks as walls to their rooms. It’s rather high up. Wonder why. Protection? Maybe. In addition to the ruins, there are two round reconstructed areas. One with benches built in and one without. Not Kivas since they found no evidence of a roof structure. They’re not sure why the round structures are there. A lot of work for people who are subsistence farming for a living.

And water! There’s no evidence of a stream nearby. The Ranger at the Center said that there was a nearby spring that flowed until the 1950s. That could have been their source of water. Don’t know. But without water, these folks were doomed. And they may have been doomed anyways. For unknown reasons, they left the area in the 1400s.

Oh, and another interesting feature, unrelated to the ruins is a Blowhole. This is a hole in the ground through which there’s a constant flow of air. They surmise that there’s a large underground chamber and the difference in the air pressure makes the flow. It’s a pretty strong flow of air. I put my hat on it and the flow blew the hat up. Neat. Would like to know more.

So glad we detoured to see the ruins.

My husband and I combined this park with Subset Crater Volcano park. The two parks connect on the loop road. The visitor centers are small but offer the basic items. Really well preserved ruins. Interesting history. Was neat to see.

Coming from the north visitor center is 20+ miles into park. Very well maintained ruins and park. Rangers we’re very helpful.

Another great site to see in the Southwest and to learn about the history of the area. Always sad to read about how Native Americans were pushed off of their land and their homes though…..

Several sites to see at Wupatki so visit all if you can and remember to respect them. Wupatki Pueblo at the visitor center does have a fee to get into through the visitor center, however, if you have the American the Beautiful Pass then that does cover the fee. Small visitor center and shop to learn more about the history of the area. It can be hot during the summer, even at elevation, so make sure to have sun protection and plenty to drink as there is no shade anywhere. Definitely worth making the loop through to Sunset Crater as well and making a day of it.

If you take your time and walk to the sites then I’d plan on several hours to see everything. I’d also recommend bringing a pair of binoculars to see things you can’t drive to or walk to. Would be great to revisit in the winter with some snow cover.

We stopped here on a drive from Flagstaff to the UT parks and were so glad that we did. This is a fascinating monument. The main area is a short walk from the visitor center and was a wonderful self-guided tour. We really enjoyed our time there (spent about an hour) and I am sure that the other areas would have been wonderful too if we had had the time to stop at them. If you are staying in Flagstaff, this and the crater monument would be a wonderful day trip as well.

We did this and the sunset crater. Kids are fifteen and seventeen, and I think they enjoyed it. There were no rangers around (Christmas) so they didn’t learn as much as they could have, but both sites are fascinating with good signage

Right next to the Sunset Volcano Monument is a completely excavated Pueblo in all its glory. The interpretive guide from the visitor center is wonderfully detailed. This is a great place to get insight into life in the Southwest 1000 years ago, even up to the recent past, since Navajo lived here in the last century.

Well laid out by the Parks Service with all the information you need at your fingertips. Beautifully maintained & the Rangers put your experience first when you arrive. Take the time to walk down to the blow hole to experience 1000 year old air conditioning coming from a series of underground caves

Fantastic experience. Beyond beautiful and very educational. The colors are stunning, and the valley around the site is exquisite. This is a must do!

We have been to many other ancient American sites and this had one of the best settings.

Located against the San Francisco peaks and many other dormant crater volcanoes, the picture taking in this area is spectacular.

The park service lets you visit four of the ancient pueblos, which are all about 1000 years old. However, the whole entire area is littered with ancient settlements as this was a productive farming area for about a 100 years.

Park loop road connects this monument to Sunset crater. To see all four ruins, plus visit Sunset Crater takes about 1/2 a day. Admission is $25/vehicle and is good for both monuments and for seven days.

Wupatki is one of my favorite stops whenever I am in the Flagstaff area. The ruins and the history are impressive. The trail is easy for people of all ages and ability to manage. The proximity to the Citadel, Bonito Lava Flow, and the Sunset Crater make this the perfect day for a picnic and site seeing.

This National Monument is a must see. It is well interpreted and presented. The walk-through historical site is not strenuous and guidebooks are provided.

Did the Sunset Crater/Wupatki National Monument loop outside Flagstaff on a Saturday morning. I would suggest an early start and be at the park when it opens to hike in the cooler temperatures. Drive to park was about 20 minutes from downtown Flagstaff. We purchased an senior's annual pass for $20.00 and have used it 6/7 times in the last 6 months. A bargain and will probably purchase the forwver pass before our pass expires. Visitors Centers for both monuments were open and there were volunteers there to answer questions and help with directions. We started on the lavas edge trail and it was an uphill grind = tough going in the ash and altitude. Be ready for a cardio workout. Then drove the loop to Wupatki and spent time on their trail thru the ruins. The volunteer there -- young fella attending NAU - was very helpful and fun to talk to. Entire trip took about 4 hours and was back out on SH-59 heading back to Flagstaff after 3 hours. Beautiful and recommend highly

We visited the beautiful Wupatki National Monument We were amazed by the dwellings, which were built 900 years ago by the Sinagua Indians. It's very interesting to notice that “sin agua” means “without water” in Spanish language. Indeed, accessing water and hunting were very complicated for Sinagua Indians. However, Anasazi and Cohonina Indians also lived there.
We hiked along a fine path, allowing us to:
- discover this beautiful landscape with the earth being of flamboyant red color!!!
- better understand how the life of Indians, by visiting the dwellings. On the path, there were has very fine displays!
Altogether, I highly recommend to visit Wupatki National Monument!!!

We visited here and sunset crater on the same trip and it did not disappoint. The views are amazing & to see the Pueblos close up was inspiring. Just thinking about the work required to build these stone walls makes one appreciate their skill, craftsmanship, and determination. A great journey awaits.

It's easy to pass up this turnoff when going up to the Grand Canyon, but DON'T. It is rich in history and the walking, self guided tour, gives you a glimpse into the past of the Hopi tribes. There are cool things for everyone and make sure to ask the Ranger about the blowhole. My teens had fun trying to get our hat to fly away in up to 50 mile an hour winds that could come from it!

Fantastic trip to Wupatki National Monument. The weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the 45 minute walking tour with the guide book provided by the park service. I highly recommend going this time of year. It’s off season so crowds are smaller and you can really take your time to go through the site.

It was nice to be able to hike through the remains of another group of people. It was frustrating that some of the walls were destroyed and not maintained. If you do not have an imagination that will help you understand what happened many years ago then do not go.

We got to experience seeing the Pueblo’s as the sun was setting and it was really neat. It was awesome that they allowed us to actually walk through them and get to experience them up close.

Really didn't know what to expect here, and was pleasantly surprised. Didn't know that there were these ruins near Flagstaff. Interesting construction. Good instructional signs. It can be hot here in the summer, so be prepared.

Unfortunately the forest fires limited our options within the park. The Pueblos we did see and the information was very interesting.
Well worth the stop for sure.

Wow... Thought we were lost at first, as getting there takes you well off the main highway, but so worth it. Great history, the rangers were very talkative and informative. Easy to walk through the ruins and see up-close-n-personal to what's there... Very nice and easy walk throughout.

Blow hole is very interesting! It is a hike that air is coming out if it( I think depending on weather it might be sucking air in).
Great views. The trail is very very short.

It was spectacular and we visited all the sights. Weather perfect. We were not caught in thunder storms which surrounded us but made the skies beautiful. National park service employees were pleasant, accommodating and helpful. For most part there were few crowds and visitors were respectful at sites. It’s amazing to see these ancient sites across the Southwest.

This place is a serious, but beautiful, drive from Flagstaff. We picked it up on the drive out to the Grand Canyon. It was well worth the drive and the time we spent. I suggest going in the morning if you're visiting in the summer time because it's hot out there. But it is fascinating as well! The road out there is kept up well and passes several other groupings of ruins, which we didn't get out to see but they were evocative. At the main site, there is a good museum/gift shop with very knowledgeable park rangers manning the site. Out of all the interesting nooks and crannies, my husband and I were both most taken by the blow hole. Small, unobtrusive but WOW. The Native American beliefs about blow holes were fascinating and added to the intrigue of the experience. For some reason, I also found the ball court interesting as well. To think of the people gathered there, for centuries! It amazes me that so many native people populated and lived and traded in this area, which is so arid and rocky.

Easy short walk with beautiful views. Get a history review of those that created these architecture achievements in the 1200s. Easy self guided tour. Really interesting addition to our adventures.

