It protects the ruins and the privacy of families living in the canyons. Sheer sandstone walls rise up to 1,000 feet, giving the canyons a fortress-like appearance. Rim elevations range from 5,500 feet at the visitor center to 7,000 feet at the end of the scenic drives. Allow at least a full day to see some of the monument's 83,840 acres. April to October is the best time to visit.
Winter brings cold weather and a chance of snow.
Afternoon thunderstorms arrive almost daily in late summer, bringing thousands of waterfalls that cascade over the rims, stopping when the skies clear. This isolated cliff dwelling is the largest in Arizona and one of the best preserved in the Southwest. The ruins look as though they were abandoned just a few years back, not seven long centuries ago. The site, 8.5 miles away by trail from the visitor center, is open from the end of May to early September. A permit is required, and there's a limit of 20 people per day.