Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos
The Wupatki National Monument, near Flagstaff, AZ, is a great destination to explore if you love ancient history like Erin and I. The Lomaki and Box Canyon pueblos are one of the areas you can go visit and explore. This post covers this specific set of pueblos within the Wupatki National Monument.
Indigenous Communities
The Sanagua, Cohonina, and Cayente Anasazi inhabited and flourished in this area. They grew crops, hunted wild game, and made pottery. The Anasazi were living on the water from the Wupatki Springs, unfortunately, which is now dry. They had to learn to “dry garden”. They enjoyed a diet of corn, beans, squash, seeds, and grains, plus fresh meat from hunting.
The area around Sunset Volcano Crater has been home to indigenous people for thousands and thousands of years. They were here even before the volcano erupted way back in 1085. The Hopi and Zuni elders, who are wise and respected members of their communities, still share stories about what it was like to witness the amazing fireworks when the volcano would explode. Can you imagine that? It must have been quite a sight!
A Littered Landscape
The area around Sunset Volcano Crater is covered in old volcanic cinder and spatter cones. What are those, you ask? Well, cinder cones are formed when volcanic ash and rocks pile up around the volcano’s vent, creating a cone-shaped hill. Spatter cones, on the other hand, are formed when blobs of lava are ejected from the volcano and harden into cone-shaped structures.
Where is the Wupatki National Monument Located?
The park is located about 30 miles north of Flagstaff. If in the Flagstaff, AZ area or driving to or from Page, AZ, or another location on AZ Hwy 89, the turnoff is to the East on Hwy 89. Sunset Crater is nearby so can bundle both attractions together.
Where are the Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos Located?
If coming in from the North Entrance to the National Monument, you will come to the Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos first on your left, about 4 miles into the park. If coming from the South Entrance, this is a 10 mile drive from the Wupatki Visitor Center.
The following map gives you a close-up look of the Lomaki and Box Canyon pueblo area including the trails and pueblos.
Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos
The Hopi word “Lomaki” is translated in the English language as “beautiful house”.
As you walk up the trail, you will first come to the Box Canyon pueblo, and the Lomaki pueblo is located at the end of the trail. The Box Canyon pueblos are smaller with a few rooms while the Lomaki pueblo has nine rooms and were constructed from local limestone and sandstone in the last decade of the 1100s.
The ancient inhabitants were skilled dry farmers. Crops were grown within the walls of the box canyon, on the flat mesa tops, in washes, and on terraced hillsides. Black cinders from the volcanic activity in the area create a mulch layer helping hold what moisture the area may experience.
The two Box Canyon pueblos are within sight of each other indicating a flourishing community. The Box Canyon pueblos are much smaller than the Lomaki pueblo, although nowhere near as big as the Citadel pueblo area, the Wupatki pueblos, or the Wukoki pueblo.
All three of these pueblo ruins have not been reconstructed but have been stabilized to avoid further deterioration. This means the pueblos you are exploring are near the original.
What to Expect at the Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos?
The trails to the various ruins in the Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblo area are hard-packed gravel with a few sections of slickrock. There are several interpretive signs along the trail that teach a few things about what you are looking at.
The trail is a roundtrip distance of 0.5 miles. It is considered an easy hike. Elevation ranges from 5300 to 5326 feet on the trail.
Plan for 30 – 45 minutes to explore these pueblos.
Lomaki Pueblo Photos
Box Canyon Photos
The Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos are very cool to explore. It is incredible to imagine how these ancient cultures thrived in this harsh landscape!
Key Takeaways
- The Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos are located within Wupatki National Monument, near Flagstaff, AZ.
- Ancient Indigenous communities like the Sanagua and Anasazi thrived in this area, utilizing dry farming techniques.
- Visitors can expect an easy 0.5-mile roundtrip hike with interpretive signs along the trail.
- The Lomaki pueblo features nine rooms, while the Box Canyon pueblos have a few smaller rooms nearby, suggesting a thriving community.
- Combining visits to Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monuments offers a rich historical experience.
If you like this content, make sure you check out my summary post on the Wupatki National Monument, along with a more detailed post (like this post) covering the other sets of pueblos:
Erin and I love history and being outdoors. Visit Wupatki National Monument; it is well worth the trip. You will thoroughly enjoy the history and the short hikes. The bonus of visiting Wupatki National Monument is thatSunset Crater National Monument is right next door. So you get two National Monuments in one shot.
Check out our post on the Sunset Crater National Monument. Again, package these two together.
If you like this content, I know you’re really going to enjoy the Montezuma Castle and Well National Monument posts, and all the epic Arizona trip videos we have to help you plan your next epic trip with your significant others.