Remarkable Native cultural artifacts presented by the NPS. We drove from the East Gate of the Grand Canyon, so there are two pueblos before coming upon the visitor center and the largest pueblo site. Continuing southwest towards flagstaff there is another site, then 30 miles or so to Sunset Crater (which was so integral to life at Wupatki for the Natives).

Close to other National monuments so it’s easy to hit them all in a day. You can go at your own pace. It was not crowded and an easy walk for older individuals.

The building are interesting and the visitors center has very good information. We had a great drive. Worth the visit.

Must see if in the area. Amazing planning, technology, friendship & live events that were conducted by these Native Americans. Park service staff is friendly. The pass through drive in the park has beautiful vistas.

An exciting, exhilarating round trip taking you centuries back in time

These sites at Wupatki were one of the greatest delights in our trip to Arizona - and all credit to the National Park Service and of course the Navajos and Pueblos and the volcano that created the extraordinarily variable landscape on the route.

We had intended to drive the 35-mile Sunset Crater loop road on our way to Tuba City and Gallup. Thankfully, as it's a 3-4 hour trip we had enough time the previous day after coming up from Sedona. On that day, we took the southern anti-clockwise route from the entrance 12 miles north of Flagstaff on US89, skipped the first visitors' centre and Bonito lava flow and in glorious sunshine headed for the pueblos (built 1100-1300), the Wupatki Pueblo being the largest and our favourite with many of the original walls still standing, windows from which the pueblos could watch satellite villages, and the ball court more or less in tact. We stopped off at the Wupatki visitors' centre, which showed yet another excellent NPS video explaining amongst other things the significance of the Citadel, which unfortunately is now only ruins. We then went on to the impressive Nalakihu and Lomaki pueblos, the latter by a remarkable ravine. A really great day and so rewarding to see the glorious ancient pueblos.

Having returned to Flagstaff and missed several stops the previous day, the following day we stopped off at the Crater visitors' centre and lava flow interested to take a better look at the dramatic effects of the volcano on the habitat and topography. We understand the Sunset Crater itself is closed to hikers and climbers.

A very interesting place to visit. The loop drive brought me to many interesting places. I liked the blowhole the best if I had to choose one thing.
Views were great!

A not-well-known indigenous ruin located in the Wupatki National Monument and run by the National Park Service.

If you don't have a national park pass, you will be charged per person to visit this ruin, which is only accessible through the manned visitor's center. If you bring proof of veteran status, you + 3 guests can visit for free.

Most of this building is recreated from ruins. There is a nice paved walking path that loops from the visitor center, around the ruins, down to the ball court and to the "blow hole" - a vent that blows cold air from some sort of underground cave area under this area.

Be careful as there are stairs, lots of wind and this is a snake-filled area. You must be able to climb stairs to go up to the ruins.

There are free Junior Ranger program books and badges for those who complete their book in the visitor center.

Visited: May 2023

This was a really nicely set up for visitors to be able to see the ruins up close. There is a very tidy path going all the way around the area, that helps you to know where to walk to see the things in the area. I do wish they had signs up that explained what you were looking at so you didn't have to share a little pamphlet.

Great break to take as you leave the Grand Canyon Park on the way back to Flagstaff. Interesting house complex of c. 1100. And the signs tell the story of the Native Americans who lived here.

Loved the visit. A great combination of history and breathtaking scenery. The view from the Citadel Pueblo is amazing. The expanse of the landscape is amazing. I combined this with a visit to Sunset Crater NM. It was a terrific combo.

These are great ruins. Very interesting to see. It is very well preserved. They have a nice visitor center. Doesn’t take long, plan an hour. Well worth a visit.

You can pay $25 to visit both this and the Sunset Crater Volcano National Park. There's the main building, a ball court, a community room and a blow hole that you can explore. There's an optional audio tour for a small fee as well.

We stopped at Wupatki National Monument on the way back to Flagstaff and found it to be incredibly fascinating, especially in conjunction with a visit to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The buildings are well-preserved, and give a sense of what life was like back during the time of the Pueblo people. The ballcourt and blowhole are quite unique and should not be missed, although the path back to the visitors center from this area is a little steep. The rangers are really knowledgable and the trail guide (picked up at the visitors center) is really helpful in exploring the site on your own.

We stumbled upon this gem as I was searching (in vain) for a clean and safe place for us to have a picnic lunch. We were so pleasantly surprised by our explore! We picked up Junior Ranger books from the small but well-done visitor's center and went out back to go explore the ruins. The Junior Ranger helped us to dig a bit deeper (as they do) and we explored to the end of the trail and back. At the bottom is a weird blow hole that was shooting out cool air while we were there! My two six year olds had no problem walking the loop. You couldn't touch anything on the side facing the visitor center but you could go into one of the rooms in the back, which my littlest enjoyed.

*There isn't any shade, so I was glad we were there on an early spring day.

*Clean bathrooms and water at the Visitor Center.

*The picnic tables were NOT shaded, which surprised me, just be aware in the summer time if you're planning on bringing your own food (which you sorta have to because there is NOTHING else out there!!)

All four of my boys (16, 13, 6, 6) enjoyed this outing!

We entered through Sunset Crater. You can enter from 89 as well and not go through Sunset Crater too. It is one price for both which is nice.
We visited the Visitor Center and Wupatki Pueblo. The area is extremely well taken care of. The path is packed dirt and would be easy for a stroller or wheelchair. There are some steps so not all the path is accessible.

Great educational experience.

We weren’t sure what we were going to see but it was great. I highly recommend rather time to visit this National Monument!

This pueblo site is really interesting. There is the pueblo ruins, a ball court and a "blow hole" (an underground structure that helps predict weather).

The amazement starts at the visitors center where you can learn a huge amount of information and see it and experience it for yourself. The many structures; amphitheater,blow hole, Mayan ball court, multi`level dwellings are all unique.

We visited on September 6, 2020 and tried to get an early start to beat the heat but it warmed up quick--100 degrees by noon. We LOVED this National Monument and were able to walk the trails/paths to and visit Wukoki Pueblo, Wupatki Pueblo, Citadel Pueblo, Nalakihu Pueblo, Lomaki Pueblo and the Box Canyon Dwellings. Great day and beautiful. Can't wait to compile my video clips from this day.

Note: Bring plenty of water and sunblock. Not much shade and we saw many people over and over at each stop without water on such a hot day.

The Wupatki National Monument was great. However, the park ranger was very rude to us. Cathy Cooksey was unprofessional from the start. Not helpful and could not problem-solve (for example, when the store register went down). She would not let us stamp our own passport books, she was abrupt about giving us directions, and she yelled at us when the register went down. She even questioned my national park pass. We have visited hundreds of national and state parks, but never experienced this type of attitude from a park ranger. Avoid her and you will have a nice visit :)

We stopped here after Sunset Crater National Monument, which are on our he same scenic park road. Wupatki is a large park, and pretty wide open.

There are a number of Pueblo ruins that you can check out. One is right behind the Visitor center.

Such an amazing place! Definitely see the first pueblo, Wupatki pueblo, which is huge- it had over 100 rooms, and you can walk along and through some of them. Wupatki pueblo is accessed from the back of the visitor center; be sure to pick up a guide to the pueblo there before you go look at it, and return the guide when you’re done. The other pueblos we saw (Wukoki, Lomaki, and Box Canyon) were also very interesting. Citadel and Nalahiku were closed.

One of 3 awesome National Monuments located in the Flagstaff area, it is definitely worth a look. Lots of ancient structures to check out. Highly Recommend!

Excellent example of the Lomaki Pueblo culture 700 years ago. The walking paths around the Pueblo are accessible and easy to walk on. The sections are numbered with a written guide to explain details of the ruins.

Great area to see how the people lived here back in the day. They have a nice memorial there for you to take photo opps. Must see.

We stopped at a couple of the ruins, and it was great to see the active archaeology work. Plenty to see an learn about the culture of the area.

I really enjoy visiting out of the way, less touristy ruins, parks, and monuments. It is worth spending time here. It is one of several sites where the pueblos have been well preserved (in my opinion). The pueblos have a rich red color and were made from thin, flat blocks of the local Moenkopi sandstone. Be sure to visit nearby Sunset Crater.

We had already exhausted ourselves at Sunset Crater, but drove through Wupatki and stopped to look at a couple of the ruins. Bring water. There's a lot of uphill walking at the Wupatki Pueblo, at the ranger station. You can borrow a free trail guide or buy one. Don't miss the blow hole!
Also stopped at another pueblo ruin with easy access.

