About Wupatki National Monument
Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler and wetter weather, when the ancestors of contemporary Pueblo communities created a bustling center of trade and culture. For indigenous peoples, these sites represent the footprints of their ancestors.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions. You may expect high winds any time of year, summer temperatures above 100ºF (38ºC), afternoon thunderstorms July–September, and occasional snow in winter and early spring. Dress in layers, as Wupatki weather can change quickly at any time of year. For current weather…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Arizona. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Entrance Fees
This fee covers the occupants of one private vehicle for seven days at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers to both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
This fee covers entry for one bicyclist or pedestrian for seven days at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
Non-commercial groups are charged the per-person entrance fee of $15 for all persons 16yrs and over, not to exceed the commercial rate for the size of vehicle entering the monument.
Educational groups visiting the monument for a curriculum related visit should apply for an Academic Fee Waiver. If no fee waiver is obtained, educational groups will be charged as non-commercial groups.
This fee covers the occupants of one commercial sedan for one day at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
This fee covers the occupants of one commercial van for one day at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
This fee covers the occupants of one commercial bus for one day at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
https://www.nps.gov/wupa/planyourvisit/fees.htm
Operating Hours
The Wupatki National Monument Visitor Center is open 9:00AM to 4:30PM MST March 8th- November 1st. The visitor center is closed Tuesdays through Thursdays November 2nd- march 7th and is closed for December 25th and January 1st. Trails to Wupatki, Wukoki, Citadel, Nalakihu, Box Canyon, and Lomaki Pueblos are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Activities
Current Alerts
Beginning September 21, Forest Road 545 will close to all vehicle traffic starting near the intersection with Highway 89A to the Sunset Crater Volcano entrance kiosk for culvert work. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument remains OPEN and accessible via Forest Road 545 through Wupatki National Monument. Plan for extra travel time—the drive between visitor centers is about 19 miles/30 minutes. The road is expected to reopen October 22.
The main phone line for the visitor center experiences occasional outages. Please email FLAG_Information@nps.gov if you have trouble getting through on the main number.
Getting There
Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments are connected by loop road FR-545 (paved). Visitors can enter the loop road near mile markers 430 (Sunset Crater Volcano) and 444 (Wupatki) on U.S. Highway 89.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Entrance Passes
Admits the passholder, passenger of one motorcycle, or occupants of a single, non-commercial vehicle at Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki National Monuments for 1 year.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Crack-In-Rock Ranger-Led Hike
Crack-In-Rock hikes are led by park staff and are only accessible by reservations offered by the park. This strenuous hike…
Visit Citadel and Nalakihu Pueblos
The Citadel and Nalakihu Pueblos were the central hub of a vibrant agricultural community between the early 1100s and mid…
Kaibab House Ranger-Led Hike
The Kaibab House Hike is a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the backcountry of Wupatki with a ranger and…
East Mesa Ranger-Led Hike
The East Mesa Hike is a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the backcountry of Wupatki with a ranger and…
Antelope House Ranger-Led Hike
The Antelope House Hike is a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the backcountry of Wupatki with a ranger and…
Become a Junior Ranger at Wupatki
Join Jackie Rabbit in exploring the human history, geology, and wildlife of Wupatki National Monument and earn a Jr. Ranger…
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
Visit Wupatki Pueblo
Visit the largest free standing pueblo in northern AZ which was once a bustling hub of trade and agriculture. View the whole…
Visit Wukoki Pueblo
Wukoki Pueblo is an impressive eight room structure built on top of a large sandstone pedestal. It was occupied between the early…
Visit Lomaki and Box Canyon Pueblos
Lomaki, Beautiful House in the Hopi language, is located at the end of this trail. It had nine rooms constructed from local…
Visitor Centers
Wupatki Visitor Center
The Wupatki Visitor Center includes a museum, WNPA park store, park film, and restroom facilities. The building features architecture from the Mission 66 era. Park…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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