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Honanki Ancient Sinagua Ruins
Sedona, Arizona
Travels & Tours
Pictures, Photos, Images, & Reviews.
George & Eve DeLange
September 23, 2009
Google Map To Honanki Sinagua Ruins, Sedona, Arizona.
View Larger Map
Forest Service Map
To Honanki Sinagua Ruins, Sedona, Arizona.
Courtesy U.S. Forest Service.
Coconino National Forest. Red Rock District.
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009.
Hidden By The Trees, On Left Side Of The Cliff, Under The Arch. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009.
Hidden By The Trees. Honanki Is On The Cliff, Under The Arch. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. 
Rock Art Drawings, Pictographs, & Petroglyphs.
Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009.
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona.
Honanki Heritage Site is a cliff dwelling and rock art site; located near the town of Sedona, in north-central Arizona.
Honanki was one of the largest cliff dwellings in the Red Rock country; occupied between A.D.1,150 - 1,300. It is larger than its sister site Palatki, located about 4 miles away. The actual occupation of Honanki was probably between AD 1,130-1,280, based upon a tree-ring date of 1,271, for a wooden window lintel in the upper ruin, as well as pottery shards.
Honanki is located in an alcove on the west side of Loy Butte, adjacent to Lincoln Canyon. The Hopi word Honanki means �House of the Badger.�
During the Sinagua occupation of Honanki, its cliff dwellings contained about 60 rooms and featured an undetermined number of rock art drawings.
Reservations are recommended: It is open from 10 AM. to 6 PM. Please call the Red Rock Ranger District at (928) 282-4119 or Palatki at (928) 282-3854 before you go.
Honanki has Vault-type Toilets. No drinking water is available.
A Google Earth Map search marks the Honanki Heritage Site at about: 34o 56' 19.03" N 111o 55' 59.99" W. It is at about 4,723 feet elevation.
The Sinagua (seen-ah-gwa):
The Sinagua are the best known regional group that anthropologists refer to as the Western Anasazi. The Sinagua occupied an area between Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona, including the Verde Valley and significant portions of the Mogollon Rim country, between about 500 and about 1,425 AD. They led a simple life based on corn farming and subsistence hunting and gathering at the periphery of the three major Southwest cultures.
After volcanic activity improved soil conditions around 1,000 AD, the Sinagua began to thrive by assimilating various elements from the major cultural groups. From the Hohokam they acquired village life and the use of ball courts; from the Anasazi they adopted cliff dwellings and water conservation practices; from the Mogollon they adopted pottery styles.
By the late 1,450s, the same natural and social stresses that destroyed the other cultures of the region engulfed the Sinagua as well. By about 1,425, they had completely disappeared. But, their dwellings and religious shrines can be found all over Central Arizona. One is even located in a city park in the city of Phoenix!
The early Sinagua sites consist of pit houses. Their later structures more closely resembled the pueblo architecture found in other cultures throughout the southwestern United States.
The name Sinagua was given to this culture by archaeologist Harold Colton, founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Sinagua is derived from the Spanish words "sin" meaning "without" and "agua" meaning "water", referring to the name "Sierra Sin Agua" which was originally given by the Spanish explorers to the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Colton also distinguished between two different Sinagua cultures. The Northern Sinagua were clustered around the Flagstaff area, with Elden Pueblo, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, being the best-known publicly-accessible sites. The Southern Sinagua were found throughout the Verde Valley of Central Arizona. Most notable sites open to the public being; Montezuma's Castle, Montezuma's Well, Tuzigoot National Monument, the Palatki Archaeological Site, and the V-Bar-V Petroglyph Site.
The last known recording of Sinagua occupations for any of the Sinagua sites are of those in Montezuma Castle National Monument in about 1,425 AD.
The reasons for the abandonment of their habitation sites are not yet known; but warfare, drought, and clashes with the newly-arrived Yavapai people are possible suggestions.
Several of the Hopi clans trace their roots to immigrants from the Sinagua culture. The Hopi clans believe their ancestors left the Verde Valley for religious reasons.
Honanki Heritage Site & The Sinagua:
The Sinagua Native American's, built cliff dwellings under the overhangs of the cliff walls.
The dwellings were built into the natural recessed overhangs in the walls of the canyon. This provided a natural roof, sheltering them from the elements.
The three side walls were made of up of stacked rocks, the back of the natural recesses acted as the fourth back wall and the rock ledge floor was the cliff dwellings natural floor.
