History and Nature Combined
Written: Nov 08 '07 (Updated Nov 22 '07)
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Pros: To many to list! Nature, history ect!
Cons: Only the hike back up the 200+ stairs.
The Bottom Line: Not to may places that have so much nature and history combined.
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| diego7979's Full Review: Walnut Canyon National Monument |
Vacation time! Where should we go? What should we do? How about an educational trip to the past? Hu? Where? What? National Parks and Monuments is what I am talking about. I have been loving the parks system since my parents took me to my first (Rocky Mtn. National Park) but Walnut Canyon National Monument (in Flagstaff AZ) combines the beauty of nature with the history of civilizations past and continues to impress me all of the 20 times I have been there.
When people think of the desert, most people think of no vegetation and a bunch of sand, spiders and snakes. But, once you get to Flagstaff, you realize this is not the desert. Walnut Canyon is a beautiful area with lots of evergreen trees and plant life. The funniest thing about the monument would be that there is only one black walnut tree in the monument. There are two trails you can walk self-guided that give you a feel for the nature around you. The Rim trail takes you on the rim (aptly named) of the canyon and gives you a great view of all the different trees and even a skink or two. This trail is very easy to hike and worth the trip (hardly any elevation change). The Island trail takes you down to a island that was formed in the canyon by a meander. There was a small landslide that makes a bridge to connect the canyon to the once island. This island is home to the before mentioned walnut tree. This hike is not even hard for an experienced hiker but there are over 200 stairs down and (of course) over 200 back up. There are plenty of rest points and make sure to drink water often while you enjoy the shade of the trees or the view of a soaring turkey vulture or a raven. Nature is all around!
History is one of the main reasons this area became a national monument and is protected by Uncle Sam. The Sinagua (the native Americans who inhabited this area) lived here and there is so much to discover. The Rim trail gives you a great overview of some of the cliff dwelling. After you have seen these from afar, keep going on the trail and see the some of the “housing” that was on the top of the canyon. This area is full of artifacts that even lye on the surface (pottery shards and arrowheads ect.) But, do not (I repeat, DO NOT) leave the trail or attempt to pick up, move or take anything you see. There are steep fines for taking anything and or moving anything. Then, go down the Island trail and see the cliff dwellings, go into marked dwellings (some are ok to go into) and look for the different native drawings on the walls. History comes alive here!
There are parks that have great views. There are parks that have great natural occurrences. There are even parks that have tons of history. But few have the both nature and history as great at Walnut Canyon National Monument!
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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Epinions.com ID:
diego7979
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Member: James Miller
Reviews written: 57
Trusted by: 9 members
About Me:
Electronics guru, tecnology dork.
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