Walnut Canyon National Monument in Coconino County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
The Perfect Shelter
For each room tucked into this rock alcove, nature provided the back wall, floor, and leak-proof ceiling; no excavation was needed. Builders simply laid up unshaped blocks of limestone for side walls, enclosed the front, and opened their doorway to the canyon. Here, only two walls remain.
How to Treat a Wall
Many hands have been at work on these walls: the women who first skillfully plastered them, the vandals who defaced them, and the preservation specialists who now repair them.
All of the dwellings along this trail have been either stabilized (stones reset and mortar patched) or restored (partially rebuilt). Still, original mortars remain in many walls. They are brown, red, gray, and gold-colored, have hairline cracks, and incorporate small pebbles and charcoal.
Help us keep the need for modern treatments to a minimum by keeping hands off and watching where you step.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Architecture • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 35° 10.212′ N, 111° 30.604′ W. Marker is in Walnut Canyon National Monument , Arizona, in Coconino County. Marker is near the beginning of the Island Trail loop, only accessible from the visitor center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3 Walnut Canyon Road, Flagstaff AZ 86004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Problem Solving (within shouting distance of this marker); Migration is not abandonment. (within shouting distance of this marker); Departure (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tension and Harmony (about 400 feet away); What Happened Here? (about 400 feet away); Cliff Homes and Canyon Life (about 400 feet away); A Complex Community (about 400 feet away); A Ribbon of Life (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Walnut Canyon National Monument.
Also see . . . Walnut Canyon National Monument. (Submitted on November 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 561 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.