Alice and I have spent the last couple of months enjoying Arizona’s Verde Valley area… a large river valley south of I-40/Flagstaff that encompasses the cities of Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Jerome, Clarkdale, and Sedona, as well as the Verde River itself. This area was also home to the Sinagua Indians during the years 500 AD thru 1425… whom Historians believe preceded today’s Hopi, Yavapai Apache, and Navaho tribes… The Sinagua left evidence of their habitation all over the Verde Valley… hence this post of hiking pictures & narrative from our hike to the Sinagua Ruin Site of Sacred Mountain.
To start, here is the general location of the Verde Valley. Flagstaff is 20 miles to the North, Phoenix about 100 miles to the South:
This region is just below the Mogollon Rim, the Southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, which drops from approximately 7,000′ elevation to about 3,500′.
During the era 500 – 1425 AD, the Sinagua settled, lived, and flourished in the Verde Valley due to the water provided by the River and it’s contributory creeks. We know about the Sinagua mostly from their Stone & Mortar buildings, Cave Homes, Storage caves, and pottery left behind… Additionally they contributed greatly to the local ‘posting boards’ of Pictographs (Picture representing words) and Petroglyphs (Carved Images on Rock).
The Sinagua lived in Pueblos, located close to water, and built on cliffs, Buttes, Mesas, or hills for protection. No one knows exactly why they disappeared around 1425 AD… But their Village Pueblos were left pretty much intact, and may be found to this day. One such Site is Sacred Mountain, located to the North of Camp Verde, and East of Sedona. This post is a record of our Hike up Sacred Mountain… a delightful, and thought provoking, trip that we made with new hiking friends Jan & Kim Rossiter.
We started our hike at the unmarked Trail Head, located just about a mile beyond the V-Bar-V Ranch National Heritage Site. We chose to hike in the late afternoon in order to avoid the hot midday sun… In the picture below, the Sacred Mountain site is the small butte on the rightmost side, and the ruins are located on the 10 acre top..
Starting the Hike with our friends Jan and Kim Rossiter, from upstate New York. Our destination, “Sacred Mountain”, is in the background on the right with a rock outcropping at the top.
We followed the visible, but not formally marked, trail and worked our way up the base of the Sacred Mountain butte.
Getting right to it, Kim & Alice lead the way… We have waited to start the hike until later in the Arizona afternoon in order to avoid hot midday temperatures.
We stopped to sign in at the Forest Service Register… and the path continued upwards
At the Base of the Mountain/Butte there is a sign-in post… and a reminder that Sacred Mountain is a protected site Under the national “Antiquities Act of 1906”. What this essentially means is… “Take only pictures and leave only footprints”.
The path did get a little steep… towards the top. The afternoon skies are beginning to clear up.
Kim and Alice are getting close to the top. The trail up the side of Sacred Mountain is steep, but fortunately not too long. The distance out is about a half a mile… and the elevation gain is about 170 feet.
Finally! We reached the top. Note the ‘rock piles’ on the left… actually, old Pueblo walls.
Phew! Made it to the top of the butte… the altitude here is right about 3,800 feet – Not high for Northern Arizona, but quite high for a bunch of flatlanders from Michigan and upstate New York. Note the rock walls (fallen) to the left…
The 360 view was incredible… This view to the South are the Mingus Mountains, home to Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Jerome.
Sacred Mountain rises about 170′ from the surrounding land base. Even still, we can see mountains in the distance… about 30 miles away. Note the person in the lower right… a Lady that lives locally and climbs to meditate on the history.
Roaming the approximately 10 Acre Butte top… Archeologists think the top was covered by three blocks of buildings, 20 rooms per block… with a family in each room.
A Pueblo Rock Wall… Jan Rossiter and Alice in the background.
A still standing Pueblo Block wall/corner.
More Pueblo Rock walls…
When we first arrived at the top of the Butte, there were pottery shards scattered all over the ground… but didn’t recognize them for what they were. They were so numerous that we thought that they were just ‘flat rocks’. A closer examination correctly identified them…
Previous Hikers have set pottery shards on this flat rock… The site is literally littered with pottery shards… they are hard to avoid walking on.
