Palatki Heritage Site

In the Hopi language, Palatki means "Red House" — a fitting name for a site tucked into the red sandstone cliffs of the Coconino National Forest near Sedona, Arizona. Managed by the Coconino National Forest's Red Rock Ranger District, Palatki stands as one of the largest cliff dwellings in the Red Rock area, inhabited between 1150 and 1350 CE.

The cliff dwellings were built under south-facing overhangs — a deliberate design choice for shelter and winter sun. The Sinagua people planted crops and made pottery in the area. Palatki consists of two separate pueblos, suggesting two family or kin groups may have lived here, one in each pueblo. The site was home to about 60 people at its peak.

The Rock Art What makes Palatki exceptional — even among Arizona's many ancient sites — is the rock art. There are pictographs and petroglyphs at the Palatki site, including some that predate the cliff dwellings. Many of the pictographs on the rock walls are from the Sinagua, but those created by peoples of the Archaic period include some of the more abstract symbols and drawings that are 3,000 to 6,000 years old. Among the pictures are humans, grizzly bears, horses, coyote, deer, and even rattlesnakes, rendered in various colors like red, yellow, white, and black.

The Site Today Palatki guests must book a tour in advance. During the tour, experienced guides assist visitors in understanding the people who lived at Palatki. The tour lasts roughly one hour and 15 minutes and includes stops at both the cliff dwellings and the rock art site. Tours are limited to 14 visitors at a time, and the trail to the dwellings includes 60 uneven and strenuous steps.

After leaving the Visitor Center the trail splits — the right fork leads to the cliff dwellings and the left fork to the pictograph site. Both are worth every step.

Nearby Nearby is another ancient cliff dwelling and rock art site called Honanki, meaning "bear house." Ask the rangers at Palatki for directions. The two sites make an excellent paired day trip.

Plan Ahead Advance reservations through Recreation.gov are required. The site closes when temperatures exceed 100°F and may also close after substantial rain or snow when access roads become impassable. Pets are not permitted beyond the parking lot, and potable water is not available on-site.

More Information

• Hours: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 7 days a week, weather permitting; last tour at 2:00 PM

• Fee: Red Rock Pass required — $5/day, $15/week, $20/annual; America the Beautiful Pass accepted

• Tours limited to 14 visitors at a time

• Trail includes 60 uneven steps — not suitable for those with mobility limitations

• Site closes when temps exceed 100°F

• Site may close after heavy rain or snow — call ahead

• Small visitor center and bookstore on site

• Contact: Red Rock Ranger District (928) 203-7500 or Palatki directly (928) 282-3854

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