National Monuments * # * * 159 



WUPATKI NATIONAL MONUMENT 



When the Snake families of the Hopi Indians journeyed east out of the 

 Colorado River Canyon, where as their legend has it their ancestors came 

 up out of the underworld, they stopped at Wupatki on the Little Colorado 

 River, thirty-two miles northeast of Flagstaff, and built a temporary city. 

 The ruins of this pueblo now constitute the attraction of the Wupatki 

 National Monument. The Indians deserted their red sandstone houses many 

 generations ago and went to live with the rest of the People of Peace, as the 

 Hopis call themselves. They are one of the most picturesque tribes of the 

 Southwest. Their famous annual snake dances, dedicated to the rain gods, 

 have made them famous the world over. The ruins of Wupatki Monument 

 are an important link in the chain of evidence by which the story of these 

 ancient people of the desert is being gathered. Motorists may reach them 

 on the Tuba City Road from Flagstaff, which is the nearest railway station, 

 being on the Santa Fe Railroad. 



NAVAHO NATIONAL MONUMENT 



The Navaho National Monument is in northeastern Arizona, within the 

 Navaho Indian reservation. It contains ruins of prehistoric dwellings, 

 pueblos built in natural caves by the fortunate discoverers. They are in a 

 good state of preservation. Betatakin, one of these caves, is 450 feet long 

 and 150 feet deep, carved in the red sandstone of a beautiful canyon. Within 

 the cave was a never failing spring of pure water, supplying the needs of the 

 inhabitants, who lived in 120 rooms constructed in the cave. Kitsil is another 

 cave pueblo, even larger, with 148 rooms in it. A riot of color greets the 

 visitor to these caves, the surrounding walls resembling the Grand Canyon in 

 texture. The Navaho Monument is reached by motor stage from Grand 

 Canyon or from Flagstaff, both on the Santa Fe Railroad, or by motor from 

 either of these points over the National Old Trails Road to Kayenta, where 

 pack and saddle animals and Indian guides are engaged for the trip up the 

 canyon to the monument. 



PAPAGO SAGUARO MONUMENT 



Nothing that the visitor to the Southwest sees makes a greater impres 

 sion on him than does the giant saguaro cactus of Arizona and neighboring 

 states. These enormous cacti grow into veritable trees, while around them, 

 less huge but equally novel, are the barrel cactus from which candy is made, 

 the cholla, more popularly known as "jumping cactus" from its habit of 

 connecting itself with any passing object, and various other species of cacti. 

 With the increase in irrigation, many of the finer stands of the giant saguaro 

 cactus are being cleared off to make way for farms. 



The Papago Saguaro Monument preserves one of the most picturesque 

 of these stands of giant saguaro, not far from Phoenix, on the Tempe Road. 

 It also contains other cacti plants of the desert, as well as certain birds that 

 are found nowhere except in the vicinity of the giant saguaro. The monu 

 ment area of nineteen hundred acres includes Hole-in-the-Rock Mountain, a 



