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Canyon de Chelly at 95: A Journey into the Heart of Navajo Country

Explore Canyon de Chelly National Monument—95 years of protected history, Navajo culture, scenic drives, and hiking in one of Arizona’s most unique landscapes

For nearly five thousand years, life has unfolded within the red sandstone walls of Canyon de Chelly National Monument making it one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes on the Colorado Plateau. Set within the high desert of northeastern Arizona, the canyon is far more than a dramatic geological wonder—it is a living homeland where families of the Navajo Nation still farm fields along the canyon floor beneath towering sandstone cliffs and ancient dwellings left by earlier cultures.

Caring for both the land and its history is a shared responsibility. The monument is managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation preserving a place where ancient history and modern life continue side by side.

Canyon de Chelly is also one of the most culturally significant landscapes in the American Southwest. In a previous article, Exploring Pre-Columbian Wonders: Lessons from the Ancients for Modern RV Travelers, I explored eleven remarkable sites that reveal the resilience, ingenuity, and cultural expression of the region’s earliest inhabitants. Among them was Canyon de Chelly where ancient cliff dwellings, fertile canyon floors, and centuries of continuous human presence tell a story that still resonates with modern travelers.

This month marks the 95th anniversary of the monument’s establishment. Created on April 1, 1931, Canyon de Chelly National Monument protects not only its namesake canyon but also Canyon del Muerto and several smaller tributary canyons. Today, scenic rim drives, ancient ruins, and living Navajo communities make it one of the most unique destinations in the National Park System.

Canyon de Chelly *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

A landscape shaped by history

Past and present in every cliff

The Navajo arrived in Canyon de Chelly from the north in the 1700s drawn to its sheltered valleys and abundant resources. The fertile canyon floor supported crops while the surrounding cliffs provided natural protection and grazing lands for livestock.

By the 1860s, however, years of conflict with Anglo-American settlers culminated in a devastating campaign by the U.S. Army. Under orders from Washington, Kit Carson led troops into the canyon, destroying crops, orchards, and homes to force the residents to surrender. The campaign resulted in the infamous Long Walk of the Navajo—a brutal 300-mile march to Bosque Redondo. Many perished along the way and those who survived endured years of hardship before finally being allowed to return to their homeland.

In the decades that followed, the Navajo people of Canyon de Chelly rebuilt their lives. They tended crops, raised sheep, and bartered rugs and crafts at nearby trading posts gradually shaping a peaceful and self-sustaining community. Today, roughly 80 to 100 Navajo families continue to live within the canyon, farming, raising livestock, and maintaining a vibrant cultural presence.

Through the eyes of a Navajo: Life in the canyon

Canyon life through Navajo eyes

Haseya Tlizilani—whose name means “She Rises,” a tribute to birth and growing older—spent her childhood mornings cradled by cedar posts and hand-carved rock slabs deep within Canyon de Chelly. As the first light of dawn spilled into her hogan, it seemed to lift her gently from sleep, the brisk morning air brushing across the sheepskin on which she rested.

“There was no sense of time,” recalls Haseya, now 55, until her great-grandmother opened the door letting in more light and signaling the start of a new day in a canyon that had always been home.

During summer breaks, Haseya returned to help her great-grandmother tend livestock and weave rugs from the family’s sheep. Surrounded by towering sandstone walls that formed a natural maze, she learned to measure the day not by clocks but by the sun and the shifting shadows on the canyon walls.

“You know it’s lunch when the shadow is creeping back up a certain part,” she says. “You know it’s time to get back to the house.”

The footsteps Haseya once took follow the same paths her relatives walked during the Long Walk in 1864 when Navajo families were forcibly removed from the canyon and marched hundreds of miles to Bosque Redondo. While intended to function as a reservation, Bosque Redondo became an internment camp where soldiers ensured the Navajo—known as the Diné—could not leave.

Today, Haseya still walks the canyon paths shaped by centuries of Diné footsteps now shared with visitors from around the world. The shadows still mark time as they move across the sandstone walls just as they did when she learned to measure the day by the sun instead of a clock.

“To us, Canyon de Chelly is our home,” she says. “She didn’t begin 95 years ago.”

For her, the canyon is not a monument frozen in time but a living place shaped by memory, labor, and survival.

