Amazing place in the middle of nowhere. But it is absolutely gorgeous middle of nowhere. Mountains and quiet. So great. It is a very beautiful drive to get to palatki heritage site. And the people who work there are so helpful and knowledgeable. You can ask them anything about the dwellings and they know the answer. I definitely will go there again. It is an amazing experience to see what people did way back when

This place is amazing, a hidden gem we were so glad we found. This is not a self guided tour area and the web site at time of our visit did not make it clear a reservation for tour is REQUIRED! The old lady sitting at the desk is a crotchety old curmudgeon if you show up without one, and while her tour schedule sheet is almost totally blank she will wonder where she will fit you in. She will manage somehow for you to find out guided tour means someone comes out of the building to point you to signs telling you where to go.... Please dont let this all deter you! Go on up the trail to the right on some rock stairs to see some of the fabulous old dwellings! Chat a bit with a volunteer see the view and be amazed!! Then head down, dont miss out on some fabulous photo spots and then head to the left (a far easier little hike) to see the pictographs. We were so lucky to have a little lesson with an awesome volunteer named Bob!! Wow does this guy know his stuff and love to talk about it. Very engaging, we were the last group through at the time and bob even spent sometime as we headed back down showing us some other pictographs he loves and talking some more with us!! This is an amazing box canyon area to see and amazing that it there when you cant see it from the road. Driving to it just takes your breath away.

This is a very interesting place if you are interested in history. The ruins and pictographs are steeped in it. They have guides to give you a rundown of the area and tell you about the people that lived there. They explained the pictographs and what comes from what tribe. There is a little gift shop. You have to have a reservation to go see the ruins to try and keep the site kept after. The reservation cost nothing. It does cost a red Rock pass to park, which for a day pass is 10. They have a vending machine on site for those. The hike up to the ruins is mild and they provide hiking sticks for adults.

By reservation ONLY. You could get lucky and show up for a tour that’s going out and isn’t filled, but if not you could wait up to an hour+You will see 2 sites, staff guided, the cliff dwellings and the rock art. When you see the rock art be sure to go see the dwelling of the man that lived there while he was beautifying the land. Very cool. Interesting storyline and ideas as to the different art you see. Bring your red rocks or national parks pass to cover the cost. Enjoy!

Awesome experienceThe staff did a great job and I loved the education and the beauty of the place. A bit of a steep hike but definitely worth it. And you need to make a reservation for the tour.

It was closed today-Wednesday. Was this random or is it usual? Please update your days and hours.

Palatki is WORTH THE DRIVE. Make sure to make reservations. Tours have very limited space and the location is about 7 miles off of the main road at very slow speeds. Check your GPS ahead of time and take screen shots as you may lose your signal. This a 2 part walking tour up into the ruins. The terrain is a little uneven but slow paced where most people could handle as long as they arent bothered by stairs or uneven terrain. When the guide recommends a walking stick, take one. It came in very useful and I consider myself to have excellent balance. Bring a water bottle. Our tour was 1-2 hours total. The guides were excellent and so was the host.

Very interesting historical site. Make sure you make reservations because they do limit the amount of visitors.

This place was very cool, Im so glad that people have preserved this old site. The history in the area is so interesting! We enjoyed ourselves and were happy to be here but my only complaint was that the tour guide mocked our faith several times. These comments werent necessary, you can share your own beliefs without mocking others. Anyway, the area is beautiful and I hope that we are able to return one day. And dont forget your National Parks Pass, if you have one, as it covers the cost of parking.

We loved the free tour and the volunteers here! Such a beautiful place. Great photo opportunities and the hike was short and mellow.

Awesome! Spectacular! Theres about 4 miles of dirt road from pavement to get there but saw small sedans, we drive a Ford Edge awd. Our route was from Hwy 89A to Dry Creek Rd. Takes you to Thunder Mtn area also where theres a Vortex area people go to meditate at. Lots of wonderful hiking trails & places to commune with nature.

