Looking west as the trail begins, several rock dwellings are visible in the next canyon over. There is a trail to this area, but it is perfunctorily blocked with a message to not enter. There are plenty of Sinagua dwellings to be had along the main trail anyway, and the National Park Service has left well enough alone by simply posting educational plaques without disturbing or dressing up the history. As on the eastern/left side of the trail, it's apparent from these views that some rooms are different than others. I'm inclined to think the long rooms in both cases are not dwellings, but rather meeting rooms, healing rooms, or similar (or all-purpose rooms - anything other than dwellings).


Walking south to southeast along the trail. You can see one of those educational plaques as I do so. Oh, I forgot to mention that the trail is paved. I guess that's another sacrifice to modernity.


Views of Walnut Canyon from the trail, with plenty of erosion evidence.


More dwellings.


I'm artistic and you love it.


Some more dwellings, up to the orange fence that marks the temporary end of the trail. The only cost of the blockage was time due to having to double back on both sides, essentially walking the trail twice, but all of the dwellings were visible. Speaking of which, note that the canyon is well above a mile in elevation. Unless you maintain very good physical condition, keep a walking pace and be prepared to rest every so often to combat the effects of thinner air at high altitude.

See the left side of the trail
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