Touring Canyon de Chelly: Scenic drives and immersive exploration

Rim views, deep insights

From the South Rim, Canyon de Chelly looks impenetrable. Sheer sandstone cliffs plunge hundreds of feet to the valley floor below. Yet a sign at the overlook where I’ve parked assures me that, improbably, there is a way to go from here down to there on foot.

For RV travelers, Canyon de Chelly National Monument offers an experience best enjoyed at a slower pace. The North and South Rim Drives wind along the canyon edges with overlooks framing sheer cliffs, the iconic Spider Rock, and the valley floor where Navajo families continue to live. Pausing at each viewpoint allows travelers to take in the canyon’s vastness and reflect on the generations who have called it home.

For a deeper overview of the canyon’s trails, rim drives, and overlooks, readers can explore my companion article, The Complete Guide to Canyon de Chelly National Monument which provides a detailed look at how to experience the monument from the rim and beyond.

The canyon is more than a dramatic landscape—it is a living homeland. Families like Haseya Tlizilani’s continue to tend sheep and crops on the valley floor, maintaining traditions that have endured for centuries. Photos of Navajo herders moving their flocks along canyon trails capture a rhythm of life that visitors can only glimpse from above. To explore how people continue to live in and care for this land today, see Canyon de Chelly National Monument: People Still Live Here & I Can See Why.

Beyond history and culture, Canyon de Chelly offers a sense of place that is truly unique. Each overlook, trail, and quiet road invites reflection, allowing visitors to absorb the scale and spirit of the canyon in a way that is difficult to describe. The slow travel approach—lingering at rim viewpoints, taking a guided hike into the valley, or simply watching shadows stretch across the sandstone cliffs—lets the canyon’s beauty unfold gradually. For a deeper reflection on why this landscape leaves such a lasting impression, see Canyon de Chelly National Monument: A Truly Special Place.

Those seeking a closer look can also join a Navajo guide or ranger-led tour that descends into the canyon itself, offering insights into the land and its history from those who know it best.

Encountering a flock of sheep on the White House Trail, Canyon de Chelly *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Hiking the White House Trail

Where history lives

The easiest way to step back in time at Canyon de Chelly is along the White House Trail. In just over a mile of walking downhill, visitors move from the modern world into a landscape shaped more than a thousand years ago. The trail is relatively short and manageable yet the experience of descending into the canyon and standing beneath ancient ruins makes it one of the most memorable hikes in the Southwest.

It also holds a special distinction: it is the only trail in the monument where visitors may enter the canyon without a Navajo guide.

The hike begins at White House Overlook along the South Rim Drive. Many visitors stop here only long enough to photograph the distant ruins but those who follow the trail soon discover a far richer experience. The route initially crosses slickrock before dropping into a series of switchbacks that descend the canyon wall.

As the trail winds downward, sweeping views of the canyon open in every direction. Towering rust-colored cliffs rise nearly 600 feet above the valley floor while scattered junipers cling to the rocky slopes.

As I continued down the trail at an easy pace, I stepped aside to allow a Navajo herdsman guiding a small flock of sheep along the path to pass. The animals moved quietly through the dust, their hooves stirring small clouds in the warm sunlight.

The White House, Canyon de Chelly *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Encounters like this are a reminder that Canyon de Chelly is not simply a historic landscape preserved for visitors—it is a living homeland where Navajo families still farm and herd much as their ancestors have for generations.

Eventually the trail reaches the canyon floor where sandy washes and clusters of cottonwood trees line the valley. This fertile landscape once supported the Ancestral Puebloans who built homes within sheltered alcoves along the canyon walls.

The most impressive of these dwellings is the White House Ruin, believed to date to around A.D. 1060. Archaeologists estimate the settlement may once have included as many as 80 rooms and several ceremonial kivas. Even today, wooden beams protrude from the stone walls and patches of the original white plaster—responsible for the ruin’s name—remain visible.

Standing quietly beneath these ancient dwellings offers a powerful connection to the generations who once lived here.

Trail details

Length: 2.7 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Elevation: 6,258 feet to 5,577 feet
Trailhead: White House Overlook, South Rim Drive
Directions: From the visitor center, follow the South Rim Drive approximately 4.9 miles to the White House Overlook turnoff and continue another half mile to the trailhead parking area.

Tips for RVers and slow travelers

Plan, pause, explore

For those exploring Canyon de Chelly by RV, timing and planning can make all the difference. The most comfortable seasons to visit are spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) when temperatures are mild and the desert light enhances the canyon’s vibrant sandstone hues.

