Wupatki National Monument

Wupatki National Monument preserves a concentration of Ancestral Puebloan and related pueblo ruins on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona. The monument was established in 1924 to protect these prehistoric masonry settlements.

The largest ruin, Wupatki Pueblo, is a multi-room, multi-story stone building dating to roughly the 11th and 12th centuries CE and is presented with trails and interpretive signage. A series of smaller pueblos and habitations across a volcanic landscape illustrate regional settlement patterns and masonry traditions.

The monument sits adjacent to the Sunset Crater volcanic field, and interpretive exhibits explain how volcanic ash and lava influenced local agriculture and settlement during the period of occupation.

The sites were occupied intermittently by people associated with the Ancestral Puebloan and Sinagua cultural traditions from about the first millennium CE through the 12th century, with many structures dating to the 11th and 12th centuries. The National Park Service established protections in the early 20th century and has managed the ruins and visitor interpretation since then.

Wupatki National Monument lies on the Colorado Plateau in north-central Arizona, north and east of Flagstaff and near the Sunset Crater volcanic area, with trails and road access from the nearby highway corridor.

• Establishment: The national monument was established in 1924 to protect and interpret pueblos and archaeological sites that date principally from the 10th to 12th centuries CE.

What to See #

• Wupatki Pueblo: A large multi-room pueblo built of stone and stacked masonry dating to the 11th and 12th centuries, it is the signature ruin within the monument and one of the most visited structures.
• Other pueblos and ruins: Several smaller pueblos and isolated homesteads, including sites known as Citadel and Box Canyon, are spread across the monument and illustrate regional variation in masonry and plan.
• Visitor Center: Visitor facilities include an interpretive center that explains regional pre-contact history, volcanic activity and archaeological findings for site visitors.