Amazing cliff dwelling, its small but what is still there is in very good shape. The guides were informative, not great but had the basics down well.I should note that if your a tourist in a rental car and plan to visit Palatki you should plan on renting an SUV or pickup, the road to get here is unpaved and not in the best shape, it would shake you to the bone in a car, Also I would stay away if its raining, once again because of the road.This place has 1000 years of history the cliff house and petroglyphs are cool. It doesnt cost anything to go here and its only 3 dollars to park

Beautiful site with well-preserved ancient dwellings and TONS of old cave art. The volunteers who work there are so passionate and knowledgeable about the history of the area. It was really great. Just make sure to call and make a reservation for a tour (theyre free!)

Wow what a hidden gem. We got to take an upclose glimpse into the past of the Sinagua Indians. Guided tours to see wall writings, the way they used to keep time, and saw their homestead. Very informative tour info on this humble generation of indians. But heads up... you need to call ahead to reserve a slot for the guided tours. The staff of volunteers are super sweet and up to speed on their subject.

Very cool cliff dwellings. Walked down from my camp spot on the Forest Road. Free entry with a National Parks Pass. I didnt have a tour reserved but they were able to squeeze me in on the next one! Spent an hour here looking at the dwellings and petroglyphs. The valley is beautiful, especially in the fall.

The Palatki Heritage Site is a guided tour by a park ranger up to the ruins. This is a moderately difficult hike up to the site. The path is narrow and the ranger walked pretty fast, me not so much. Once at the ruins he gave a wonderful talk about the ancient inhabitants. He also had several artifacts which he passed around for everyone to hold and look at closely. I felt it was worth the hike but the rangers need to be a bit more cognizant of older adults. The second part of the site is the wall of petroglyphs. This was a much easier walk and the ranger is already at the site. He used a laser pointer to explain certain petroglyphs. All in all I felt this was a worthwhile venture.

Seeing 1000 year old cliff dwellings and a milleniums worth of pictographs was incredible. Be sure to call for reservations the day before your visit...you cant get to the ruins without one. The drive out takes some time on about 4 miles of dirt road, but it is easily manageable in a car.

Nice easy walk to get from the visitors center to the cliff dwellings. You should really call ahead for a reservation because you can ONLY access the site in a small your group. With that said, we had a great time. It is really interesting to see the paintings and ways people lived in the area hundreds of years ago

A must see. Remember to make a reservation for a tour.

Amazing!!! Made reservations for a weekday morning and brought friends from out of town along. So much incredible history in this site! The caretakers are very knowledgable and friendly. You can tell just how much they treasure the site they are working on. Didnt get to do the pit tour but still had an amazing experience soaking up the history of the ruins. Its free to visit Palatki but make reservations ahead of time. Also, we made it just fine in our low profile Prius. Take it slow and avoid the big rocks, but dont miss this because someone told you the road is rough, it is totally doable in any normal clearance coupe or sedan.

This site is absolutely packed with history and It is well worth the required day pass by itself. The dirt road on the way in is very washboarded so account for about 25 minutes if youre in a car, but we took a Hyundai Elantra and made it no problem. Also make sure you call ahead for a reservation. They have semi guided tours of about 8 to 10 people and they start at exactly the reservation time and wear good shoes and be prepared to climb a number of steps.

Reservations needed, but staff was very accommodating (we were randoms). Just make it easy on them. Cool site, crazy old...great info from the guides.

Excellent visit. Lucky for us very few people had made reservations, apparently reservations are required for this site, several couples were unaware. They were very accommodating and fit us in. I recommend making reservations.

Very unique outdoor experience to learn of the ancient Anasazi

Special look at ancient tribes wall art. Not an easy climb up to the rock dwelling on cliff side. Less strenuous climb up to the rock art. Drive in needs sturdy 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance.5-10 mph for about 5 miles in was all we could take! Tours by ranger only, office must be called first to see if they are available. Worth it to see.

Very interesting to see the ruins and learn about the people who once lived there.

This place had awesome views and a very knowledgeable staff of volunteers. It was a very informative experience.

Great experience. Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time or they may have to turn you away or make you wait for a later tour. Very informative and fun experience. Takes about an hour. Bring lots of water in the warmer months. Road is kind of rough. A car or minivan can make it fine though. A National Parks pass works if you have one or you can buy a pass after you park.