Summers can be extremely hot while winter brings cooler temperatures and occasional snow on the rims—dramatic but less predictable for RV travel.

Good news for travelers: there is no admission fee to enter Canyon de Chelly National Monument making it easy to explore the overlooks and scenic drives at your own pace.

Overnight stays are possible at Cottonwood Campground operated by the Navajo Nation where RVs and tents can camp beneath juniper and piñon trees just minutes from the canyon rim.

The North and South Rim Drives provide numerous overlooks and pull-offs suitable for RVs, allowing travelers to stop frequently and absorb the scale of the canyon.

Slow travel is the key to experiencing Canyon de Chelly. Watch the shadows crawl across the sandstone cliffs, linger at quiet overlooks, and observe life continuing on the canyon floor.

Time Tip: While visiting the Navajo Nation, remember that unlike the rest of Arizona, Daylight Savings Time is observed from March through November. Plan your travel and reservations accordingly to stay on schedule.

Cottonwood Campground, Canyon de Chelly *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Conclusion & reflections

Pause, look, reflect

Canyon de Chelly is far more than a collection of cliffs, ancient dwellings, and sweeping desert vistas—it is a living tapestry of history, culture, and continuity. Each overlook, each trail, and each quiet corner tells a story of resilience: from the Ancestral Puebloans who first settled these canyons to the Navajo families who still farm and herd on the valley floor.

For RV travelers, taking the time to linger along the rim drives, pausing at sunlit overlooks, or descending the White House Trail allows a rare intimacy with both the landscape and its living heritage. Watching shadows crawl across sandstone walls or seeing a herder guide sheep along ancient paths reminds visitors that this is a place shaped by generations of human presence, not merely a postcard of the past. By slowing down, travelers can witness the rhythm of life here—the slow pulse of a homeland that has endured for millennia.

Ninety-five years after its designation as a national monument, Canyon de Chelly remains what it has always been—a homeland first, and a monument second.

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in April 2026. Information reflects what was accurate at the time of writing. For topics that may change quickly, please verify current details before planning. To ensure honesty and avoid bias, this website features no ads, no sponsored content, and no affiliate links—just straightforward information for fellow travelers.

The Painted Desert: Seeing Northern Arizona Slowly, One Road at a Time

An RV traveler’s exploration of Northern Arizona’s Painted Desert—inside and beyond Petrified Forest National Park

Traveling through northern Arizona in an RV has a way of slowing time, whether you intend it or not. There are no rush hours, no lines to navigate, and few distractions beyond the road stretching ahead. Every turn reveals something new—sometimes subtle, sometimes striking—but always in a rhythm that encourages observation rather than conquest.

In this part of the high desert, landscapes unfold slowly. Colors shift with the sun, shadows stretch across distant mesas and the horizon seems to expand the longer you watch. For travelers willing to linger, the experience is less about reaching a destination and more about noticing the nuances along the way: the delicate bands of mineral-stained rock, the gentle rise and fall of distant hills, the way the wind reshapes the brush with quiet persistence.

This approach—moving deliberately, letting the land reveal itself gradually—turns even familiar destinations into discoveries. And nowhere is this more evident than in the Painted Desert.

Painted Desert *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

A landscape that unfolds, not one you arrive at

Not a destination to reach, but a place to pass through slowly

The Painted Desert doesn’t announce itself all at once. It unfolds gradually, mile by mile, in soft bands of color and wide-open space. From the seat of an RV, northern Arizona feels especially well suited to this kind of discovery—unhurried, spacious, and quietly profound. The Painted Desert is not a single destination so much as a region and understanding it requires movement, patience, and the willingness to let the land reveal itself over distance.

Most travelers encounter the Painted Desert through Petrified Forest National Park where paved roads and thoughtfully placed overlooks make the landscape immediately accessible. For RV travelers, this is the perfect introduction. The park road accommodates larger rigs and the overlooks—Tawa Point, Kachina Point, Chinde Point—invite you to step outside, breathe in the high desert air, and take in layers of lavender, rose, rust, and chalky white stretching to the horizon.