The Wupatki ruins are fascinating. The pueblo was originally three or four stories high and beautifully constructed of local red sandstone. There is a fine small museum describing what's known of the life of the ancient puebloans, along with a walking path with an accompanying guide. At one time, Wupatki was the busy center of an extensive trading network, despite its harsh environment. It sits out all by its lonesome surrounded with desert, lava flows, and the weathered cones of extinct volcanoes. The skill and sophistication of the architecture are really marvelous. It can be reached in about 20-30 minutes from Flagstaff.

I wasn't sure what to expect at Wupatki National Monument but it was nice. There was more driving than I expected throughout the park. It was neat to see the pueblos and interesting to learn about but expect to drive a lot. There is not a lot of walking involved.

Stopped here in my camper after coming off the Navajo Nation and came in at the north entrance. It had been years since l had been there and it was neat to see once again! Beautiful drive through it!

This park is contiguous with the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument to the south. One fee ($25) gets you into both (keep your receipt to prove payment). It's really a threefer with the ruined pueblos, lava fields and craters, and the gorgeous painted desert vistas. Highly recommend this hidden gem!

The ruins were truly amazing, huge red, sandstone structures that housed a few families or entire villages. We didn't see them all but there was one mansion we could go into, and a village we could walk around. Check out the Blowhole at the south of the village, it's worth the (short) hike. You can see everything without walking more than a mile or so and the paths are fairly accessible.

My wife and I did the Sunset Crater Volcano to Wupatki loop on our way to Monument Valley. It was definitely worth the detour off of Highway 89. The landscape and the ancient ruins were beautiful. It was October, and the two parks were mostly uncrowded, so we were able to enjoy the spots and scenery. The history of the Anastazi and the Ancient Puebloans was totally unknown to us, which also made this a surprising visit. Altogether, we spent about 5 hours on the loop.

TIP: buy the $80 National Park Pass! We saved $100 in park fees within 2 hours of Flagstaff and that didn’t even include the Grand Canyon!

Visiting the Pueblos was a surreal experience. How did they do this with the tools they had? Grab the NP map and follow along. Around each corner is an amazing view or structure!

Come in from the Sunset Crater side and stop at the first set of ruins. Perched atop a gigantic boulder, you’ll be able to get breathtaking views of the painted desert, the mountains, plains... stop next at the visitor center and walk down to the ruins there for more amazing scenery. There are other ruins on the way out toward the Grand Canyon, and they are all worth the stop and hike as well. This is amazing, American history and you won’t regret taking the time to contrast this monument with Sunset Crater, Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Walnut Canyon... every place we stopped, my wife said, “I didn’t think anything could compete with the last place we were...”

Beautiful old Pueblos just north of Flagstaff on the way to the Grand Canyon. Visitor center is special in the way it outlines the known history and development of the site.

This was an amazing place to visit. Walkways lead you through multiple ancient ruins of a former Pueblo city. I was awed and just wanted to stand and look and imagine the people living there. Homes, ballgame pits, etc. There is a visitor center where you can pick up a guide that explains the ruins.

Just a fantastic place to see and experience these unique ruins ... Be careful not to miss ALL 4 DIFFERENT SITES in the park -
(Wupatki Pueblo, Wukoki Pueblo, Nalakihu and Citadel Pueblos, and Lomaki & Box Canyon Pueblos) ...

At the Wupatki site, the pueblo, community room, ballcourt, and the "blowhole" are very interesting. Leave enough time to take it all in and the drive (2-3 hours)

This park gave you more to see than the Montezuma Castle park. There is quite a few stops and this park is right next to the sunset crater national monument.

Great monument to visit. My wife and I spent 30 minutes at one Pueblo with no one elase around. Lots of opportunities to learn the history of the original Americans.

The natural and human history of northern Arizona is fascinating. At Wupatki here is a guide you can take out on the trail to learn more as you walk around the ruins. The ruins aren't extensive, but they are well preserved. It's a bit of good exercise as well to visit the ruins. We visited in August 2022 and it was noticeably hotter than Flagstaff was, so be prepared.

On our first full day in Arizona, we visited Sunset Crater National Monument, Wupatki National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Monument. All were worth the visit and it was nice to see these three together.

The main thing to see at Wupatki is the 100+ room pueblo housing that is over 1,000 years old. The site has a short walk around the site, which is about 1/2 mile. There is also what is called a ball court and a kiva. Wupatki has an informative Visitor's Center and Gift Shop, as well. This visit won't take you a lot of time and it's an easy walk around the site. But you can get some amazing pictures, just the same.

Such a neat place to visit and learn more about daily life for native americans in the southwest. It was 18 miles from the sunset crater but the drive felt longer although the scenery was absolutely gorgeous! The ruins themselves had a very easy path leading all around them. They also had numbered spots correlating to the map to tell you what things were. It was interesting to imagine life in the desert for these people. It's a very easy short path that takes about 20 minutes or so. It's mostly smooth red rock sand on the path. Please be mindful and respectful and stay on the path as to preserve the artifacts.

Simply amazing and close to the South rim Grand Canyon. Very accessible visitor center, lots of parking and very peaceful. Very friendly staff and helpful. Very accessible trails. Very close to Flagstaff which is incredible also, not to mention Walnut Canyon Visitor center and Sunset Crater Visitor center.

I truly enjoyed my visit to Black Bart’s. I had great service and the tunes were wonderful. The hardest part was making sure I ate instead of singing along lol

This place was pretty cool. There are ruins everywhere in this part of Arizona from what we learned, but this was well worth the stop.

We were so disappointed to find this site closed due to the government shut down after driving all the way there. However, there were just some pylons blocking the way to the site where the visitor’s center is. The other sites at Wupatki including Wukoki, Lomaki, and Citadel are all still open. There are pit toilets available at Lomaki and the picnic area. This was very much a highlight of our trip. There is some walking to do at each spot, but it is easy to navigate. We brought a picnic and enjoyed sitting above the Painted Desert to eat our lunch.

What a beautiful sight to be seen. Very glad I made the decision to stop here in my travels to Texas. I would recommend this place to anyone traveling through

Wonderful, scenic and educational experience of the ancient peoples of AZ. This will take you about a 1/2 hour to walk the area and is well worth the stop.

We drove the loop road from Sunset Crater out to Wupatki. That road is amazing in of itself. Tremendous scenery and vistas coupled with areas of nice forests. The park rangers were helpful in getting us started. This is a self guided tour using the booklets provided in the visitor center. The Anasazi and Sinagua peoples had to be quite industrious to build their community out in the arid mountainside. The rangers mentioned that there was a spring not far from the settlement during that time. Much of the ruins have been rebuilt to give you an understanding of the scope of the village. What was really interesting was the gathering circle, ball court and the blowhole. Never saw anything like that before. It has a hot sunny day and the air was blowing into the hole. This was just another stop on their migration toward the northeast.

This National Monument is very nice to see. It was a 15 mile circle drive with a few stops for pictures and viewing. The Monument was nice ruins dating back 11 century. Visitors Center was closed and restrooms are open. Would recommend this drive through the park

Easy drive; easy parking very near ruins; and very accessible. Well worth a couple of hours or so. We took three hours and enjoyed all the the ruins. If you ONLY have time for one spot, visit the pueblo behind the visitor center.

A great place for some scenic views. One trail that walks up to the very top of a small mountain, giving you endless views in all directions. Wupatki actually starts at Sunset Crater which has many nice trails and lookout points, including Lava Flow Trail which takes you through (as the name suggests) a former lava flow. From Sunset Crater to Wupatki is around an 18-mile drive, but during that time you will see plenty of great landscape. Make sure to bring plenty of water, especially for Wupatki. There is no tree cover in Wupatki so it will be noticeably warmer than the rest of Flagstaff.