Discovered this place by accident. The road is not paved so I dont recommend it after a heavy rain. Also, reservations are highly encouraged! Its quite a popular place.

Great history and beautiful location.

You need reservations which we didnt have. They were very helpful and were able to fit us in. Informative and interesting. Staff was great!

Perfect small yet exciting ruin where you can get close up. The drive was equally as fun. No body needs a Jeep tour to get here.

A small site but very interesting to visit. The guides were very informative and took the time to explain all the details. Making a reservation over the phone was easy.

Amazing archeological site ! Well worth the drive out from Sedona (45-50 minutes)Be sure to call and get a reservation. Volunteer docents are great at explaining everything

We heard detailed, interesting presentations from the park guides. The park transports guests back over 700 years in time. The trails are for abled-bodied guests; they are not handicap accessible. Experience a couple miles of gravel roads to drive there.

The volunteers were knowledgeable and friendly.

Excellent place to see, but Reservations are a MUST and thankfully walking sticks are available. Worth the effort if you like ancient peoples sites! Volunteers are great! Thank you!

Beautiful. Kid friendly. Have to make a reservation. No strollers.

Fantastic up-close access to 1000 year old unrestored cliff-side dwellings and even more ancient pictograms and petroglyphs.

Great place to plan a trip to. If youre interested in Arizona history a must see.

Great tour guides and very beautiful views. The ruins themselves are neat. You used to be able to walk through the ruins, but they have them roped off now so you have to keep your distance.You need to book a tour (reserve your spot) before you go. Just call them to reserve. Its free to visit the site, you just have to pay $5 park entrance fee (for your car, not per person).

Very interesting ruins. Nice guides. Short hike. Be prepared for a rough drive down a gravel road...SUV recommended.

Great guides. It is a hidden surprise.

It was a very beautiful area, amazing to know that Indian tribes lived here 1400 years ago.

Make sure you get your reservation, the docents are very well knowledge and happy to answer your questions

Very interesting and educational site.

Of all the sites in the area, this was our favorite. We had a wonderful husband and wife team lead us as tour guides. They were knowledgeable and truly interested in the subject matter. Call ahead for reservations. We called about an hour ahead of driving out and there were plenty of times available. We read a lot of complaints about the road getting out there, but I didnt think it was that bad. Not unlike many dirt roads throughout the US.

This place is awesome!! So beautiful, so much history, and the rangers were so informative!

Remember to call ahead to schedule your visit, it is a guided tour, each tour allow 10 ppl due to the tight space at site. I enjoyed it a lot, learning the natives Americans historical, always cool to see the artifact

Its really fun to go see all the hieroglyphics and the full hike only takes maybe an hour at the most. The hike is a total of 1 mile. Definitely suitable for all ages.

The volunteer forestry service guides were very knowledgeable! The history goes back thousands of years and is beautifully preserved.

Volunteers were well informed and a amazing site to spend time.

This place is a must visit if youre in the Sedona area. The park volunteers are very knowledgeable and helpful. just be aware that you will have to drive few miles on a dirt road. But totally worth it!

It is truly inspiring to see what early native indigenous people accomplished without todays knowledge.

Wow - a beautiful location off the beaten path. Well-preserved ancient dwelling of the Sinagua people. The guides are chock full of knowledge. Its a magical place.

The tour guides were very informative and knowledgeable. Learnt a lot about the heritage. Call them up and get an apppintment for the tour and enjoy.

Dont miss this place and make sure to get reservations

Cliff dwellings dating back to 1100 AD and rock paintings from 10,000 years ago. Small site with short trails. 6 mile unpaved road leads to the site. Drivable in dry weather in any vehicle. Surprisingly, there is power credit card parking machine, restrooms and drinking water at the site. Friendly forest ranger crew assists with the description or the artifacts. Small museum with bone tools etc.

Amazing experience! Bring your wide lens and a hat! Tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and friendly.

Very interesting historical site. Make sure you make reservation through the phone before heading there. The groups are limited to around 15 each and you only can go in a guided tour. Parking is available but you need a red rock pass. The staff is great. There is no trail at the site that you could hike alone. Even though is really close to Sedona, keep in mind you will have to drive around 6 to 8 miles on unpaved road. But worth the drive.

