Wupatki National Monument
8 / 9
We left Williams and headed north of Flagstaff with plans to visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument. The two are connected by a scenic loop road, and you pass through Sunset Crater on the way to Wupatki.
1 / 9
We’d hoped to find a boondocking spot somewhere between the two and did a bit of scouting, but nothing felt quite right. We decided to focus on Wupatki and save the volcano for the following morning before heading to our next destination.
Wupatki ended up being one of the most striking pueblos we saw on the trip. Built by the Sinagua people, the multi-story red stone ruins sit dramatically against the open high desert. The setting alone makes them stand out, but the scale and preservation really set them apart. The site also contains some of the best-preserved ballcourts in the United States. Think community gathering space, competition, and ceremony — basically the Sinagua version of Monday Night Football, just with far better views.
One of the more surprising features was the blowhole, a natural vent connected to a massive underground cave system. When conditions are right, the earth quite literally breathes. Even on a breezy day, we could feel cold air rushing up from the ground, which was both strange and fascinating.
That evening, we backtracked and found a quiet boondocking spot not too far away in the Cinder Hills. Peaceful, quiet, and tucked into the forest, it wrapped up the week on a high note.
Wupatki ended up being one of the most striking pueblos we saw on the trip. Built by the Sinagua people, the multi-story red stone ruins sit dramatically against the open high desert. The setting alone makes them stand out, but the scale and preservation really set them apart. The site also contains some of the best-preserved ballcourts in the United States. Think community gathering space, competition, and ceremony — basically the Sinagua version of Monday Night Football, just with far better views.
One of the more surprising features was the blowhole, a natural vent connected to a massive underground cave system. When conditions are right, the earth quite literally breathes. Even on a breezy day, we could feel cold air rushing up from the ground, which was both strange and fascinating.
That evening, we backtracked and found a quiet boondocking spot not too far away in the Cinder Hills. Peaceful, quiet, and tucked into the forest, it wrapped up the week on a high note.