Wupatki preserves half-a dozen ruins accessible along a 20-mile road and a series of short hikes. I've visited most of the sites in the southwest that feature such ruins and Wupatki would not be at the top of the list

Drove to Flagstaff, Arizona on our 1st day. Since we got there a few hours early before check-in, we drove North of US-89 towards the east of Grand Canyon South. 26 miles up, make a right into Loop Road and you'll see the sign.
Once a busy hub of trade and life, Wupatki National Monument is now a quiet preserved Puebloan village. It is not silent as it seems - walls can talk. You see mostly dirt but listening to the wind can teach many things.
•
The trails are all easy and short leading to different pueblos and are roughly between 0.2 – 0.5 miles roundtrip. We visited Lomaki Pueblo, Box Canyon Pueblo, Citadel Pueblo and Wukoki Pueblo. (Wuptaki Pueblo, Wukoki Pueblo, and Nalakihu Pueblo all have parts that are wheelchair accessible)
•
If you're interested in Indian ruins and happen to be in Flagstaff, Arizona, a half day visit to Wupatki National Monument is enough to see all the pueblos.
•
For more outdoor adventures, follow Bodintures2

We had made other plans near Flagstaff but the weather (rain) prevented us from going to our original destination.

So we decided to try the trifecta of NPS: Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater, Wupatki. And while our original destination was not a NP, we knew we would encounter rain at the Parks but tried to make the best of it.

When we arrived, it appeared that all the Park staff were inside the building. Busy chatting with each other, they just checked our pass and handed us laminated sheets about the sites. No mention of the blow hole or any other features or what would be the best course of action on a rainy day.

So, we walked out the back door, walked to the overlook, then walked back. If we were told about the blow hole we probably would have made the walk but with no direction by the staff, it was the shortest visit to a Park that day.

Granted, no Park is great on a rainy day, but a bit of info from the staff would have been helpful.

We took a beautiful drive through Sunset Crater on our way to the ruins. The scenery out there is so pretty, you go from Volcanoes to grasslands to areas with ruins all over the place. Wupatki is really worth the visit, you can see the architecture, a blow hole, a ball court, the canyons and there are lots of other ruins within the area that you can visit on your own. I'm glad we took the drive out there.

For visitors and locals: well worth the exploration! This site is expansive, truly a walk back into time. This was our second visit here and we learned more. The drive in from Sunset crater is serene and beautiful.

There are several Pueblos here which can be explored by paths which are a half mile or less. This monument is covered by the park pass. There is no food in the park and bathrooms are just at the visitor center. The Pueblos are different and very interesting. We spent a hour and 45 minutes here.

It is always a pleasure to visit Wupatki. The site is incredibly serene. The past is tangible here-- in the wind, in the rocks, in meandering through the site. The ball courts are impressive, despite being much smaller than though far to the south in Mexico. Wupatki still feels like a crossroads between the puebloan culture and the plains culture to the east. Definitely worth visiting the main site next to the visitor center.

Our final stop on the loop from the Walnut Canyon & Sunset Crater is this beautiful and large historic ruins. The path to the major Pueblo is paved and well maintained. You can get up close and personal to the life of the Anasazi/Sinatra, to their crop management and play (the ball court and community center are down a path of dirt (well maintained). So happy we stopped here, great information

This was amazing to witness and see!
Dated in the 1100’s it is quite surreal of its survival, thankfully in part ot the Rangers in the early 1930’s who took it upon themselves to preserve.

So picturesque!!!
Beautiful photography opportunities. Family friendly. Easy walk up and accessable. Restrooms available.

Friendly, helpful staff . Be sure and take along the free guide book . The side is very unique for this area . Enjoy

This was pretty cool! There is a path to follow around the dwelling, to the community circle, and game circle. There is also a natural barometer vent that blows air out or sucks it in. This was created by a earthquake many years ago and is a crack 7 miles deep. The vent is a hole in the ground now. Nice weather blows out and humid weather sucks in. The only “room” you can walk right into is the “garbage” area of the Pueblo people. Definitely good for a quick history lesson. There are other ruins around the area but this is the biggest.

This is a magical place to spend time. The self guided walk is very well labeled and fascinating. One of our favourite sites in Arizona .

This was an amazing little adventure. We had just flown into flagstaff and were looking for something to do for the afternoon and this was perfect!

Very well laid out. Quite a bit to see. The ruins are in great shape, with several locations within the park. Nice visitor center too.

This national monument has invested a lot of time and money to restore a pueblo and build trails that make it easily accessible. The tour booklet keyed to trail markers gives visitors a great history of the area. It has a modern, clean visitors' center and helpful staff.

We did the driving loop. It’s about 30mins apart driving. $25 entrance fee per car and you can enter through Sunset Crater entrance or Wupatki entrance. The Sunset Crater Volcano opens 24/7 and the Wupatki entrance is from sunrise to sunset.

We came in from Sunset Crater Volcano entrance and stoped there for 15 mins before taking the 30 mins drive to Wupatki. If you come from Sunset Crater then you will approach Wupatki before the Visiting Center. You take a right and go down about a mile and you’ll see the parking lot.

We were the only ones there and it was super quiet and peaceful. Very spiritual and should take a moment to meditate. I felt a sense of calmness here unlike the crater.

There are paved walkways but once you approach the Pueblo, there are stairs and it’s not so easy getting up without assistance. I had to help my elderly mom in her 70s to get up safely.

There are no food eateries, gas stations, or hang out spots. The nice restrooms are at the Visitor Center at both places and the portable ones at both parking lots. Bring your passport to collect the passport stamps at the Visitor Center.

If you are touring Sunset Crater, you might as well also visit this neighboring park. There are at least 5 Pueblo dwellings within the park, but they are located several miles apart from each other so expect to spend a decent amount of time driving. There isn’t much shade at any of the locations so be sure to bring water and a hat since it will likely be hot. The settlement by the visitors center was the most interesting since they had a handout with explanations of 20 locations within the area. One of them was a blowhole which we found remarkable. A steady stream of cool air was coming from a hole in the ground.

Wupatki National Monument isn't as well known nor as highly visited as the more celebrated Native American ruins at Mesa Verde, but the 35,422-acre site near Flagstaff, Arizona, isn't nearly as congested and offers visitors a more relaxing opportunity to study a 100-room pueblo dwelling that is believed to be the region's tallest and largest structure for its time period. The settlement, which was first inhabited around 500 AD and was abandoned by 1225, includes the multi-story dwelling with over 100 rooms, three contributing buildings, 29 secondary structures and what is described as the northernmost ball court ever discovered in North America. A major population increase of as many as 2,000 people began soon after nearby Sunset Crater erupted between 1040 and 1100, blanketing the area with volcanic ash and improving agricultural productivity. But due to lack of spring water, the civilization declined and the site was gradually abandoned. Be sure to stop at the Visitors Center to obtain a brochure to follow the trail around Wupatki National Monument, learn about the history of the ancient settlement and see artifacts and pottery, even seashells, discovered on the site.

Stopping here the first thing you notice is the fresh pine smell in the air. Take the loop tour road and stop at all the turnouts. You won't regret it since the topography goes from Volcanic cinder cones to Desert pueblos. All was more than worthwhile and amazing to see. Recommend highly

Very interesting for those wishing to experience pre-Columbian culture. Pueblo building methods exposition and extraordinary art style is worth the visit.

I had never heard of Wupatki until planning this trip. However, after visiting, it was my favorite National Monument of the Flagstaff area. It is an impressive structure that has stood the test of nearly 1,000 years vacant. Per the rangers it was sort of the Holiday Inn of the ancient trade routes.

In addition to the main housing complex, the site has a meeting area and game/court area for games. The structure is impressive, not just in size but how they utilized the natural environment of ridge incorporated into the structure. This pueblo is over 3 separate stories with various types and sizes of rooms.

Beyond enjoying the structures, the park has incredible views of the Painted Desert. I was constantly taking pictures and simply mesmerized by the surroundings. Again, there is a lot to do in Flagstaff but DO NOT MISS this.

Easy access and lots to do. There are several different sites to visit with easy, short walks to each. One gets to walk right in and among the ruins, which is different from most of the cliff dwelling sites in Northern Arizona (but also understandable). The red stone against the clear blue skies make for stunning photos. One can truly enjoy a day visiting the homes of some of our predecessors.

Heck of a drive to get to.
The structure is amazing.
Well worth the drive, saw a couple of deer along the way.

This place was spectacular a truly must see. These people did amazing things back in there day. The structures and stories behind them was unreal. All paved paths and you can get a booklet to take along with you that tells you what everything is and stands for. Outstanding stop

If you have a bit of time to visit this place, you will get to step back in time and imagine how native people who lived there long ago thrived. There are numerous buildings built with local stones that are still standing, even after being built in the 1100’s. You can actually enter those buildings. We stopped to see this park on the way to Flagstaff after a day at the Grand Canyon. If you’re short on time, just drive a short distance off of Highway 89 to see the Lomaki and Box Canyon pueblos.

