Palatki is a great place to begin your Sedona ancient ruins experience. In addition to a 2-story masonry building there are pictographs spread along the face of the cliffs that you can explore by well-marked trails. There are volunteer site stewards on duty who can answer questions. They also periodically lead informative walks through the site. Palatki is reachable by a vehicle with average clearance except in very rainy periods when the dirt road gets really nasty, during and after. For more specific information including hours of operation and driving directions, call the Coconino National Forest’s Sedona Ranger District Office at 928.282.4119.
Honanki is located approximately 3 miles beyond Palatki on the same access road, F.R. 525. It’s a world-class site for pictographs, symbols and writings painted on rock surfaces, in contrast to petroglyphs which are pecked or inscribed into the rock surface. If you are truly interested in archaeology and anthropology, then visit both Honanki and Palatki. Each site complements the other in the variety and style of architecture you’ll explore and the diversity and complexity of petroglyphs to examine. Honanki has a site steward on site who can answer questions and help you get started. This ancient ruin is a “discovery site” and does not have written resources or volunteer guides providing explanatory information about the history of the site and its prehistoric inhabitants, the Sinagua. The tours you might encounter here are presented by professional guides from Pink Jeep Tours, the only tour company permitted by the Coconino National Forest to give guided tours at Honanki. Please do your best to allow them to do a great job and give them space to be with their guests. If you find you’d like to learn even more about Honanki, take a tour! For more specific information including hours of operation and driving directions, call the Coconino National Forest’s Sedona Ranger District Office at 928.282.4119.
The V-V, pronounced “V bar V”, is a fantastic “rock writings” site. I use this term instead of the traditional “rock art” term because in my opinion, and in the opinion of several experts in the field, these glyphs have meaning beyond art and were definitely part of a communication system. I believe that they serve a similar communicative function to the hand and arm sign language gestures that allowed Native American tribes of differing languages to communicate in fundamental ways. The primary difference is that petroglyphs and pictographs are presented visually through rock and stone and utilize more complex symbolic meanings than typical sign language. According to the studies of archaeologist Donald E. Weaver, Jr., this site is the largest single petroglyph site in the Verde Valley and defines over 105 element motifs and 15 style classes. You can meander along the walls at your own speed and enjoy the natural setting as well. Lack of funding and a need for volunteer site stewards has made the V-V operate on a restricted schedule, usually open only four days per week. So before you go, obtain more specific information including hours of operation and detailed driving directions by calling the Coconino National Forest’s Sedona Ranger District Office at 928.282.4119.
Red Tank Draw
This is the place to go for petroglyphs that are off the beaten path. In a ½ mile section of a 50 foot deep wash you can discover hundreds of petros carved into the dark patina of the red rock cliff walls, smooth river rock boulders, and huge boulder sections of the cliffs that have fallen into the draw. Getting there is a relatively easy 45 minute drive from Sedona. You’ll need to hike 10 to 15 minutes to the petroglyph site itself depending on where you park. You can park a lot closer if you have an SUV or 4x4. A visit to Red Tank Draw could easily be the highlight of your Sedona vacation if archaeology is important to you or you just love to hike and explore.
Directions: Head south on Hwy 179 to I-17 and continue under the Interstate. This paved section is Forest Road 618. Continue approximately 1/2 mile on pavement until you reach the first stop sign. If you turn right at the stop sign you’ll head to Montezuma’s Well National Monument via dirt road, a scenic alternative to using the Interstate to reach the Well. Instead, turn left onto Forest Road 645A, a dirt road known as the “Blue Grade”, and drive 1.4 miles. Look for the intersection to your right that features two roads diverging from a fork close to this intersection. For cars with low to medium clearance, take the right fork marked “9020 D” and go as far as you can, about 500 yards, until you must park on top of a flat point overlooking Red Tank Draw which is approximately 100 yards in the distance below. From there you’ll have to hike down the 4x4 trail to the access road below and follow it to the edge of Red Tank Draw. Scout around for one of the few access trails, climb down to the draw’s floor, and comb the boulders and red rock walls for an incredible assortment and variety of petroglyphs. 4x4 vehicles and high-clearance SUVs can take the left fork marked “644 H” and drive almost to the actual rim of Red Tank Draw.
If you have found the access trail used by most visitors you’ll come to a Site Steward sign-in box on a post at the bottom of the draw. If you found your way down to the north where the 4x4 road actually reaches the bottom of the draw, head south, following the streambed downhill. Petroglyphs are located on both sides of the draw and though some are blatantly obvious, many are tucked away and frequently hidden by the spiny branches and leaves of the shrubs along the cliffs. Reaching this site may sound like a challenge, however the most tedious part is the drive. Once you’re in the vicinity and can see Red Tank Draw itself, you’ll soon be exploring one of the Verde Valley’s finest sites for ancient rock writings. The petroglyphs continue south, downstream, from this primary area almost 1 mile to the original paved access road you used coming in from Interstate 17. It continues southeast to Beaver Creek, the V-V Petroglyph Site, and the temporary Sedona Ranger District office at Beaver Creek Ranger Station. If you plan to visit Red Tank Draw, take plenty of drinking water, first aid supplies, and extra film. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll amass photos when the subject is so new and exciting. Digital camera buffs, bring your largest storage chip.
