It is believed that a permanent stream was found in Walnut Canyon when
the Indians built their homes. Walnut Canyon is about 400 feet deep and
the Indians lived about half way down the side. This required a lot of
arduous climbing whenever they went for water, to gather fire wood, to
cultivate the fields, or to meet any of their daily needs.
It appears that the Indians' choice of a homesite in the canyon was
guided mainly by where they found natural caves, which might explain why
the Indians selected this particular part of the canyon rather than some
spot a few miles up or down the stream. Here, too, the main canyon could
be entered from a side canyon leading in from the north and emerging
practically on the level where most of the cliff dwellings are found.
Perhaps the Indians first chose the caves which received the most
sunlight in winter, because of the warmth that was gained. As the
settlement grew, some families were obliged to live in the less
desirable caves which remained shaded throughout the cold days of
winter.
Not only was there water and natural shelter in Walnut Canyon, but there
was tillable land near the canyon rim where crops would mature without
irrigation. The average annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the
crops seen from Highways 66 and 89 depend upon rainfall. The cliff
dwellers were farmers, as shown by the remains of beans, squash, and the
corn cobs found in their homes. Several varieties of both corn and beans
were produced.