Homolovi State Park

Homolovi State Park in Navajo, Arizona was established in response to public concern about the devastation of the Homolovi sites by illegal collectors of prehistoric artifacts. Homolovi is a Hopi word meaning "place of the little hills". The damage to the sites peaked in the 1960s when a backhoe was being used at Homolovi II to dig through burials and kivas. The residents of Winslow and leaders of the Hopi people, supported by other people throughout the State, began to work to protect these sites. It was their dream that the entire area would become a State Park.
Homolovi State Park is preserving over 300 Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites. The park is located just over a mile north of Winslow, Arizona, and features historical exhibits, interpretive programs, birdwatching, and hiking. There is a year-round campground, restrooms with showers and an RV dump station.

 From 1986 to its 2011 reopening, the name of the park was Homolovi Ruins State Park. The Hopi tribe lobbied the Arizona parks board to remove "Ruins" from the name, as the Hopi tribe considers them spiritually alive. During a meeting in Winslow on March 17, 2011, the board unanimously voted to change the name and to add the tagline "ancestral Hopi villages" to the park.

The Homolovi cluster of archaeological sites includes seven separate pueblo ruins built by various prehistoric people, including ancestors of the Hopi people, between approximately 1260-1400 AD (or is it CE?). This fertile area is on a floodplain of the Little Colorado River, and the inhabitants grew cotton, corn, beans, and squash. Four of the sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The visitor center displays pottery sherds, baskets, and other artifacts, as well as offering an introduction to the human history of the park area. Information could also be found about the flora and fauna of the park, and there were books and authentic Hopi art work for sale.

Out of the seven Homolovi ruins, two are open to visitors. Homolovi II, the largest and most thoroughly excavated site, has a sidewalk and interpretive signs. It was occupied between 1330 and 1400 AD, and has about 1200 rooms. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants were trading cotton for pottery with the inhabitants of the Hopi Mesas. This ruin also features three large rectangular plazas and about forty kivas (underground ceremonial chambers). There are also several clusters of pit-houses, occupied before 1260 AD, which appear as mere depressions in the earth. Petroglyphs may be seen along certain sections of a nearby trail.

The historic cemetery of Sunset is of great significance to the local community and its past. Established in 1876, this Mormon settlement was established by Lot Smith and his Mormon followers. The settlement boasted the first post office on the Little Colorado River and was near an important ford of the river. Frequent floods forced the settlers to abandon Sunset in the early 1880s, and the community was eventually washed away. The only obvious remains of this town are the headstones in the small cemetery overlooking the river.
Whether you're an astronomy enthusiast or just enjoy looking up at the night sky, the Winslow Homolovi Observatory (WHO) is open for solar and star parties. The Moore Telescope is computerized with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects and the structure is a donation to Homolovi State Park from members of the Little Colorado River Valley Astronomy Club, the City of Winslow, and local merchants. The observation area has additional telescopes and Hydrogen-alpha light solar telescopes for daytime solar viewing. Astronomy events are held monthly with special programs througout the year.

Hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders can use the 6 miles of unshaded dirt roads in the park along with the trails leading to archaeological sites. Although there are no specific equestrian trails in the park, horses may be used on the dirt roads. Horses should not be ridden cross-country due to the presence of prairie dog towns.
Picnic tables with shade are located at the park visitor center, along the road to Homolovi II, and at Homolovi II.
Homolovi is an excellent spot for viewing raptors and grassland birds. A bird checklist, available at the visitor center, listed of over 100 species that can be found in the area. Many mammals and reptiles can also be seen in the park.
The entrance to the park is located on Arizona State Route 87, 1.3 miles north of Exit 257 off of Interstate 40.
The park is open year-round from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily.  The entrance fee is $7 per vehicle.