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There are varying theories on why the Ancient Ones disappeared in the Golden Circle. This is the Navajo legend as told by a Grandfather to his Grandson:

"Shi' tsoi, my grandson, the Anasazi had to leave the land long before Din'h, the Navajo People, came into the Fourth World.
...They were taught by the spirits ways to live productive and holy lives. They lived and enjoyed the blessings. They built great cities, they made beautiful pottery, they had fields of golden corn. They needed nothing beyond that. But they became lazy. This offended the spirits.

They chose to live easy lives instead of living by the rules they were taught to maintain holiness.
They were to recognize the gods. To pay homage. To observe ceremonies. To celebrate seasons. To celebrate births and other stages of life. Special healers were appointed and given power to remove illness and restore harmony. But the healers decided to perform this ceremony for everyone, regardless of their health and age. Four times they were warned not to abuse the ceremony. Four times, they chose not to listen.

On the fifth day, the great wind rose out of the canyon walls and roared throughout the land. People were lifted out of their homes, out of their villages, out of the canyons and valleys. They were scattered thoughout this land never to come together again. The buildings were left standing to remind us for all time what will happen if we choose to forget our history, our stories, and above all, our relation to our mother, the Earth."
----- from Navajo Visions and Voices Across the Mesa, Shonto Begay

This image is of 3 narrow and very high impressive monoliths in Monument Valley.