Walnut Canyon is another canyon to explore and visit in the Grand Canyon area. Located just a few miles east of Flagstaff on INTERSTATE 40 east, there are ancient ruins nestled into the over- hanging cliffs. The dwellings are dug out and are cave-like in appearance. Unique. The Sinagua people were master survivalist in lands without water, but even they were probably forced to move on when climates changed and water became nonexistent in the area.
The caves were dug out of Kaibab limestone that once was the bottom of an inland sea covering all of northern Arizona around 270 million years ago. The same Kaibab limestone that you walked on when you were at the Grand Canyon. There are tours or you can hike the trails to the caves on your own. Inquire about the history of the canyon and more at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. There is a good selection of books there also about the area and history.
About the Author
Joy taught environmental sciences at Southern Vermont College and became active in outdoor land use. Joy now lives ‘off-the-grid’ near the Grand Canyon on an acreage with solar power, and hauls water for her own needs and for her struggling raised-bed desert garden, dogs, cat, chickens, and Garrett-the-goose. Joy has rafted the Colorado River from Moab to Lake Mead, hiked many of the trails, and stayed at Phantom Ranch several times either by hiking or by mule. Learning and reading is her passion, and she is constantly learning more about the Grand Canyon.
Joy is well traveled but never found a place that was more well suited for her than the Grand Canyon. This is her home. Stop in the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and allow her to share her home with you.
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