This was our main stop when traveling from Grand Canyon to Petrified Forest. We drove the loop road from Wupatki National Monument to Sunset Crater. You could get pretty close to these ruins and even walk around some of the ruins on the property before getting to the visitor center. The wind tunnel was a hit with our teens, seeing how long they could get their hats to float. You can purchase a $2 booklet that will further explain points along the way. If you have any interest in history and further background of the property, it's a good investment. Basic accommodations at the visitor center, so glad we had supplies for a picnic lunch. There were a few tables available for that use, so worked out perfectly for a mid day stop.

Very interesting National Park that identifies the ways of Pueblo living. Besides the scenic beauty of the park, the information given about the Native Americans is really great.

The walkway to and around this pueblo is well maintained. There are stairs, but a gradually sloping path is also an option. To one side and behind the main structure, the path leads down to a blowhole and sports arena. The signage is instructive into the history of the culture, as well as the plant life surrounding the monument. A good learning opportunity for kids and adults. Be sure to go to the Visitor Center before heading to pueblo for displays and more information.

Wupatki is the other end of the Sunset Crater National Park, one fee or Parks Pass. Enter from either end, beautiful drive in between. Wupatki has ruins & the Visitor Center to help understand who was living there & how the volcano impacted life in the time period. If I remember right one of the dwellings here used a natural blow hole to provide cool air to the steuctures, you can feel the air rush thru! Natural air conditioning 1000+ years ago. Visit the crater at the other end for unreal volcanic lava beds & views, hikes also.

This is an outstanding national treasure of early Native American life in the desert southwest. It's so interesting and very worth the time to stop and walk the trail. Invest one dollar and purchase the booklet explaining the region and early life there.

This is a wonderful pueblo historic site, comparable to Mesa Verde. Park is well maintained, designed and interpreted. Staff were exceptionally available and helpful.

We loved that this was a wonderful self guided tour. You can take as little or as much time to walk the ruins and discover how they lived here ! Enjoyed it very much!

These are really good examples that you can walk through and experience. Make sure you stop by the main pueblo and visitor center. It is about 1 hour of driving without much stops to do the entire loop

We did this as part of a Grand Canyon tour, I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to go if it hadn’t been part of the tour!

A good bit of history but a bit of a trek

The trail (with the informational brochure from the Visitor Center) around the Wupatki Pueblo was very interesting and educational.

This is a interesting and beautiful park with wonderful old pueblos. It was rainy and cold during our visit, so our hikes were short, but still enjoyable.

We love cliff dwellings our family had fun exploring this park it took about 3 hours to visit a couple more hours would have slowed our visit to a better pace

Another national park in Arizone, which is located just a little north of Sunset Crater (and both are on the same loop road). The Wupatki National Monument has five main areas spread out over about a 20 mile stretch, where you can visit and see ancient pueblo structures from several hundred years ago. These monuments are centuries old ruins, so many of the structures are old and broken. However, the park has done an excellent job in preserving and maintaining the Wupatki history.

Each of the areas has its own unique aspects, so I would recommend taking the time to visit each of them if you can. Most of the locations are fairly easy to walk, but they are not necessarily paved for those with unsure footing. If you are limited on time and/or energy, then I would highly recommend checking out the ruins behind the visitor center, since they were the most comprehensive and informative.

Go back in time and visit the Wupatki National Monument. Flagstaff's one of 3 monuments offers a great look inside how the Ancient Pueblo People lived.

The visitor center was awesome and you could also catch a guided tour. Where they give you in depth facts about the ruins.

Fun Facts:

- Wupatki was inhabited around 500 AD.
- Wupatki means "Tall House"
- Walls were constructed from thin, flat blocks that look red in color.
- The ruins are very well kept and was home to less than 100 people.
- By the year 1225 the dwellings were permanently abandoned.

Out of all the road trips I have taken, I have to say this is probably my most favorite. Arizona has soooo many National Monuments... This is one of three in close proximity from each other.

#optoutside

This is on the north end of the Sunset Crater Loop. It is a short walk from the parking area. Worth the stop and photo op. Signs at the sight, provide historic context.

Wupatki NM is connected with Sunset Crater Volcano NM through a driving loop road, which made it really easy to see both. There are visitors centers on both ends. We had started at the Sunset Crater end of the park, so we came into Wupatki from the south and stopped first at the visitors center.

Wupatki featured one of the best intact pueblos I've seen and it was beautiful in the red rocks! The main pueblo is just s short walk from the visitors center, followed shortly by the blowhole. There are several other smaller pueblos closer to the park entrance.

Definitely worth a visit if you're in the Flagstaff area!

Fantastic place to walk around and read about. Go early in the morning and there’s hardly anyone else around! It’s also cool still during the summer.

Great educational experience for our 16yo daughter. All the trails were well maintained. We did the loop and saw the Sunset Crater also. It was definitely a must see when in Flagstaff. Loved the closeness to the city yet it felt so far.

The drive was spectacular - we were amazed by the diversity. The visitor’s center was closing so unfortunately we didn’t really get to learn as much but the site is beautiful. We were surprised and intrigued by the blowhole.

Very large park. Has ruins spread through miles. Fun to walk in and see actual living spaces. From flagstaff enter at small brown sign 13 miles before maoqueat directions.

What a great stop. So much has been preserved, and such a beautiful sight. The ranger station has guides you can borrow that have even more information. Be sure to walk all around (the grounds are very easy) to see each of the surviving features.

I love history ans archeology so I probably geeked out more than most. A lot ofmthe walls have been restored but it ismstill stunning to see 600 year old ruins. Ancient for this country. To see the small rooms and large apartment type buildings they made are astounding. The views ofnthe canyons they inhabit are breathtaking. Super close to Crater and walnut canyon monuments which are worth a visit. They say 3 hours for each but to see all the main points you could do at least 2 of the 3 in that time.

A quick stop on our way to the East and South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It's totally worth the stop. You can walk around the ruin, it's beautiful, and a little nice shop.

Stopped here while on a road trip and after visiting Sunset Crater. Took a quick walk through the Visitor Center before heading outside to see the ruins. There is walking involved and definitely have water with you. It's amazing to see how they lived all those years ago. It's definitely worth stopping to see this.

We learned of this Ancient Ancestral Puebloan site when we visited Montezuma Castle. I was surprised that it's bigger and has fewer visitors. It was easy to get to so well worth the visit.

Totally loved this place. Especially appreciated the reconstructed ball court which was a unique feature of this particular pre-historic Native American village of the Sinagua culture. The numbered guide was helpful in interpreting the monument.

This was recommended by a family member and I’m so glad we decided to visit. The ruins are in incredible shape and the history almost brings it to life.

A good stop en route to the Grand Canyon. Easy to reach Not crowded and very interesting. It’s really just a quick stop along the way.

Southwestern ruins are just amazing. And Wupatki is no exception. We've been here before and wanted to return. This time we were more comprehensive in our visit. There are four sets of ruins that are easily accessible. We went to all four. Some thoughts about the ruins. Many have been reconstructed so accuracy is problematic. Though the ones that haven't been excavated leave a lot to the imagination. They are on bluffs. Interesting locations. Why? The Park Service has done a great job with accessibility and interpretation. But, the Visitor Center is rather meager (and not open every day of the week, as we found out). Finally, the drive from Sunset Crater is great. We had a delightful time (again).

Multiple Pueblos to visit, helpful visitor center, beautiful views of lava flows & high desert landscape.

Wupatki National Monument was fascinating. You can take an excellent and educational self-guided tour around the ruins that allows up-close views of the dwellings. At a leisurely pace, it takes about an hour. Our two teenagers loved it. Great activity for the entire family!

A short drive from downtown Flagstaff and well worth the trip, whether you're staying in Flagstaff or en route to or from the Grand Canyon. It's a jewel box of a site-- well-preserved and meticulously landscaped: the signage, the paths, and even the bannisters along the paths blend in with the landscape perfectly. The rangers are friendly and knowledgeable, and the pueblo itself is very well-preserved.

This was worth getting off the main highway. The ruins are amazing and you can walk right up next to them. Well worth the effort to walk to the blowhole.

The settlement is preserved well and the signage is very clear. Care has been taken to keep the integrity of the site and to blend in the modern structural supports.

This National Monument is driving to different sites of Indian history. You may walk as little as you want or take more challenging walks to see more of the sites. I found it to be very interesting and enjoyable.

