Palatki Heritage Site
Reservation-only guided tours of a red rock cliff dwelling and rock art northwest of Sedona
- Admission
- Timed ticket required from Recreation.gov, plus a Red Rock Pass or federal interagency pass per vehicle. Check Recreation.gov for the current ticket price. Children under 2 don't need a ticket.
- Hours
- October to May: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, last tour 2 p.m.; Wednesdays...
- Where
- Sedona, Sedona & Verde Valley
- Directions
- Directions
Palatki is a cliff dwelling and rock art site in the red canyons northwest of Sedona, and you can only see it on a guided tour booked in advance. The Forest Service describes it as one of the largest cliff dwellings of Red Rock Country, built between about 1125 and 1300. Smithsonian archeologist Jesse Walter Fewkes photographed it in 1895 and gave it the name Palatki, Hopi for Red House. Comparisons with his photographs show surprisingly little change.
A guide leads each group to both the dwelling and the Grotto, a sheltered rock art site with pictographs and petroglyphs left by several cultures over thousands of years. Tours run about an hour and start every half hour. The route includes 70 uneven and fairly strenuous steps, so think honestly about your limits before booking.
Tickets go on sale through Recreation.gov 120 days in advance on a rolling daily release, and each vehicle also needs a Red Rock Pass or interagency pass, which you can buy on site. Have your ticket or QR code ready, because cell service is limited at the site. The fee is refunded if the site closes.
Closures are a real possibility. Rain or snow can make the road impassable, and Recreation.gov posts weather suspensions when they happen. Visit Sedona adds that the site closes when temperatures pass 100°F. Call the Red Rock Ranger District at (928) 203-7500 before you drive out. Bring water, and leave pets at home: they aren't allowed beyond the parking lot.
Categories
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Hours & Fees
- Open
- October to May: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, last tour 2 p.m.; Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon, last tour 11 a.m. June to September: Wednesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, last tour 11 a.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Closes in bad weather; Visit Sedona says also above 100°F.
- Admission
- Timed ticket required from Recreation.gov, plus a Red Rock Pass or federal interagency pass per vehicle. Check Recreation.gov for the current ticket price. Children under 2 don't need a ticket.
Hours and prices change, especially out of season. Check with the venue before you go.
Nearby Attractions
Other places to visit in Sedona
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From $5 Natural Wonders · Outdoor Recreation
Chapel of the Holy Cross
A 1956 Catholic chapel built around a giant cross, rising from a red rock outcrop
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Slide Rock State Park
An 80-foot natural water chute below a historic apple orchard in Oak Creek Canyon
From $5 Historic Sites · State Parks
Questions people ask
Quick Facts
Timed ticket required from Recreation.gov, plus a Red Rock Pass or federal interagency pass per vehicle. Check Recreation.gov for the current ticket price. Children under 2 don't need a ticket.
Best Time to Visit
March to May and September to November for hiking, when the monuments and trails are also busiest. Oak Creek draws swimmers in summer, when some heritage sites close on days above 100°F.