Palatki National Historical Site

April 6, 2015

Palatki National Historical Site & Fay Canyon Trail

Not far from where we’re camped is a very interesting National Historic Site … Palatki (I keep calling it Palaski … one of those ancient Polish settlements!). It’s a bit out of the way, but still only about ½ hour – 45 minutes from Sedona. I was surprised to learn that you need to make reservations … being such an out-of-the-way place, but it seemed packed. And quite rightly so! We got in for free with our National Park Annual Pass (we have to make our $80 pay!) and you get a park interpreter to lead your group up to some amazing ancient ruins & pictographs. The interpreters are very knowledgeable and gave us a very good tour. Afterwards you were allowed to roam around the site – but not allowed to touch or go too near the ruins/pictographs. I highly recommend this site if you’re in the area.

Palatki National Historical Site – such a beautiful setting!

Palatki National Historical Site

Pictographs at the Grotto

Palatki Dwelling

Palatki National Historical Site

Later that afternoon we drove down the road to a trail head and hiked to Fay Canyon which had some remarkable views of all the red rock in the area. It’s truly a beautiful place – but getting very, very crowded. Even at our campsite which is kind of out in the ‘boonies’ … there’s a constant stream of tour jeeps, hummer tours and the roar and dust of dozens and dozens of ATV’s. Luckily at night the traffic stops and you can finally enjoy what you came out here for … the peace and quiet!