Walnut Canyon National Monument
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived and traveled throughout Walnut Canyon’s dynamic landscape. Vibrant communities built their homes in the cliffs and farmed along the canyon’s rim. Today the park preserves this landscape, and the ancestral homes in and around the canyon.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWilson Piles Rx
9 mi from the park's reference point
- PrescribedNewman Piles Rx
13 mi from the park's reference point
- PrescribedWalker Hill 2 Piles Rx
20 mi from the park's reference point · 356 acres
- PrescribedWalker Hill Piles Rx
21 mi from the park's reference point · 725 acres
Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Private VehicleThis pass covers the pass holder and up to 15 passengers of a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle at Walnut Canyon National Monuments for 1-7 days. | $25 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. | $20 | |
| Per PersonAdmits one individual bicyclist, hiker, or pedestrian visiting the facility without a private vehicle. Good for Walnut Canyon National Monument for 1-7 days. A pass is not required for individuals 15 or younger. | $15 | |
| Non-commercial GroupsNon-commercial groups pay the per person fee up until the cost exceeds that of the commercial rate for the same size vehicle. | $15 | |
| Education/Academic GroupsBona fide educational institutions visiting for non-recreational purposes whose visit pertains directly to established curriculum are exempt from paying entry fees. Apply for an educational fee waiver at least 4 weeks in advance by submitting an educational fee waiver. | Free | |
| Commercial tours · by vehicle capacity | ||
| SedanCovers occupants of a vehicle with an occupancy of 1-6 individuals at Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon for 1 day. A commercial group is defined as a group that is entering for the purpose of providing commercial tour services within the unit. | $28 | |
| VanCovers occupants of a vehicle with an occupancy of 7-15 individuals at Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon for 1 day. A commercial group is defined as a group that is entering for the purpose of providing commercial tour services within the unit. | $40 | |
| Motor CoachCovers occupants of a vehicle with an occupancy of 16+ individuals at Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon for 1 day. A commercial group is defined as a group that is entering for the purpose of providing commercial tour services within the unit. | $100 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkAdmits the passholder, passenger of one motorcycle, or occupants of a single, non-commercial vehicle at Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki National Monuments for 1 year. | $45 | |
Hours
| Park Hours | Daily · 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Hours not published |
When to go
April draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Walnut Canyon Visitor CenterPassport stamp
The Walnut Canyon Visitor Center includes a museum, film, WNPA park store, canyon viewpoint, and restroom facilities. The building features architecture from both the Civilian Conservation Corps and Mission 66 era. Park rangers are present, and Junior Ranger activities are available.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Become a Junior Ranger at Walnut Canyon30-60 Minutes
Join Miguel the Mule Deer in exploring the human history, geology, and wildlife of Walnut Canyon National Monument and earn a Jr. Ranger badge.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Old HeadquartersBuilding · Flagstaff · 1 mi
- Walnut Canyon DamStructure · Flagstaff · 1.5 mi
- Walnut Canyon BridgeStructure · Winona · 5.5 mi
- Dean Eldredge MuseumBuilding · Flagstaff · 6.3 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Walnut Canyon. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for Walnut Canyon National Monument and Arizona's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail; Land Adjacent to Walnut Canyon National Monument; Amend the National Trails System Act; and Including in the NPS Certain Sites in Williamson County, TNUnited States Senate and Committee on Energy and Natura (senate), 2019Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 2× · Coyote 2× · Great Horned Owl 1× · Gray Fox 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 97 birds, 52 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Flammulated Owl · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Merlin · Mountain Pygmy Owl · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Spotted Owl · Turkey Vulture
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Lewis' Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-naped Sapsucker · Williamson's Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsBlack-chinned Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Bushtit · American Crow · American Grey Flycatcher · American Robin · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Black Phoebe · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-chinned Sparrow · Black-headed Grosbeak · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Bohemian Waxwing · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Creeper · Bullock's oriole · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Clark's Nutcracker · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Dark-eyed Junco · Evening Grosbeak · Greater Roadrunner · Green-tailed Towhee · Hepatic Tanager · Hermit Thrush · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Wren · Juniper Titmouse · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Loggerhead Shrike · Mountain Bluebird · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Raven · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Pine Siskin · Pinyon Jay · Plumbeous Vireo · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-faced Warbler · Rock Wren · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Say's Phoebe · Scott's Oriole · Steller's Jay · Townsend's Solitaire · Violet-green Swallow · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Tanager · Western Wood Pewee · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · Willow Flycatcher · Yellow-breasted Chat · mountain chickadee · spotted towhee · western scrub-jay
Small mammalsAbert's Squirrel · Arizona Woodrat · Audubon's Cottontail · Black-tailed Jack Rabbit · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Brush Deermouse · Cliff Chipmunk · Deer Mouse · Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel · Gray-collared Chipmunk · Merriam's Shrew · Mexican Vole · Mexican Woodrat · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Piñon Deermouse · Rock Squirrel · Stephen's Woodrat · Western Harvest Mouse · White-tailed Antelope Squirrel · White-throated Woodrat · common porcupine
PredatorsAlleghanian Spotted Skunk · American Badger · American Black Bear · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Long-tailed Weasel · Ringtail · Striped Skunk · common raccoon · hog-nosed skunk
Hoofed mammalsCollared Peccary · Mule Deer · Pronghorn · elk
BatsAllen's Big-eared Bat · Big Brown Bat · Black Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Eastern Small-footed Bat · Fringed Myotis · Little Brown Bat · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Pinto Bat · Western Pipistrelle
Also on the checklistCatamount · South American Coati · domesticated cattle
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks
Weather & climate
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions. You may expect high winds any time of year, summer temperatures above 95ºF (35ºC), afternoon storms July–September, and heavy snow from fall to spring. Dress in layers, as weather at Walnut Canyon can change quickly at any time of year.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Walnut Canyon?
Entrance is $25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bike. This pass covers the pass holder and up to 15 passengers of a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle at Walnut Canyon National Monuments for 1-7 days.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Walnut Canyon?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Walnut Canyon-only annual pass is $45.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Walnut Canyon takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Walnut Canyon free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Walnut Canyon?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Walnut Canyon. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Walnut Canyon?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 5:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Walnut Canyon?
153,317 recreation visits in 2025, number 189 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Walnut Canyon?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 4G LTE. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is Walnut Canyon good for stargazing?
Yes. Walnut Canyon is a certified International Dark Sky Park.
Source: Dark sky parks
What is the weather like at Walnut Canyon?
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions. You may expect high winds any time of year, summer temperatures above 95ºF (35ºC), afternoon storms July–September, and heavy snow from fall to spring.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