Loved our visit, very interesting historical location

Great place to go for a free tour. Call ahead to make reservations. Accessable along gravel roads.

Site is still closed (June 20, 2020).

Great tour guides nice easy hike

My first visit was excellent, made so by two extraordinary volunteers who loved this place and had done their homework. The ruins and the pictographs/petroglyphs were terrific and the information passed on by the volunteers was even more so.Three days later, I returned with a friend and those two volunteers were off or gone, and the two replacements werent anywhere close to their quality. It was highly disappointing.

Excellent volunteer staff. Very informative tours. Tours are no longer able to go inside the ruins due to damage and deterioration of the ruins, but the tour is done right in front of the ruins so you can see it all very well. The rock dwelling where the settler first lived (near the petroglyphs and pictographs) is open to walk through so that gives a good feel for what the ancient dwellings would have felt like.

Great tour. Good to know that you can no longer visit unguided. So, it may be best to call the number listed before heading out there. We lucked out and got the first tour of the day with just myself and my friend!

Interesting site. Make sure that you have reservations to visit the cliff dwellings.

An amazing place the Sinagua Indians had made as their home almost 900 years ago

It was wonderful camping on FR 525.

Very nice Southern Sinagua ruins and grotto with rock art. Volunteer docents were friendly and knowledgeable.

Very spiritual, great easy hike, love Sedona area

Great ruins site in a beautiful setting. The Park Service volunteers were very knowledgeable and really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. We enjoyed this site more than some of the bigger, more well known ones that we had visited because of the volunteers and the small sized group.Don’t skip the grotto and the pictographs. They were very interesting!

So much history in a small area! Awesome place!

Free tour... Just call to set up. Easy hike up to the heritage site.

We work at Palatki as volunteers. A great place for prehistoric discovery! Rob and Jo

This place is absolutely beautiful. One of the most beautiful churches ive ever seen! The Indians have a store across the road a d have beautiful hand crafted jewelry and baskets. You dont want to miss seeing both.

Enjoyed the site and the guides. Many people show up not realizing that they need a reservation, even though there are many signs along the road warning of it. With that in mind, the volunteers seemed very gracious to try and accommodate those that made it all the way out there without a reservation.

The tour is pretty informal. Just have to call to save a spot. Very cool and beautiful area.

Its a beautiful site full of history with a very knowledgeable staff. Another commenter lamented that theyd prefer to just be left alone, that is their own problem. You can choose to leave or go to other areas when you want and without a group. The staff stays put and is there if you want them. If your group is actively interested, there is much more to see than is immediately visible and the staff is more than happy to educate. They are volunteers and dont profess to be archeologists so you get some facts with some laymans speculation which I found to be perfectly appropriate and got us all to postulate. The walks arent terribly hard, take the stick when offered.... Minimal wildlife on the trails. The only downside is how rough the road is getting out there. Totally worth it. The scenery and pictographs were breathtaking and otherworldly. It was also the most cost effective trip over ever taken...since its free other than a parking pass.

Worth the visit. Excellent docents.

This was a fantastic experience. The trek up to the site is labeled as advanced. It wasnt bad but pretty steep so make sure you get a walking stick at the visitor center. The volunteers were awesome! Very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. After visiting the site, we went to the pictograph area. Amazing too!! This is a much easier and shorter walk. Would highly recommend! The National Pass gets you in for free. I think they accept an Arizona pass too.

Fascinating. Thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon here. The guides are extremely insightful, knowledgeable and patient. Very conscious of the precious historical site they work hard to maintain and at the same time share openly with others.

This place rocks! Staff is the friendliest I have yet to encounter and are extremely knowledgeable.

Always learn something new from the docents

Beautiful... a must see when around Sedona. Great tour. If you have issues with heat go early. Make sure you take time to explore the area you wont be disappointed.

Need a reservation. Worth the effort. The guides were informative.

Make sure you call ahead and reserve your space. The tours are less by amazing and knowledgeable rangers. There are two trails that are very easy. Getting there on gravel road with a sedan was doable. Highly recommend this little Sedona getaway.