The below brief slide show are a few of the pictures we took…
The view… the pottery shards… the knowledge that a Thousand Years ago families lived here, farmed, ate, played, slept, married, died, and were born on top of this Butte… was mind boggling. What scenes did they see? What beautiful sunsets? What storms? Snow? When the Sunset Crater Volcano erupted 900 years ago, about 50 miles North of here… what did they think? Were they scared? did they leave until it was over?
It was getting late and we had to head back down the Trail The sky had cleared and allowed for one last picture of Sacred Mountain, below.
The day is getting late… and it is time to leave Sacred Mountain. A look back.
Our short “Hike into History” concluded, we thought about the fact that there are dozens of ‘village Pueblos’ located in the Verde Valley. All within walking distance of each other… What kind of Community did the Sinagua enjoy? Did they inter-marry? We know they had ‘ball courts’… did they have teams and competition amongst themselves? Fascinating!
We gathered with our new friends Kim and Jan Rossiter for one last picture. We did not see them again after this, as they departed to do a Grand Canyon, “Rim to Rim” Hike… That is going from the South Rim to the North Rim… Quite a hike!
Our Hike is done… just in time. The sun is beginning to set. Our friends Jan & Kim Rossiter will soon be heading up to the Grand Canyon… to do a “Rim to Rim” hike.
Thanks for taking the time to view this post. We certainly enjoyed the hike… and now, a few weeks after hiking, we have learned of many other such sites… and their locations. Next Year, when Alice & I return to the Verde Valley, we’ve got some hiking to do!
We are heading here tomorrow! Looking forward to exploring and taking in the history and views. Thanks for posting! I’d love to get more recommended locations from you! Happy hiking!
Thank you so much for sharing this hike online. My sister found this site from google earth when we were looking at something else nearby and we were fascinated and drawn to it. We just had to know the history so I asked around and someone linked your post to my question. Don’t you just love the power of the internet! I have my plans for this weekend. Thanks again. Happy travels 🙂
Ashley, my Wife and I are very glad we helped you find this site! Sacred Mountain is unique in our travels… very pristine… you can feel the ‘old ones’ around you while sitting quietly. Say hello to the site for us when you get there. And safe travels!
Jim
I traveled there in 2017. Nice blog and pictures.
Thank You, Phil. That hike really sticks in our minds… I really want to go back one of these days – it is a ‘haunting’ place that sticks you.
Hi you have a greate site It was very easy to post it’s nice
Jim, every time I read of your travels, I think about what Maureen and I will do when we retire. We’re about a year closer to it than when I first started following your blog! Keep up the good work. It is very interesting and educational.
Jim Townsend
Dad, this looks so neat. You and Mom will have to take us next time we’re down there!
Thanks, Daughty. Knowing you, I think this is the kind of place that you would love. And there are many more just like it. Next time we are all there… We go!
Hi friends… great to read your post and catch up a bit on your adventures! Our friends, Becky & Dave were just here for a few days (you will remember they were at Boot Camp with us, and Dave is a retired fire fighter that assisted Mac the Fire Guy 🙂 Anyway, we had a great time, and they will return in a few weeks! Look forward to seeing you both down the road! Take care, and keep on having the great adventures! Hugs, D & T
Hi, Diane and Tom! Glad things are going well for you up in Wyoming. I think you’ve got a good thing going there. And say hello to Becky & Dave… we remember them!
We’re currently moving up thru the Midwest states… lots of Thunder Storms. We will be in Kansas for a few days, then Michigan… and Black Hills in August. We are still hopeful of a road trip your way in late August.
Take care, and best wishes!
Jim & Alice
Wow..Jim and Alice, what an amazing time you are having..Dad ( Uncle Dick) would have loved this..something he never had a chance to do. Love reading your blog!
I completely enjoyed reading this, Jim. Keep these interesting posts coming!