Even though some structures were three floors high; the individual dwellings are very small by today's standards, (approximately 6.5 feet high by 19.7 feet long by 9.8 feet deep), but they were large enough for the Sinagua to cook a meal over open flames and to lie down for a night's sleep. They also were easy to keep warm on a cold winter's night.
Most of the Sinagua cliff dwellings were built facing south, probably so the sun's rays were cast on their homes during most of the daylight hours to make the winter cold periods more bearable.
Archaeologists are fairly sure that the Sinagua of Honanki were skilled farmers that planted, cultivated, and harvested; the corn, beans, and squash that were staple agriculture products of these people. They also collected wild plants, and berries to add to their diet. In addition
they hunted the local wild game.
Honanki Heritage Site:
When you visit the site you will actually be able to see the wonderful prehistoric cliff dwellings that are built into the canyon walls as well as the many painted symbols, or pictographs on walls nearby.
Honanki and it�s sister site, Palatki were the largest cliff dwellings occupied in Red Rock Country between A.D.1150 - 1300. They were first described by Dr. Jesse Walter Fewkes, famous turn-of-the century archaeologist from the Smithsonian Institution, who gave them the Hopi names of Honanki (Bear House) and Palatki (Red House).
Honanki Heritage Site:
It is open to the general public for visits seven days a week (except Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Its hours are from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended: Call Palatki at (928) 282-3854 between 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to make a reservation.
A Red Rock Pass (or equivalent) is required on all vehicles parked at Honanki Heritage Site.
Phone
(928)-282-4119
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions: snow in winter, hot sun in summer with afternoon thunderstorms from Mid June To Mid September. If there has been rain or snow recently, it is recommended that you contact Palatki or the Red Rock Ranger District at (928)-282-4119 to learn the condition of the roads to the Site.
If the roads are impassable, Honanki Heritage Site will be closed; signs indicating the closed status will normally be posted at the main access points.
Pets are not allowed on the trails, in the backcountry, in buildings, or tied to objects in the area. They are welcome in the parking areas on a leash. Warning: Summer temperatures may be fatal to pets left in vehicles.
NOTE: Drinking Water Is Not Available!
How To Get There:
From Sedona:
Take Hwy. 89A through West Sedona and continue past the last traffic light for five miles. Just past mile marker 365, turn right onto Forest Road 525. Follow Forest Road 525 for 9.5 miles. Just past the cattleguard at Loy Canyon trailhead you will bear to the left to go around some private property.
An alternative way to access Honanki Heritage Site for those with high-clearance vehicles and/or a sense of adventue can turn right on Dry Creek Road off 89A and follow the signs for Enchantment Resort/Loy Butte. At the road to the Enchantment Resort, turn left onto Boynton Pass Road (FR 152C), and follow the signs for Loy Butte/Palatki (FR 525 to FR 795, pass FR 795 and continue up 525 2.5 miles to Honanki). This road is generally passable to passenger cars when dry, but it is not regularly maintained by the County and has some rough and rocky stretches. The compensation for abusing your motor vehicle are wonderful views of the red rock formations that Sedona is so famous for.
From Cottonwood:
Take 89A north from Cottonwood. About 1/2 mile north of mile marker 364, turn left onto a dirt road (Forest Road 525 to Forest Road 795; passable for passenger cars when dry), then drive past FR 795 and continue up 525 4.5 miles to Honanki)..
There are many nice ruins in the area of Sedona. Most are near hiking trails. Some are easy to get to. Some are not.
For More Information: Contact the Red Rock Heritage Sites, P.O. Box 20429, Sedona AZ 86341, (928) 282-3854.
If you are planning to visit the Prescott or Sedona area to tour Honanki Heritage Site and you are coming from outside of Arizona, you could fly into Phoenix and then rent a car. Prescott, Sedona, & Honanki Heritage Site are a few miles off of the scenic I-17 route between Phoenix and Flagstaff.
There are hotels and motels all along the way in nearby towns.
We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car.
You may need some outdoor clothing and equipment, if you plan to visit the Prescott or Sedona area, & the Honanki Heritage Site.
We have some links to Altrec on this page since they are a good online source for outdoor gear.
We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep this page active.
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. 
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona. Thanks to Kirby Ross For Identifying
This Baby Desert Striped Whipsnake
(Masticophis bilineatus lineolatus)
http://www.snakesofarizona.com/
Honanki
Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins
Sedona, Arizona.
We Are Proud Of Our SafeSurf Rating!
