Walnut Canyon National Monument was established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915 and placed under the newly formed Forest Service. In 1934 the monument was transferred to the National Park Service and became a fine stop for folks traveling on the Mother Road. The canyon has shared its’ history from the very beginning of the Old Trails Highway and Route 66. Early travelers were connected by a dirt road (present day Cosnino Road and Old Walnut Canyon Road) from the 1921 alignment to the ruins in the walls of the canyon.
Jack Rittenhouse, in his 1946 A Guide Book to Highway 66, had this to say “This is one of the major prehistoric ruins easily reached from US 66. In a deep gorge, over 200 cliff dwellings cling to the sides of the steep rock. The village was busiest from 1000 to 1200 A.D., and the people were hunters, farmers, and traders. Open from 8 am to 5 pm No Admission. Picnic area. Foot trails to many structures.” Times have changed the park is now open from 8am to 5 pm in the summer and 9 am to 5 pm in the winter, with a $5 entry fee good for 7 days. Visit the National Park web site Here
Flagstaff business men felt there was a problem though and set about a major change for the road. The problem was US Highway 89 was a popular road for tourists traveling north to the Grand Canyon and that some motorists traveling 66, say west-bound, would reach this junction at Camp Townsend and turn north to visit the Grand Canyon and then re-join US Highway 66 in Williams, Arizona, thus circumventing Flagstaff. East-bound travelers could take the same route in reverse. Since a road already existed between Flagstaff and Walnut Canyon National Monument, Flagstaff business interests funded an extension of that road east to join US Highway 66 at Winona in 1947. This new Route 66 (the one you are on now) shortened the drive into Flagstaff and ensured that travelers at a minimum reached East Flagstaff before they could go to the Grand Canyon.
This cache is part of the Historic Route 66 Geocaching Project, a series created by the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and designated as an official Arizona Centennial Legacy Project by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission.
www.az66geocaching.com