Very interesting and surprisingly relaxing kind of place. We walked around and saw the dwellings left behind. There is an air shaft here that releases cool air. I know we all found the air to be much colder than we thought it would be. It is really interesting to find something like that when it is warm outside.

If you are at Sunset Crater make sure you make the loop to Wupataki. The Wukoki Ruins were my favorite.

We really enjoyed exploring the various pueblos and learning about the habitants' way of life. Bring lots of water, though. It can get very hot making even the short hikes difficult.

We stopped by the Wupatki National Monument after visiting Sunset Volcano NP. It will feel like you are in the middle of the desert, driving and driving and then suddenly it appears. It is a small structure, but definitely worth the stop. You can really see the expanse of the area and need to create shelters. It's an easy walk ,with a parking area.

Wow....what a delight and beautiful part of planet Earth. I started at Sunset Crater which is a marvellous story---I now better understand how lava changes a landscape , eventually for the positive! On to the Pueblos of Wupatki....NOT to be missed if in Northern Arizona. The history of the indigenous people and their ability to survive (and thrive) in relatively hostile climes and terrain amazes. The pueblos are so close (no, don't go inside) that one can imagine living there as some of the first park rangers did! Staff are superb....I had a great chat with Ranger Neil.....a super few hours looking out over the exquisite valleys and monuments that surround. Do it, if you can !!

The ruins are amazing. Its remarkable how much is still intact. I was driven to write this review, though, because the staff were just so kind and helpful and took pride in their job, and the Wupatki National Monument.

I'll reiterate from my Sunset Crater review that the loop road is a nice drive with interesting places to stop off. After passing through Sunset Crater one drives another 18 miles to Wupatki National Monument. This is a stop that stands by itself. Of course, there are a lot of these sites in the area and you might have to pick and choose, but as part of the loop road that's an easy distance from Flagstaff the loop a nice package deal that can be completed in a full morning. One of the exhibits noted that most dwelling were more like this and not like the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, that is, find a rock outcrop and build rooms onto it. The red rock construction and green shrubs are a pretty contrast on sunny day. A "ball court" is interesting. helping you imagine the lives of the people that lived here. The Sunset Wupatki loop can be done comfortably in a couple hours, leaving you plenty of time to head on to Grand Canyon to spend the afternoon if you wish.

This was a stop on a trip across Arizona. The terrain was so beautiful in the late afternoon. Not many people were there, and it was sooo quiet. The pueblos were fascinating.

We didn’t plan to go to Wupatki, but ended up driving up there on a whim and were glad we did. It was really interesting. The rangers were informative and you can get really close to the ruins. The blowhole where air blows in and out of underground caverns was really neat as well. Be sure to go down the road to the Wukoki ruins. You can go inside of them.

This was an easy hike with a few stairs. The ruins were amazing and there was a book describing each aspect of the ruins that you can pick up in the visitor center.

Be sure to take a hat and good walking shoes. There are no treacherous treks but there is little shade.
Each stop was better than the previous with the 30 mile loop.
Again hydration and covering. The wind can blow you off your feet

In addition to the very large main ruins complex, be sure to check out Wukoki ruins and the blow hole. Interesting stuff in a fairly short visit.

This was a great side trip on our way to the Grand Canyon. The ruins are accessible which makes the experience so much more impactful. There is nothing like walking where others walked 800-1200 years ago.

The visitor center was closed because of COVID but we were still able to follow the brochure and see everything. The park rangers were helpful, too.

Do not miss the blow hole. It was so cool.

NOTE: If you are going to the Grand Canyon after this, check the NPS website before leaving. We had planned to go the shortest route but on a whim, checked the site and saw that our intended route was closed. We narrowly avoided a very long backtrack.

interesting set up with the self-guided walking tour. On-site park staff ready to answer any questions you may have.

Loved the red dirt. The walking area was very nice. It seemed that this structure was mostly rebuilt. But was still interesting to see and read about.

These are well preserved ruins with a very interesting history.
Check out the cold air blow hole which is basically like natural a.c.
There is a handy laminated guide in the visitors center which explains each numbered section of the ruins and I found it quite helpful.
Be sure to wear a hat, sunblock and bring cold water because even though the ruins are not extensive it is extremely hot.

These two sites are easy to combine in several hours, depending on how much walking you want to enjoy. The ruins at Wupatki are peaceful and easy to access. They are spaced several miles apart so that you can really appreciate the dramatic landscape. Sunset Crater highlights the region's volcanic origins with several short hikes and walks. The visitor center has some outstanding explanations and displays.

This was our 2nd visit. The first was several years ago as part of a tour and we did not see all of the available ruins. The largest and most impressive has been restored and reinforced to protect it. The area is very dry and can be very hot depending on when you visit.

Workmanship is amazing, evidently a very populated area year's ago. Some small parking areas, large area at visitor center. Mainly short trails too the ruins.

Well done exhibits at the Visitors Center. Interesting ruins from an ancient culture. Well worth the time if you are in the area.

We didn’t know anything about this national monument before we went, but we were so glad we went. The structures were amazing, and it even has a blow hole that continuously has cool air coming out in force. (Not sure why no one built a structure there to enjoy the cool air!) visit takes about an hour if you see everything. Highly recommend spending $1 on the extra brochure (currently sole at the back of the closed visitor center). We enjoyed reading the information as we toured. The friendly park ranger we met also gave us great information. Please take an hour and go see this!

Extraordinary architecture, well preserved. Our tour guide (JR) was very knowledgeable and very helpful.

Traveled to the visitor center on a moonless night. The area was very dark and the sky was filled, really filled with stars. I you haven't visited a dark sky place on a moonless night, you have no idea of what your missing.

We were on our way home from the Grand Canyon. Arrived at 5pm and it had just closed. Fortunately there is a laminated binder with each item labeled and described. It began to rain so our visit was short. It’s an impressive remnant of a 100 room Pueblo, with other village structures.

It’s hard to believe that someone lived in a place like this. But the evidence is overwhelming. When you drive up, there is plenty of parking a visitors center with bathrooms and gift shop. There is also a ranger available to answer questions. And for the little ones even a Jr. Ranger program. The pueblos themselves are pretty remarkable. They have been well preserved. You can get a sense of what it was like to like here and live off the land. It’s about a 1/2 mile hike from the visitors center through the village to the bottom and back up again. Bring water.

We picked this over Walnut Canyon (more about that later) and weren't disappointed. There's a lot to see here...several sites spread across the National Monument and a visitor center. Plan to spend at least three hours to get to all of it. (A shorter visit to the visitor center and the adjacent pueblo would be worth your time as well.) This monument is to be preferred over Walnut Canyon for those who want (or need) easier walking. All the trails are easy with little up and down hill and none of that is steep. (We were told that Walnut Canyon is the very opposite of that.) It's a good place for older folks like us!
The staff at the visitor center was very helpful.

Great visitors center on history of people and the area. Walk to monuent easy, trail beautiful for up close look at ruins. Worth the drive!!

Fascinating place. We spoke with a ranger while on the paved path to the cliff dwelling. Very informative.
I will bring family and friends here.

If you want to get the most out of a National Parks experience add this to your Grand Canyon South Rim Visit. Wupatki NM and Sunset Crater are on the same loop road. One way to think about it is going from Cactus to Conifers. The Ruins in Wupatki and the surrounding stops are impressive and what you walk through in Sunset Crater has you wondering about the diverse bioregions of Arizona. There are easy walks in the Crater and the few rooms you can enter in the ruins give you a hint of how they survived the heat.

I was very impressed with the informative and accessible nature of this beautiful national monument! You get a booklet to do a self-guided tour at your own pace. The booklet is extremely informative. Lovely setting for a walk back in time.

Easy to get too. Nice example of Pueblo dwelling. Informative park rangers with a handout to guide you along.

This is a cool place to visit if staying in flagstaff! It was $25 entry fee without the parks pass. But we definitely enjoyed it!

My wife and I took the Complete Grand Canyon Tour, a day long tour that included Wupatki National Monument. Our guide, Sheldon, was outstanding and the tour was one of the best we've been on. Sheldon allowed us a lot of leeway in determining what we wanted to see and how long we wanted to stay at various spots while also guiding us on making these decisions. Wupatki National Monument was a great stop, and with all the information Sheldon supplied before we arrived there, we enjoyed the experience very much. Wupatki was a first stop warm up leading to the Grand Canyon visit which was carefully planned by the tour company and beautifully carried out and facilitated by all the information Sheldon supplied as we made our way along the south rim. I would highly recommend this tour.