More than a park: The true extent of the Painted Desert

What you see in the park is only the beginning

Yet Petrified Forest represents only a portion of the Painted Desert’s true reach. The Painted Desert stretches roughly 150 miles across northern and northeastern Arizona from near the eastern edge of the Grand Canyon southeast toward Holbrook and beyond. It covers thousands of square miles, much of it outside the national park boundary, lying across Navajo Nation lands, Hopi areas, and broad expanses of open high desert shaped by erosion and time.

That broader context matters—especially for RV travelers. While the park offers a beautifully curated window into the Painted Desert, the surrounding landscape hints at something much larger. From Interstate 40 alone, glimpses of badlands and mesas roll past the windshield east of Winslow and near Chambers reminding you that the desert does not stop at the park gate. The Painted Desert is a place you pass through as much as one you stop within.

A desert shaped by water, ash, and time

Layers written by floods, volcanoes, and erosion

Geologically, the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest are chapters of the same ancient story written in different ways. Both landscapes are formed primarily from the Chinle Formation, a sequence of sedimentary rocks laid down more than 200 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period. At that time, this region was a low-lying floodplain crossed by rivers, dotted with wetlands, and periodically buried by volcanic ash drifting in from distant eruptions.

The Painted Desert’s color comes from these layered sediments—mudstones, siltstones, and volcanic ash—rich in iron, manganese, and other minerals. Over millions of years, erosion carved these deposits into softly rounded hills and badlands exposing pastel bands that shift in hue with moisture, light, and time of day. What you see today is less about sudden drama and more about slow, persistent change.

The petrified trees found farther south in the park share this same origin but tell a more specific story. Ancient conifers fell into river channels, were quickly buried by sediment and ash, and slowly replaced at the cellular level by silica-rich minerals. The result is fossilized wood turned to stone—logs scattered across the desert like time misplaced.

The key difference is focus. The Painted Desert is about layers and distance, about erosion revealing history across entire horizons. The Petrified Forest is about detail and preservation where individual trees anchor the story in tangible form. One shows time stretched across miles; the other shows it frozen in place.

RV-friendly access: A front-row seat to subtle grandeur

A landscape that rewards those who simply stop

What makes this region particularly rewarding from an RV is its rhythm. The experience isn’t about long hikes or crowded viewpoints. It’s about timing and light. Early mornings bring subtle pastels and cool air. Late afternoons deepen the colors and stretch shadows across the land. Sunset arrives quietly here—less theatrical than the Grand Canyon, perhaps, but more intimate.

Unlike many national parks, Petrified Forest doesn’t have any campgrounds which calls for a different approach. RV travelers often set up base in nearby towns like Holbrook or Winslow or along stretches of historic Route 66 experiencing the Painted Desert as a day-long drive rather than an overnight stop. That arrangement suits the landscape. The desert asks for presence, not permanence.

Beyond the RV: Exploring the wider Painted Desert by SUV

Where the park roads end, the desert continues

Beyond the paved roads of Petrified Forest National Park lies another, quieter layer of the Painted Desert—one that is not RV-friendly and should not be approached as such. Outside the park, the landscape stretches across vast sections of northern Arizona, much of it reached by unpaved or lightly maintained roads. These routes are often unsigned, highly weather-dependent, and unsuitable for large motorhomes or trailers.

For travelers in an SUV or smaller vehicle, however, the Painted Desert begins to open up in more remote and contemplative ways. Highways such as Interstate 40, State Route 77, and US-89 act as spines through the region with secondary roads branching toward lesser-known badlands, mesas, and river corridors. These drives don’t offer formal overlooks or interpretive signs; instead, they offer scale, solitude, and a sense of continuity with the land that can’t be captured from a single viewpoint.

Preparation matters in this wider desert. Fuel stops are limited, water is essential, and cell service can disappear quickly. Much of this land lies within the Navajo Nation and neighboring tribal areas where access rules vary and permits may be required. Some locations are best visited with local knowledge or guided access and staying on established roads—while respecting closures and boundaries—is part of traveling thoughtfully through this region.

For those willing to venture beyond the park’s paved loop, the reward is not a checklist of stops but a deeper experience of the Painted Desert as a living, expansive landscape—one revealed gradually through distance, patience, and respect.

