Honanki Heritage Site ruins tour: 700-year-old cliff dwelling near Ennis

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/6

Duration3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Stand inside a 700-year-old cliff dwelling and decode the rock art that still covers its walls

A guided tour of the Honanki Heritage Site near Ennis takes you by Jeep through red rock canyons to a 700-year-old Sinaguan cliff dwelling, where a professional guide interprets the rock art, customs and legends of the site's ancient inhabitants. The tour runs three hours with about 45 minutes of walking through the ruins, including small stair steps. Children from age 2 are welcome; the guide speaks English and leads you through the symbolism and possible meanings carved into the stone.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore ancient ruins and canyon views

Travel through spectacular canyons
Enjoy views of red rock formations
Stand amid ancient canyon walls
Learn about Sinagua cliff dwelling history
Explore 700-year-old Honanki Heritage Site
Listen to guide explain rock art symbolism
Walk 45 minutes through ruins with stairs

The Experience

You travel through spectacular canyon lands in a Jeep Wrangler, passing towering red rock formations on the way to the Honanki Heritage Site. The drive itself frames what you're about to see—the landscape that shaped the people who built here. Once you arrive, your guide walks you through the cliff dwelling, pointing out the rock art and explaining what the Sinagua people left behind: their customs, myths, and the symbols they carved into the stone. The guide offers interpretation of what these markings might have meant, turning the walls into a readable record of how people lived 700 years ago.

The walking portion covers about three-quarters of a mile over 45 minutes, with small stair steps built into the site itself. You move at a pace that lets you stand among the ancient walls and take in the details—the intriguing rock art displayed within the ruins, the layout of the rooms, the way the structure fits into the canyon. This is not a rushed stop; you have time to absorb what you're looking at and ask your guide questions as they arise. Wear sturdy hiking boots or tennis shoes, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen; the canyon offers little shade and the stone holds the heat.

Multiple departure times run throughout the day—8am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm—so you can fit the tour around your schedule. The professional guide and local taxes are included in the price. Public transportation options are available near the site if you need them.

What’s included

Professional guide in English.
travel by Jeep Wrangler through red rock canyons.
full access to the Honanki Heritage Site cliff dwelling.
interpretation of the rock art and Sinaguan customs and legends.
local taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Pink Jeep Tours Sedona

Is this one for you?Book an early departure if you want to explore the ruins before the afternoon heat builds in the canyon; the 8am or 10am tours give you cooler conditions for the 45-minute walk through the site. The later slots work well if you're arriving in Ennis mid-day or prefer to start your afternoon with the tour.