Great stop! This place is pretty amazing! Neat trails to walk around. Be sure to bring a ton of water!! It’s all open and hot!

We were in Phoenix on a conference and extended our visit to see the sights. We visited the Wupatki and loved it. You can visit the ruins which are amazing considering there isn’t much around. You get to find out how the colony cooled themselves and how they grew crops. This was an enjoyable destination.

Lots of Native American ruins to check out, if you like history! It's part of the loop drive from Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, which is covered in the same admission price.

$25 for Wupatki and sunset crater. Worth a stop on road trip to grand canyon. Cool restored pueblo as well as ruins of a few others. Blowhole where earth naturally blows air based on pressure was worth stop alone. Sunset crater is also cool.

If you have any interest in how someone would survive is such a barren area this is a great place to go and get your questions answeedr by the very knowledgeable Park Staff. The Pueblo is in good condition considering is it over a thousand years old and each site has explanations of how the site functioned in community life etc which was extremely interesting. When you get to the site they offer a Park Service booklet for $2 that I highly recommend you purchase before walking out into the site area. It gives a lot of detail on how the residents lived and how many lived there over what period of time etc.The site borders the Navajo reservation but has no specific association as the Navajo Indians did not exist as a tribe at that time. The whole area had numbers of separate tribes throughout the large park. I asked one of the rangers if there were other places on the park where traces of the former tribes could be seen and he said there were 2700 in the park. Unfortunately I was just visiting and did not have the opportunity to see if other tours were offered over the larger part of the park in a jeep for example. Since you can walk through the site I think this is a great place to visit for children and if you are interested in what they ate, I asked the ranger and the answer was Corn and Rabbits. This is a site you don't want to miss if you are in the area.

This is our third stop of Ancient Native Trail, my son & I were making, they had some short trail but very interesting!!! It was on some small hills with some great views!!!

We've never encountered ruins like this before so we definitely had to stop here while we were in the area. We didnt hit all of the sites because we were just passing through on the way to the Grand Canyon but the stops we did make were definitely worth it!

$25 per car to get in gas up before drive only need 1 hour max you can go in slide limited parking restrooms on site go only if you have time don’t go out your way

This place was amazing! So rich in archeological sites. It is well preserved. Less traveled so you can really take your time without all the crowds. Spent longer here than planned but well worth the side trip. It's a loop so if you continue driving, you will also see Sunset Crater.

This was our favorite place to visit in flagstaff, better than indian caves. Much better as it is hand built vs dug into caves. Great area, a few different places to stop and look around. Nice views and nice location. Place is about 200 years old and interesting to see what is there. Definitely recommend.

This was a fun family activity with my kids age 9, 8, 5. We stopped on our way from Page, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ. We entered at the northern Wupatki entrance. It’s exit #444 off of 89 south. We then drove the loop road 545 south through the park and towards Sunset Crater. We ended up spending almost 3 hours walking around the different sites at Wupatki. The kids loved imagining what life was like 1000 years ago. The ruins were amazing! This was a last minute stop for us but we loved it.

Enjoyed the interpretive trails on Friday, March 19, 2021. The ancient dwelling ruins were a sight to see. Paths were relatively easy to walk but might be steep or difficult for some. The blowhole at the visitors center ruins.

While this place does require a bit of a drive to get to it is really worth it as the drive itself is quite scenic. If you are in town, you go through the Sunset Crater national monument to get here and if you have never been there, that is also a fantastic place to stop. Once you get to the ruins it really makes you appreciate what it took to build this place since is in the middle of nowhere. What is amazing is how much of the structure is still standing. The walk around the ruins is quite short but the view in the background is just amazing. Truly a unique place you should visit if you have the time.

We were headed to Flagstaff from Page, Arizona and decided to stop to see this historical monument. The walk was easy for any age. It gives you a very clear picture of life in 700-1700AD. Then we rounded the loop for the volcano crater which was interesting to see.

Definitely worth the drive to visit Wupatki national monument. Beautiful drive and several different ruins to explore, many you can explore up close. Not wheelchair accessible as you have slight climbs to gain access.

What a trip it was! After Sunset Crater NM we came to Wupatki NM and we were rewarded by these amazing well-preserved pueblos that are easily accessible. Climbing up to these structures and imagining how the Native Americans lived long ago was quite an experience. Don't miss this when you are in Flagstaff, it's just a short drive away.

We stopped here as a part of our trip to Sunset Crater and we are glad we did. Very interesting and worth a short hike around the pueblo. Buy the trail guide to explain the route along the easy. It was only $1

I had never heard of this but I'm so glad we stopped here. It's not far from Sunset Crater.

There are very well preserved and elaborate red brick ruins and architecture indicating that this area was once a multi cultural community gathering place of some importance - complete with buildings, towers and recreational ball courts.

The scenery and terrain is also incredibly striking with the red soil, volcanic hills in the background and brush.

Beautiful stop on the way to the Grand Canyon. The ruins at the main visitor’s center are impressive- there is a short loop trail that takes you around the ruins of the Pueblo. Definitely make it down to the blow hole- what a strange and wondrous thing! Great photo opportunities above the ruins.

This was my favorite place to visit in Arizona. The view was absolutely breathtaking. I was in awe of the ancient dwellings! How amazing was it to be standing in a living space 1,000 years old!

We stopped here and walking to the ruins looking around we were all wondering how anybody could survive in an environment like this, the people’s that lived here must have been super tough, smart and knew how to survive and they were engineers. All I can say is wow

We stopped here on our way to the Grand Canyon, and it ended up being a great diversion. Our young kids even enjoyed it, although they were disappointed they couldn’t climb all over the main Pueblo. Possibly the one downside is how far off the road you have to drive to get here, but it was doable for us.

Impromptu visit to this stop not included in the travel program. Continuing in the "loop", after the Sunset Crater with an almost alpine landscape, in no more than 25 minutes we move on to the desert landscape. Something unthinkable for those who are not used to it.
Wupatki is a magical place from many points of view, a fascinating immersion in the daily life of Native Americans in a preserved and well-kept environment. The rangers of this small park are very kind and ready to satisfy your every curiosity.
Advice:
- In the summer months avoid the hottest hours
- Bring sunscreen and a good hat
- Be careful where you put your feet and hands (if you bend over) because poisonous snakes may be present

A must visit without a doubt.

P.S.: When descending from Sunset Crater, be careful of the antelopes! :-)

We started our day here hiking and exploring on a Tuesday morning by visiting Lomaki and Box Canyon, Citadel Pueblo, Wupatki Pueblo, and Wukoki Pueblo. Albeit very cold and incredibly windy, it was a neat place to visit with unique landscapes.

fantastic display let your mind wander and imagine life in this area. Learn about climate changes in the year 1100 and why people left....... see a ball court and LISEN TO A WIND CAVE HOLE

This is to me a place of quiet contemplation and respect. The history is a bit overwhelming. And...beautiful

We did the drive through here and Sunset Crater on our way to the Grand Canyon. Be sure to get the guide from the rangers that will tell you about what you are seeing. Very nice paved path. Easy to walk.

Great preservation of an ancient piece of history. Easy access and lots to see. Well worth the stop...

The scenery, from Sunset Crater to Wapatki, is spectacular any time of year. Our last visit, before the weather got too hot, was a perfect time for hiking to the well preserved ruins. Although, it was a bit early for viewing wildflowers, the photo opportunities were endless. Take your time and enjoy.

This is a wonderful place to visit! All four of us marveled at the historic ruins of the Pueblo "condos", arena and gathering places. It was fun to imagine how they survived and thrived there. All of the information provided was exceptional and we really appreciated our self-guided tour.

This site was a pleasant surprise in the middle of the desert. The Pueblo is beautifully restored and the rangers provided us with a great guide to read along the path. If you are in the area I would highly recommend!

This incredible, beautifully-preserved huge Pueblo ruin is a must. You can easily walk on the nice sidewalk and experience one of the best ruin sites. Good signage explains what you are seeing, and I have never seen it crowded. It is a must!

My wife and I loved visiting Wupatki! The pueblos are in great condition, there’s lots of information for context, and it’s easy to get around with plenty of parking. None of the hikes are overly difficult, and the trail around the main Wupatki community is paved. Great stop!!

There are SO MANY ruins in this area ad Wupatki provides a sterling example. Be sure to walk all of the trails.

