The Hidden Park That Will Make You Feel Like You’ve Discovered Arizona’s Best Kept Secret

I love visiting parks and wilderness areas around the state for the same reasons others do: taking time to reconnect with nature, breathe in some fresh air, and experience a bit of solitude. However, sometimes trying to enjoy that peacefulness of nature can be difficult when you’re surrounded by dozens of other people snapping photos, being loud, or (a personal pet peeve) walking too slow while blocking the designated trails.

Thankfully, there are quite a few places where you can avoid the crowds and that usually depends on how far you’re willing to drive or hike in a day. Today, we’re going to take a look at one park that is isolated, quiet, and sees a small number of visitors every year.

That place is...

It’s a place that feels familiar yet fresh with a first visit. If you’ve spent any amount of time in northern Arizona, you’re bound to recognize the canyons, shrubs and low trees covering red rocks, and wide blue skies stretching across the horizon. However, this is one park that, statistically speaking, you probably haven’t seen before.

Navajo National Monument was created in 1909 and since then, only 3.3 million people have set foot in the park. In 2015, the park saw an average of 195 people per day. For comparison, the last time the Grand Canyon saw visitation numbers that small was during the height of the second World War in 1944 when Americans were deeply invested in the war effort.

So, what is this little visited park hiding? History.

Located deep within the Navajo Nation, you’ll find the park and its incredible, well-preserved ancient Puebloan ruins: Betatakin, Keet Seel, and Inscription House. Each dates back to the 13th centuries and sits in varying conditions. The best preserved of the three is Keet Seel.

The Navajo word kįtsʼiil refers to the pottery sherds found scattered around the cliff dwelling. It’s believed to have been occupied around 1250 A.D., with construction continuing for 30-something years to house up to 150 people. As it turns out, Keet Seel is considered one of the best preserved ancient ruins in the Southwest. Very little of the ruins have been rebuilt by archaeologists, so seeing the original wooden roof beams, ladders, and pottery is simply incredible.

Betatakin, which also sits in good condition, has experienced more erosion over the years despite it being younger than Keet Seel. The name comes from the Navajo word bitátʼahkin, which describes the general nature of cliff dwellings, homes that sit on the ledge. The Hopi name for this place is Talastima, meaning "place of the blue corn tassels."It is interesting to note that although these ruins are found on Navajo land and managed in part by the Navajo Nation, they are part of Hopi origin. Hopi people can trace their ancestry back to many of the ancient ruins located around the state, relating origin stories, songs, and pictorial imagery back to these places.

The final ruin located in the park is Inscription House, which has been closed to the public since 1968 due to the extremely fragile nature of the ruins. The name comes from the inscriptions (or to some, graffiti) made on the walls by American settlers in the 1800s.

So, what is there to do here? For starters, you can take a walk along the rim trails which will lead you to an overlook to see Betatakin from above. You will also get to see a couple of other overlooks as well as historic buildings, like an old ranger cabin and a few examples of traditional Navajo hogans.

Navajo National Monument is located about 139 miles northeast of Flagstaff, at the end of State Highway 564, just off US Highway 160. Here is a map that will provide driving directions from Flagstaff. You can also visit the National Park Service website for details about visiting the park.

Want to check out some more incredible places you can only find in Arizona? Read about a few of our slot canyons in A Hike Through These 7 Slot Canyons In Arizona Will Feel Like You’re Discovering A New World.