Here are specific routes and places worth exploring:

I‑40 Scenic pullouts (Arizona): Even if you stay on the highway, Interstate 40 offers multiple spots with wide views of the Painted Desert landscape. Exiting or stopping safely at pullouts near Winslow/Holbrook‑area overlooks gives you panoramas of layers of badlands that extend for miles particularly in the golden hour around sunrise and sunset.
Exit 311 – Painted Desert Visitor Center: The main gateway to Petrified Forest National Park with overlooks and interpretive signs explaining color bands and local geology.
Exit 306 – Holbrook/Navajo County: Several less‑crowded vantage points offer quiet panoramas of the eastern reaches of the Painted Desert—perfect for photography and contemplation.
Exit 330 – Sanders/Wide Ruins: A short side drive from this exit opens up views of broad high desert terrain where subtle gradients of color stretch into the distance.

These stops are all paved and safe for SUVs; you can savor desert views without entering more rugged terrain.

AZ‑77 North toward Navajo Nation

From the northern end of Petrified Forest National Park, take State Route 77 (AZ‑77) north. This route crosses into Navajo Nation and runs through wide, open desert country. There are places along this highway where you can safely pull off and admire the layers of distant hills and mesas—especially in tranquil morning light or late afternoon when shadows deepen the colors.

Note: Once you leave the paved highway many of the dirt and two‑track roads that weave off into the depths of the Painted Desert require high‑clearance 4WD, prior planning with updated maps, and appropriate permits—so go only with local guidance or experienced drivers.

US‑89 & Highway 160 / Tuba City corridor

Farther north, sections of US‑89 between Cameron and Tuba City and the connecting Highway 160 eastward offer sweeping views of Painted Desert landscapes without leaving paved routes. Pull off at safe overlooks or wide shoulders to take in the vistas. There aren’t formal lookout points here like in the park—but the gently rolling terrain and layers of color are unmistakably of the same geological family.

This route also connects you with a broader road trip loop toward Monument Valley and the Four Corners area letting you experience extensive badlands, mesas, and plateau scenery characteristic of northeastern Arizona.

Grand Falls (seasonal waterfall & Painted Desert setting)

One of the most striking remote features of the wider Painted Desert region is Grand Falls, sometimes called Chocolate Falls on the Little Colorado River. When flowing—typically after winter snowmelt or monsoon rain—it’s a dramatic, muddy cascade plunging about 185 feet within a broad painted badland setting.

Important access notes: The nearest road, Grand Falls Road, crosses riverbeds and rough terrain; it’s not paved and generally requires 4WD or experienced off‑road driving. Tribal permits and up‑to‑date access information are essential before attempting this route and many years it’s dry or reduced to trickle.

Given these conditions, Grand Falls exemplifies how the Painted Desert opens up once you’re willing to leave pavement behind—but also why SUVs or 4WD vehicles, local guidance, and careful preparation are necessary.

Planning tips for wider Painted Desert exploration

Plan for fewer services and more silence

Once you leave the park roads, the Painted Desert becomes more remote and less predictable. A bit of planning—fuel, water, and route awareness—makes the difference between simply passing through and truly experiencing the land.

Stay on paved routes when possible: Highways and state routes (I‑40, AZ‑77, US‑89/AZ‑160) are generally accessible to SUVs and safe for scenic stops.
Come prepared: Water, fuel, updated maps or GPS, and awareness of limited services are vital in remote desert regions.
Respect tribal land rules: Much of the Painted Desert outside the national park lies on Navajo Nation and other tribal lands; local regulations and permits may be required for back‑country access.

By pairing the developed, RV‑friendly access of Petrified Forest National Park with these broader, SUV‑accessible routes and spots, you can experience the Painted Desert not just as a destination but as a wide‑ranging, dynamic landscape—one seen at the pace of attention rather than speed.

A landscape best understood in pieces

Each stop reveals only part of the story

Seen this way, the Painted Desert becomes a layered experience. The RV provides comfort, perspective, and easy access to the park’s highlights. The SUV allows for short, intentional forays into the broader landscape beyond the pavement. Together, they create a fuller understanding of a desert that was never meant to be consumed quickly or completely.

The Painted Desert doesn’t overwhelm. It invites. It rewards those willing to slow down, look longer, and accept that some landscapes are best appreciated not by how much ground you cover but by how attentively you move through them. For RV travelers, that may be its greatest gift—reminding us that travel, at its best, is less about arriving and more about noticing.

The Painted Desert at a glance

Everything you need to know before you explore

From easy RV-friendly roads to remote SUV-accessible stretches, the Painted Desert offers a variety of experiences. This at-a-glance guide highlights key information for planning your visit.

