Island Trail and support wall - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
Description
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees from the Mt. Elden Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp near Flagstaff worked at Walnut Canyon National Monument from 1938 to 1942.
The most important contribution made by the CCC men was construction of the Island Trail, which descends the cliff behind the visitors center and encircles a promontory (“island”) in the canyon to allow visitors to view the ruins up close. The trail is about one mile long and descends almost 200 feet via 273 steps. The trail is lined with stone and, in many places, rock support walls were required.
The Island Trail was quite elegantly done and the views are spectacular.
Walnut Canyon is an important site of cliff dwellings left by the Sinagua people who occupied Northern Arizona c 1050-1350 C.E. There are a couple hundred dwelling units tucked into the cliffs on both sides of the canyon.
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Terrace at the top of Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Map of Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Stairs descending the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Descending the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Switchbacks on Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Island Trail under cliff - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Back side of Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Returning along the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Island Trail with retaining wall and railing - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Stairs up Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Visitors climbing back up the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Stairs near the top of the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
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Climbing stairs on the Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument AZ
Source notes
Deal in Arizona: Connections to Our Historic Landscape." University of Arizona Library.Association.
http://content.library.arizona.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/NewDeal/id/229/rec/52CCC history panel on lower terrace of visitors' center, Walnut Canyon NM.
Project originally submitted by Richard Walker on April 27, 2022.
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.
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