Day 19, around flagstaff and Sedona AZ

Today we didn’t move closer to our destination. Instead we spent the day exploring the many wonders the Flagstaff region has to offer. There are hundreds ancient Indian “Pueblo” ruins in the area, all worth a visit.

We started at the Walnut Canyon cliff dwellings. A steep staircase lead us to the many remains of cliff dwelling built here in the 13th century by the Sinagua Indians. It was pretty amazing to see how these people used the terrain and features to build their shelters. Life in these cliffs would have been tough for these folk but that would have been offset by the protection offered by this environment.

One of many dwelling ruins built in the cliff face in the Flagstaff region.

Next we headed north east to the sunset crater, formed after a big erruption in the 12th century. We didn’t expect much and only stopped there because it was on the way to the Wupatki ruins. We were actually surprised by the volcano scenery and it was worth the quick stop.

Sunset Volcano and lava field

The Wupatki ruins were impressive, completely different from the cliff dwellings we visited earlier. This “Pueblo” is built on a large flat “Mesa” on top of a large rock formation. These homes were built using the rocks found in the area and held together with clay or mud filling the cracks between the rocks.

On the way back towards Flagstaff we took a small detour to the Wukoki ruins. I would have gone right past it but Zoe thought we should check it out and I am glad we did. This one was different again and fun to walk around and enter.

The Wukaki ruins

After a quick nap under a tree we made the drive to Sedona. The place was very busy with tourists we but we managed a brief stop at an art market where Zoe bought a lovely copper and turquoise ring and enjoyed a very refreshing natural beverage. Next we took a scenic ride through Sedona and up to a viewpoint.