Be sure to watch for the very small sign telling you about the turn or you'll miss it. This is an interesting stop on a scenic drive. The pueblo is well preserved and you can go into it. The scenery is beautify as well.

This is a little gem of a park. The people of Wupatki built their pueblos of stone and clay here by the 1100's. Their descendants today include the Hopi, Zuni and Navaho peoples. The pueblos red sand color stands as a gorgeous contrast to the sage growing all around. Neat steps and sidewalks circle the pueblo ruins for a glimpse into the buildings. There are several ruins in this park. We just visited the Wupatki Pueblo where the Visitor Center is.
If you happen to be going to Sunset Crater as well ( they are a few miles apart on RT89) you can alternatively take the 35 mile scenic loop road from one park to the other. You will see much more scenic views. All the mountains around are volcanic.

Our family with a 4 yo and 1 yo visited the pueblo on our trip down to Sedona. I was worried that my 4 yo would want to climb on the pueblo, but thankfully he stuck to the path. Speaking of the path, it is made of dirt, but well taken care of and flat. The kids loved exploring the area and the cool “castle”. We enjoyed walking down to the ball court and checking out the natural blow hole.

If you have kids that at 6+ or like to do activities, make sure to pick up the junior ranger booklet when you check in.

I saw signs for an audio tour, which I would have liked to do, but with small kids you focus on keeping up with them.

This was better than I thought. Gave a feel for how these people lived. That is why you come to a place like this.

A local friend suggested we visit Wupatki and we were sure glad we did. So well organized and well kept. We learned so much by the easy to follow, self guided tour. We have all ready recommended this park to others as they travel through the area. The Rangers were helpful and very pleasant. I was worth taking to time from our travels to Scottsdale to take in a bit of lackluster history

Well restored (preserved) Pueblo dwellings. Short, easy trail for viewing. However, this is not for summer. Very hot and no shelter from sun. Small “museum” and shop.

“Wupatki” means “Tall House” in the Hopi language, and true to its name, this is the region’s tallest and largest structures. Its location smack in the middle of the red rocks makes it memorable, too. Everything has been nicely maintained even though this homestead was abandoned over 900 years ago.

There was an influx of people here after the eruption of the Sunset Crater in the 11th century. The blanketing of the entire area by volcanic ash increased the soil’s ability to retain water, and therefore it became agriculturally fertile to grow maize and squash without much irrigation. Rain water was harvested for daily uses.

There are several settlements inside the main structure. These dwellings were built by the Cohonnia, Anasazi and Sinagua Indians, and consist of over 100 rooms, a large community room and a large “kiva”-like structure. The trail to all the areas is easily manageable by everyone.

The Park Rangers at the Visitor Center at the entrance are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Be sure to get their laminated guide before you get to the pueblo. Reading that helps you to know what you are looking at. We were glad we stopped there, because we also got our date stamps and stickers for our Parks Passport.

We drove here from the Sunset Crater. The change in scenery for those 18 mile or so – from the Lava Fields to the Painted Desert -- was incredible and awe-inspiring.

It was worth our time to check out another National Park in this area.

Do the loop off 89 to get the best views of this national park! You won't be sorry. We started at Sunset Crater and the lava flow and then drove through some lovely vistas of the painted desert to the Wupatki National Monument! Great pueblo's that could be accessed for photos. Lovely welcome center and staff to answer any and all questions.

This was fun to see the amount of work that went into these buildings and the questions my kids thought of to ask the rangers.

It was quite hot that day at 99 degrees. We couldn't walk around as much as we wanted. What we say was facinating.

Great place to visit. Beautiful location with many ruins you can walk right up too. Also this is just part of a larger road trip with many stone houses to visit.

We drove the loop of this park and the Sunset Crater Nat'l Monument. This was an unplanned stop, just saw it on the map. The pueblos are really interesting and even with the visitor's center closed, the site information helped us to be even more amazed. Combined with the lava fields, this is a must see!

This is an awesome little national monument! We visited the park by completing the Wupatki to Sunset Crater scenic drive (which I highly recommend), and we really enjoyed ourselves. Very few people. The complete visit consists of driving several miles through scenic desert landscapes with four stops along the way to see ancient ruins...Lomaki Pueblo, Citadel Pueblo, Wupatki Pueblo, and Wukoki Pueblo...each one different and all super cool. At each stop, parking is near the ruins, and the trail to the ruins is easy. I was very impressed. We especially enjoyed our walk from the visitor center out around the Wupatki Pueblo with a guidebook. By the way, we enjoyed Wupatki way more than Walnut Canyon.

Really interesting, easy hike through the ruins of an abandoned pueblo. Staff provides a helpful map that explains what you're seeing. Fascinating1

Quite an impressive monument, interesting seeing how large it was and also reading the information booklet that the visitor centre provides. You then drive further along the loop road to the Sunset Crater which is interesting as well.

A little bit off the beaten path, but WELL worth the jaunt. Worthy of views and history of the SW and the people who made for a vast civilization centuries ago.

These are well-preserved ancient ruins. There's a nice trail loop to walk around to see everything. This is off the beaten path a bit but more than worth it.

We visited the monument on a clear cold day and we had most of the ruins to ourselves. The visitor center was closed due to covid and the store closes for lunch so we missed that. The sites are spaced out by a short drive. Walking through the ruins alone you can surely imagine what it was like so many years ago. I never heard of a blowhole, very cool!

We went to Wupatki on a day trip from Flagstaff. To get there, take US Hwy 89 north from Flagstaff. There is a loop road, with the south entrance going by Sunset Crater, winding around near the Painted Desert, and passing through several Anasazi sites.

The dwellings were built from the native red rock 800 to 900 years ago. Portions are still pretty intact, but parts have collapsed.

The largest site is right outside the visitors center. There were originally about 100 rooms at the location, as well as a ball court and kiva, both of which are still standing. it's interesting to see the precision with which they placed the rocks (which fracture naturally).

These dwellings were not built on cliffs but generally seems to have been built sites terrain that were slightly higher than the surrounding terrain, so that can be seen from quite a distance.

So if you like to learn about ancient cultures and are in the Flagstaff area, you might want to check it out.

Very interesting and used the printed guide from the information centre for additional info

Lovely drive through the area too with views of painted desert in the distance

Wupatki National Monument not only has one excellently reconstructed large pueblo site, but actually an entire community spread across the whole area. The 100 room Wupatki pueblo is the star attraction and facilitated by a visitor centre with gift shop and museum (and vending machines, which is the only source of food in the park), but there are several more as you drive along the road that winds through both this and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments. You can buy a guidebook for Wupatki Pueblo from the giftshop or they let you borrow a laminated copy, which is interesting though there is the clear mark of politics in it... A lot of "just trust what we Native Americans today have to say about these pueblos, our traditions tell us everything, and Western science is stupid and evil" kind of stuff. I don't know what archaeologists at Wupatki DID to piss off the neighbouring Indigenous people so much, but there you go. My wife is herself a trained archaeologist and we're both science educators, so that kind of anti-science rhetoric in the guidebook did leave a bit of a poor impression. Still a very interesting and solemn place regardless, tied intimately with Sunset Crater Volcano. Both National Monuments are on the same road and share the same admission fee, so make sure to have time to see them both.

Miles and miles of silence - place was empty and so you could hear silence ( probably for the first time in your life.) It's easy enough to do if you are going to Sunset Crater.

We had never heard of this location, but we love history, and were not disappointed. Wupatki was a major part of an large trading network, and is made up of many pueblos on high points. Each has immense views of faraway mesas and over the lower areas.
They are beautifully built of red sandstone and black basalt from the area, and have survived for hundreds of years after the people moved on. Though each pueblo looks like it sits out alone, surrounded with desert, lava flows, and the weathered cones of extinct volcanoes, the people came together for ceremonial and social events.

Coming from Flagstaff, we went to the north entrance first and circled back. Loved all of the Pueblos and the painted desert view.

An absolute beauty! My recommendation is to drive from Flagstaff to Sunset Crater Volcano, then go to Wutpaki. Both are amazing sights and you get to see both of them with you admission. The drive between to two wonders is almost just as incredible.

The Wupatki ruins and the nearby Wukoki Pueblo ruins were very well maintained, with well kept trails to both. The Wukoki trail is about 1/2 long and very easy to walk. The Wupatki ruins were undergoing some maintenance, and there was scaffolding set up at the time of our visit. Both ruins are accessible to walk through and there is descriptive signage.