Picture Canyon, Flagstaff: Hiking Amazing, Spectacular Arizona

Picture Canyon is a nice spot just east of Flagstaff, Arizona. As the name suggests, there are some great archeological sites as well as many petroglyphs throughout the area; Flagstaff’s only waterfall, on the Rio de Flag; and a historic railroad trestle.

Getting to Picture Canyon

From Flagstaff: Take Historic Rte 66 east from downtown Flagstaff and turn left on N El Paso-Flagstaff Rd. It dead ends at the Picture Canyon trailhead.

From Winslow and points east: Take exit 204 on I-40 for Historic Rte 66. Turn right on N El Paso-Flagstaff Rd and follow it until it ends at the Picture Canyon trailhead.

From Williams, Sedona, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, and Page and all points south, north or west other than downtown Flagstaff: Take exit 204 on I-40 for Historic Rte 66. Turn right on N El Paso Flagstaff Rd and follow it until it ends at the Picture Canyon trailhead.

Trails

Picture Canyon has three trails:
* The Tom Moody Trail is a 2.8 mile loop featuring canyon views, interpretive signage and petroglyph panels.
* The Don Weaver Trail is a 0.7 mile educational trail that travels through part of the canyon. It features the best views of the only waterfall in Flagstaff, on the Rio de Flag, and also features cultural resources and other views.
* A 1.5 mile segment of the 800 mile Arizona Trail can be accessed via the Tom Moody Trail.

Get to Know Picture Canyon

Signage in the area is great, helping to understand this historic site. The Waterbird petroglyphs, as they are known, feature numerous symbols, including a bird-shaped one commonly referred to as “waterbird,” but which could be a crane or great blue heron, which may have been more common when the petroglyph creators, the Northern Sinaqua, lived in the region. It remains a clan symbol for their descendants, the Hopi and Zuni.

Zig zag petroglyphs are believed to represent lightning by Hopi and Zuni; other tribes believe them to possibly be water-related. Some interpret them as mountains.

Images of the sun and moon have many variations but may represent specific celestial events. They may also suggest the presence of the Yavapai, the People of the Sun.

Human shaped figures have various interpretations as well. One specific case is detailed in the photos below. Some appear to have tails, which according to the signage the Zuni believe represents their emergence from the underworld.

Four legged animals resemble bighorn sheep and may represent animal migrations, while spiral images have a variety of interpretations, including migration routes, water hole locations, coiled snakes, or whirlwinds. Some interpret them to symbolize and represent the path of the sun. The only relative certainty is that they represent some kind of motion.

Simple linear figures, likewise, can represent many different things – streams, maps, migration routes, and are simultaneously the figures hardest to interpret and those that provide the most room for imagination in interpretation.

For more information, a guide to the preserve can be found here: https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/50050/PC_brochure_FINAL