This is a beautiful historical Native site off the beaten path. A must see for Sedona visitors. Its not easy to get to this location though. You got to go on 179 west and then go North to Dry Creek Road and then you go about 10 miles and then you also have to go 5 miles on a dirt road. Its a very bumpy dusty ride. You have to have a Red Rock pass or a federal pass to park. You can buy the pass for the day or for the week right there in a little machine. The weekly pass cost $15 if you get the Red Rock pass. Thos protected site has some beautiful petroglyphs and pictographs. You have to join a tour and they leave every 30 minutes and theyre very informative. Your guide will take you on a hike up a short distance to the Red Rock Canyon wall. The tour guide with a laser will show you the different drawings on the wall from different native peoples in different time eras. Its well worth the Rocky drive to see a slice of history. We got a tip about the beautiful Palatki Ruins in Sedona from our hotel clerk. I love learning more about the amazing Southwest. Sedona actually started 350 million years ago. Thats how long it took Mother Nature to form the red rocks from sea changes, earth movement and erosion. The cliffs are made of sandsyone and theres a lot of geology to understand if youre into that sort of thing. I love coming to Sedona even though Im not a geologist. Ive been coming up here from Phoenix for 25 years and I always get inspired. I could come here every day and or stay for months and months. I have to wait, though for somebody that has a house or a timeshare to invite me, because I cant move here myself or afford a month of hotel rooms. I havent figured out how to live here or stay long periods of time yet. This particular dwelling housed about 80 Sinaqua Indians. Sin agua means without water, but they did have water actually. Palakti means red house in the Hopi language. This name was given to this site by a Smithsonian anthropologist. The people who lived here are thought to be the modern day Hopis. 1800 hundred years later some Anglo families arrived to settle here. T.C. Shnebly came in the late 1800s to homestead here with his wife named Sedona and thats where the name of this place came from. They were from Missouri. The ancient hunter gatherers came here in 1000 AD and mysteriously settled in this region and then mysteriously disappeared. The men were 56 tall and women were 50. Up here, they built 20 rooms with 2 to 4 people a room. They were all in a clan, not a family. They lived here about 1000 years ago. Why did they put their home on the cliffs? Because it is cooler up in the rocks in summer..they could build 3 walls not 4.. it doesnt rain on their structure because.of the cliff overhang and its warmer in winter. This site is housed in the juniper pinon forest. Obsidian is found here. The people stayed here 175 years..and then they left. Where did they go? So if you want to see a slice of history its well worth the drive and time to visit this federally protected site.

Great place. Call ahead to go on the tour as they wont let you go up to the ruins alone

Need hiking shoes for this place. Wonderful history here.

Amazing pictographs, history lessons given by the volunteers were very informative.

Very interesting ruins, kind of weird but nice staff, easy hike but it is a home up and down so small kids and elderly might have a hard time. 4 mile drive on a very rocky dirt road one you leave the paved road for the first road. Bring water and sun screen and hats especially in the summer.

Amazing place! The park rangers were knowledgeable and friendly. It was incredible to be able to stand so close to such historic gems! If youd like to go, please be sure to call ahead as space if limited.

The volunteers are super knowledgable and the hikes are short and easy so great all ages.

Upon arrival at Palatki, we were greeted by Jo, who gave us a brief history of the location and guided us to the ruins, where we were met by her husband, Rob. Just my fiancé and I were on the guided tour of the ruins, and we can’t speak highly enough of Rob’s knowledge of the site, his friendliness, and his willingness to share so much. It was such a refreshing encounter after many “touristy” experiences along our two-week road trip. We highly recommend making the bumpy trip out to Palatki—you won’t be disappointed!! On the way out, 200 yards past the “Y” in the road, TURN LEFT!! Instead of driving 8 miles on rough gravel, you will reach paved road in 3!! Thanks, Rob and Jo!!

Very interesting place filled with history. Make sure you make reservations because you will not get to see the area without them.

Beautiful place.

A very interesting tour. Be sure you make reservations, as they are serious about no reservations, no tour.

Beautiful and well worth the drive