Click On Any Of The Following Links By Amazon.Com
For Books, & Videos About About Arizona Native American Ruins. No Obligation!
Back To Arizona Tours Page
Back To DeLange Home Page
September 23, 2009
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| Forest Service Map To Honanki Sinagua Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Courtesy U.S. Forest Service. Coconino National Forest. Red Rock District. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. Hidden By The Trees, On Left Side Of The Cliff, Under The Arch. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. Hidden By The Trees. Honanki Is On The Cliff, Under The Arch. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Rock Art Drawings, Pictographs, & Petroglyphs. Honanki Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins, Sedona, Arizona. Photos Taken September 23, 2009. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
Honanki Heritage Site is a cliff dwelling and rock art site; located near the town of Sedona, in north-central Arizona. Honanki was one of the largest cliff dwellings in the Red Rock country; occupied between A.D.1,150 - 1,300. It is larger than its sister site Palatki, located about 4 miles away. The actual occupation of Honanki was probably between AD 1,130-1,280, based upon a tree-ring date of 1,271, for a wooden window lintel in the upper ruin, as well as pottery shards. Honanki is located in an alcove on the west side of Loy Butte, adjacent to Lincoln Canyon. The Hopi word Honanki means �House of the Badger.� During the Sinagua occupation of Honanki, its cliff dwellings contained about 60 rooms and featured an undetermined number of rock art drawings. Reservations are recommended: It is open from 10 AM. to 6 PM. Please call the Red Rock Ranger District at (928) 282-4119 or Palatki at (928) 282-3854 before you go. Honanki has Vault-type Toilets. No drinking water is available. A Google Earth Map search marks the Honanki Heritage Site at about: 34o 56' 19.03" N 111o 55' 59.99" W. It is at about 4,723 feet elevation.
The Sinagua (seen-ah-gwa): The Sinagua are the best known regional group that anthropologists refer to as the Western Anasazi. The Sinagua occupied an area between Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona, including the Verde Valley and significant portions of the Mogollon Rim country, between about 500 and about 1,425 AD. They led a simple life based on corn farming and subsistence hunting and gathering at the periphery of the three major Southwest cultures. After volcanic activity improved soil conditions around 1,000 AD, the Sinagua began to thrive by assimilating various elements from the major cultural groups. From the Hohokam they acquired village life and the use of ball courts; from the Anasazi they adopted cliff dwellings and water conservation practices; from the Mogollon they adopted pottery styles. By the late 1,450s, the same natural and social stresses that destroyed the other cultures of the region engulfed the Sinagua as well. By about 1,425, they had completely disappeared. But, their dwellings and religious shrines can be found all over Central Arizona. One is even located in a city park in the city of Phoenix! The early Sinagua sites consist of pit houses. Their later structures more closely resembled the pueblo architecture found in other cultures throughout the southwestern United States. The name Sinagua was given to this culture by archaeologist Harold Colton, founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Sinagua is derived from the Spanish words "sin" meaning "without" and "agua" meaning "water", referring to the name "Sierra Sin Agua" which was originally given by the Spanish explorers to the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona. Colton also distinguished between two different Sinagua cultures. The Northern Sinagua were clustered around the Flagstaff area, with Elden Pueblo, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, being the best-known publicly-accessible sites. The Southern Sinagua were found throughout the Verde Valley of Central Arizona. Most notable sites open to the public being; Montezuma's Castle, Montezuma's Well, Tuzigoot National Monument, the Palatki Archaeological Site, and the V-Bar-V Petroglyph Site. The last known recording of Sinagua occupations for any of the Sinagua sites are of those in Montezuma Castle National Monument in about 1,425 AD. The reasons for the abandonment of their habitation sites are not yet known; but warfare, drought, and clashes with the newly-arrived Yavapai people are possible suggestions. Several of the Hopi clans trace their roots to immigrants from the Sinagua culture. The Hopi clans believe their ancestors left the Verde Valley for religious reasons. Honanki Heritage Site & The Sinagua: The Sinagua Native American's, built cliff dwellings under the overhangs of the cliff walls. The dwellings were built into the natural recessed overhangs in the walls of the canyon. This provided a natural roof, sheltering them from the elements. The three side walls were made of up of stacked rocks, the back of the natural recesses acted as the fourth back wall and the rock ledge floor was the cliff dwellings natural floor. Even though some structures were three floors high; the individual dwellings are very small by today's standards, (approximately 6.5 feet high by 19.7 feet long by 9.8 feet deep), but they were large enough for the Sinagua to cook a meal over open flames and to lie down for a night's sleep. They also were easy to keep warm on a cold winter's night. Most of the Sinagua cliff dwellings were built facing south, probably so the sun's rays were cast on their homes during most of the daylight hours to make the winter cold periods more bearable. Archaeologists are fairly sure that the Sinagua of Honanki were skilled farmers that planted, cultivated, and harvested; the corn, beans, and squash that were staple agriculture products of these people. They also collected wild plants, and berries to add to their diet. In addition they hunted the local wild game.
