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Interested in visiting one of the largest cliff dwelling sites in the Verde Valley? The Honanki Heritage Site Sedona is your answer! This heritage site was home to the Sinagua people from 1150 – 1350 AD, and is still in great shape to explore.
When we learned of this heritage site, we knew we wanted to visit, but it’s a really rough road getting to it. We knew our minivan campervan couldn’t make it out there, so instead we biked the road from Nolan Campground to Honanki Heritage Site, and boy it’s rough!
We recommend turning a visit to Honanki Heritage Site into an off-roading adventure with full or half-day off-road rentals to easily access Honanki and experience the wild terrain of Sedona.
Honanki Heritage Site Sedona Quick Facts
- Location | Honanki Heritage Site | 34.936783, -111.934413
- Cost | Red Rock Parking Pass ($5 on site) or America The Beautiful Pass
- Opening Times | daily 9:30 – 3:00 (more on this below)
- Hike | short, half-mile flat loop
- Accessibility | loose terrain but relatively flat, with some rocks to walk over
- Dogs | No dogs are allowed at these ruins or any other ruins or heritage sites in Sedona.
- Driving | High clearance or renting a side by side is recommended
Honanki Heritage Site Opening Times
Honanki Heritage site is open every day except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Like most other heritage sites in Sedona, Honanki closes when temperatures reach 100 degrees or when the roads are impassible due to bad weather.
While entrance to the Honanki Heritage Site is free, you have to pay for parking, and there is a Coconino National Forest Service ranger onsite to answer questions and make sure you pay for parking.
Honanki Heritage Site Vs. Palatki Heritage Site
Honanki is the sister site to Palatki Heritage Site, and both are great, but Palatki offers tours in which you’ll learn much more about the history of this area.
If I had to choose between Honanki Heritage Site and Palatki Heritage Site, I would definitely choose Palatki.
Honanki Heritage Site is all a self tour, and the road is really rough to get out to it. At Palatki, for $1 USD, you get a guided tour and the heritage site itself is much more accessible.
With that said, the Honanki Heritage Site trail is way more accessible for those with walking difficulties, so that’s something major to consider if you have difficulty with steps or uneven terrain.
The downside to Palatki Heritage Site, is that you do have to have a reserved time slot for a visit. We were able to snag a next day reservation on Christmas Eve, so you’ll likely be able to plan for it, even in busy times.
Honanki Heritage Site Jeep Tours
There are mulitple different rental agencies in Sedona that offer off roading vehicles for full or half day adventures. This is a great way to experience the off road beauty of Sedona, while visiting this heritage site without ruining your car!
Alternatively, the very popular Pink Jeep Tour company offers tours out to Honanki Heritage Site. This is a great way to not have to worry about the drive at all and actually have a guide with you for not just the drive but the heritage site as well.
Visiting The Honanki Heritage Site Sedona
We really enjoyed our visit to Honanki Heritage Site Sedona, Arizona. This heritage site is unique because you can really get up close and personal with both the cliff dwellings and the rock art.
We found the trail to be easy to navigate and enjoyed the informational signs helping us interpret the area and picture what life would have looked like when people lived here.
The bike ride out to Honanki from camping on 525 was long and not shaded, but worth it if the weather’s not too extreme!
With that said, we road out late in the morning, and think the lighting would actually be better later in the afternoon, as around 1:00 the lighting was pretty harsh.
Driving to Honanki Heritage Site From Sedona
The drive to Honanki Heritage Site is rough! High clearance is definitely recommended! If you don’t have high clearance, consider renting a side by side for half a day. The roads and trails near Honanki are perfect for side-by-side adventures!
Both routes below lead to the final five-mile stretch to Honanki Heritage Site. The final stretch is the roughest part of the road, and is recommended for those only with high clearance vehicles.
Driving Boynton Canyon Road
Boynton Canyon Road comes out of West Sedona and offers incredible views the entire drive. This drive is rough though.
There are many large rocks you have to drive over, totally manageable in a low-clearance 2WD vehicle, but definitely worth the heads up.
There is one corner on the road that is particularly soft when it’s dry and super wet and muddy after the rain. This corner can make this road completely impassible when the weather is bad.
If you choose to do this drive, take it slow! Rocks come up out of nowhere, but there’s usually ways to drive around them!
Driving Forest Road 525
Forest Road 525 is the road that is technically maintained year-round. However, this maintenance is questionable. While there are more gravel areas and less large rocks to drive over, it’s still a super slow drive… and very washboardy.
If we had to choose, we would choose to drive Boynton Canyon Road. While there are some questionable spots along the road.. I think going slow and driving a shorter distance on the road is better than the longer 525.
Preservation and Visitor Etiquette
When visiting the Honanki ruins and other ruins in Sedona, remember that many of the places are sacred to the local tribes. You should always stay on designated paths and never carve into or touch the ruins or wall art.
Remember to pack out anything that you carry in with you, and leave the place better than you found it!
We saw deer and other wildlife when visiting Honanki Heritage Site, so be sure to keep noise levels low so you and other visitors get the chance to see the wildlife too!
Honanki Heritage Sites Travel Tips
Cell Service Is Limited
Driving out to Honanki Heritage Site, you are heading out into a canyon, and will very likely lose cell service. While there area a good amount of signs directing visitors of where to go, we recommend having a map downloaded prior to leaving Sedona.
We love using maps.me, as you can pin specific locations. However, you can also download the Google Map for this location too.
Shade + Services
There is limited shade at Honanki. We suggest bringing sun protection like a hat and long sleeves or sunscreen.
While there are pit toilets and trash cans at Honanki Heritage Site, there is no drinking water, so be sure to bring a full water bottle with you. We also recommend bringing snacks, as you’re out a long ways from anything and don’t want to be without food or water.
If you need water, stop in at Palatki Heritage Site. There is drinking water in the parking lot there.
Is It Worth The Drive?
That’s up for debate! If you can visit Palatki Heritage Site the drive is much more doable, and the tour there is incredibly informative.
However, if renting an off-road vehicle and looking for a bigger adventure, visiting Honanki Heritage Site Sedona offers a great up close and personal look at the history of the region!
You can easily tie in a visit to Honanki while off-roading the nearby Outlaw OHV trail system!
Whether you hike, bike, or take a Jeep tour, the Honanki Heritage Site offers a fascinating glimpse into Sedona’s past and the natural beauty of the region. Don’t miss this incredible piece of history on your next trip!
Other Sedona Heritage Sites In The Area
Palatki Heritage Site | A few miles before Honanki, but reservations are required to visit the Palatki Heritage Site.
Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site | The largest amount of petroglyphs in the Verde Valley.
Montezuma Well | An interesting oasis in the middle of the dry desert.
Montezuma Castle | Think cliff dwelling, but large scale… so big that it’s considered a castle!
Tuzigoot Heritage Site | Actually located in Cottonwood, Tuzigoot has a great museum of ancient artifacts.
