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.