We have been hearing a lot about Walnut Canyon National Monument, so we decided that today was the day for a visit. We left Jax in the camper and drove the short 10 miles to the canyon (no dogs allowed on these trails). Once there, we found out there were two trails, The Rim Trail and The Island Trail. We chose The Island Trail because it allowed us to see more of the cliff dwellings. It is a mile loop with sheer drops and a 185-ft climb (240 steps) down into the canyon. The problem of course is that it means 240 steps back up to the canyon rim! But it was worth it. The dwellings were sheltered by overhanging cliffs and were home to Walnut Canyon's only permanent inhabitants more than 800 years ago. The people made their living by farming (corn, beans, and squash planted on the mesa top), hunting, and gathering edible plants. These people were called Sinaqua, which means without water, because of their ability to survive in the relatively dry area. I can not imagine how they made their way up and down those cliff sides on a daily basis. They stored water in large vessels when the water was available, through infrequent rainy times and snow in the winter. As you probably know by now, we are fascinated by the history of early Americans. One of the sad things is to discover how much vandalism occurred at places like Walnut Canyon. By the time it was recognized as a National Monument in 1915, souvenir hunters and vandals had taken or destroyed most of the artifacts from this region. So sad! But nearly 300 dwellings remain and are being preserved. Your imagination has to fill in the rest.
Later in the evening we went to the the RV park's Friday night Happy Hour. Drinks, food, and friendly conversation made for a nice evening.
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