Honanki Heritage Site: When you visit the site you will actually be able to see the wonderful prehistoric cliff dwellings that are built into the canyon walls as well as the many painted symbols, or pictographs on walls nearby. Honanki and it�s sister site, Palatki were the largest cliff dwellings occupied in Red Rock Country between A.D.1150 - 1300. They were first described by Dr. Jesse Walter Fewkes, famous turn-of-the century archaeologist from the Smithsonian Institution, who gave them the Hopi names of Honanki (Bear House) and Palatki (Red House).
Honanki Heritage Site: It is open to the general public for visits seven days a week (except Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Its hours are from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended: Call Palatki at (928) 282-3854 between 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to make a reservation. A Red Rock Pass (or equivalent) is required on all vehicles parked at Honanki Heritage Site.
Phone
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions: snow in winter, hot sun in summer with afternoon thunderstorms from Mid June To Mid September. If there has been rain or snow recently, it is recommended that you contact Palatki or the Red Rock Ranger District at (928)-282-4119 to learn the condition of the roads to the Site. If the roads are impassable, Honanki Heritage Site will be closed; signs indicating the closed status will normally be posted at the main access points. Pets are not allowed on the trails, in the backcountry, in buildings, or tied to objects in the area. They are welcome in the parking areas on a leash. Warning: Summer temperatures may be fatal to pets left in vehicles. NOTE: Drinking Water Is Not Available! How To Get There: From Sedona: Take Hwy. 89A through West Sedona and continue past the last traffic light for five miles. Just past mile marker 365, turn right onto Forest Road 525. Follow Forest Road 525 for 9.5 miles. Just past the cattleguard at Loy Canyon trailhead you will bear to the left to go around some private property. An alternative way to access Honanki Heritage Site for those with high-clearance vehicles and/or a sense of adventue can turn right on Dry Creek Road off 89A and follow the signs for Enchantment Resort/Loy Butte. At the road to the Enchantment Resort, turn left onto Boynton Pass Road (FR 152C), and follow the signs for Loy Butte/Palatki (FR 525 to FR 795, pass FR 795 and continue up 525 2.5 miles to Honanki). This road is generally passable to passenger cars when dry, but it is not regularly maintained by the County and has some rough and rocky stretches. The compensation for abusing your motor vehicle are wonderful views of the red rock formations that Sedona is so famous for. From Cottonwood: Take 89A north from Cottonwood. About 1/2 mile north of mile marker 364, turn left onto a dirt road (Forest Road 525 to Forest Road 795; passable for passenger cars when dry), then drive past FR 795 and continue up 525 4.5 miles to Honanki).. There are many nice ruins in the area of Sedona. Most are near hiking trails. Some are easy to get to. Some are not. For More Information: Contact the Red Rock Heritage Sites, P.O. Box 20429, Sedona AZ 86341, (928) 282-3854.
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If you are planning to visit the Prescott or Sedona area to tour Honanki Heritage Site and you are coming from outside of Arizona, you could fly into Phoenix and then rent a car. Prescott, Sedona, & Honanki Heritage Site are a few miles off of the scenic I-17 route between Phoenix and Flagstaff. There are hotels and motels all along the way in nearby towns. We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car. You may need some outdoor clothing and equipment, if you plan to visit the Prescott or Sedona area, & the Honanki Heritage Site. We have some links to Altrec on this page since they are a good online source for outdoor gear. We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep this page active.
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
|---|---|
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
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| Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. | Thanks to Kirby Ross For Identifying This Baby Desert Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis bilineatus lineolatus) http://www.snakesofarizona.com/ Honanki Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Ruins Sedona, Arizona. |
We Are Proud Of Our SafeSurf Rating!
Click On Any Of The Following Links By Amazon.Com
For Books, & Videos About About Arizona Native American Ruins. No Obligation!
|
| Back To Arizona Tours Page
|
| Back To DeLange Home Page
|