Walnut Canyon

Archeologists have long been fascinated by the Sinagua people, who mysteriously disappeared from Walnut Canyon around 1400. While we may never know exactly what happened to them, new evidence suggests they may have simply relocated to a more hospitable climate. According to recent studies, the Sinagua were ingenious farmers who knew how to make the most of their limited resources. They grew small gardens of corn, squash and beans on the canyon rims, and utilized limestone alcoves for shelter. However, as the climate grew drier and the summers hotter, it became increasingly difficult to grow crops in the canyon. In search of a more temperate climate, the Sinagua may have simply moved to a different region – taking their agricultural knowledge with them. The site has been repeatedly plundered over the years.