Location: Northern Arizona, extending well beyond Petrified Forest National Park
Best access for RVs: Petrified Forest National Park’s paved park road and overlooks
Best access beyond the Park: SUVs via I-40, AZ-77, US-89, and selected secondary roads
What makes it unique: Layered badlands colored by ash, water, and time
Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon when light deepens the colors
Travel style: Slow, observational travel rather than destination-driven exploration
Key takeaway: The Painted Desert is not a single place but a landscape experienced over distance

Closing reflections

Lessons the desert leaves behind

The Painted Desert resists quick conclusions. Its beauty isn’t revealed in a single overlook or a perfect photograph but in the accumulation of moments—light shifting across distant hills, color deepening with the day’s last sun, silence stretching farther than the road ahead. It is a place that rewards those willing to pause, to notice, and to let the landscape speak in its own time.

Perhaps that is why it lingers so long in memory. As Charles F. Lum once wrote, it is “an enchanted spot…to stand on the glass of a gigantic kaleidoscope, over whose sparkling surface the sun breaks in infinite rainbows.” Seen this way, the Painted Desert becomes more than a destination—it becomes a reminder that travel, like the land itself, is richest when experienced slowly, thoughtfully, and with perspective shaped over time.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in December 2025. Information reflects what was accurate at the time of writing. For topics that may change quickly, please verify current details before planning. To ensure honesty and avoid bias, this website features no ads, no sponsored content, and no affiliate links—just straightforward information for fellow travelers.

The Complete Guide to Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Magnificent red rock cliffs overlook wide canyons and mysterious ruins stand tucked into alcoves at the base of rock faces

Two excellent scenic drives follow the rims of the canyons offering numerous brilliant overlooks where you can stand eye-level with such monoliths as Spider Rock. Within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly is a quiet, yet stunning desert scene made up of three different canyons formed by millions of years of geologic events known as uplifts and stream cutting.

The Canyon de Chelly area is one of the most continuously inhabited regions in all of North America. The Pueblo Indians originally inhabited the canyon and utilized the grounds for farming and raising families up to the mid-fourteenth century. Over time, the Hopi Indians gradually moved into the area and grew abundant supplies of corn and peaches until about the seventeenth century when the Navajo Indians began establishing their settlements.

There are plenty of artifacts left intact in the canyon evidencing the diverse history of the indigenous peoples of this canyon, and, even today, some Navajo—known as Diné—continue to live, farm, and raise livestock within the canyon. It is interesting to note that Canyon de Chelly is the only US National Park Service unit that is entirely owned and managed by a Native American tribe (the Navajo).

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, North Rim Drive *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Sacred Canyon Walls

Canyon de Chelly holds secrets waiting to be uncovered

Nowhere in Navajoland is the blend of past tradition and present culture more evident than Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The Navajo people still have a mystical bond to this redstone canyon that cuts an almost tropical path of trees and flowers through the desert.

Canyon de Chelly is home to several periods of Indian culture dating from 350 A.D. to 1300 A.D. and the 26-mile canyon’s sheer cliffs range from 30 to more than 1,000 feet providing a spectacular backdrop for hundreds of Anasazi ruins as well as modern Navajo homes and farms.

The visitor’s center offers details and maps to all of the canyon’s many world-famous sites including Spider Rock, White House Ruins, and Canyon del Muerto. From the sandy canyon floor by all-terrain vehicle or from the rim on a self-guided tour by car, Canyon de Chelly is one of Navajoland’s most popular all-day adventures.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, South Rim Drive *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Upon arriving at the canyon, you can choose between the South Rim Drive and the North Rim Drive. The North Rim Drive only has three overlooks but they are exceptional and include Antelope House, Mummy Cave, and Massacre Cave.

For the Antelope House Overlook, you’ll need to hike a short .25-mile trail but the view will be worth it. Other views in the area require short hikes as well, but, if you bring a little bit of water you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Take time to read the interpretive signs along the way and learn some interesting facts about the ruins. Give yourself about two hours for the thirty-four-mile round-trip drive.

Personally I recommend the more frequented South Rim (thirty-seven miles round-trip) so that you can make it to the Spider Rock Overlook and perhaps do a little bit of hiking. The best time of day to see this canyon varies with the seasons.

Spider Rock

A sacred site for the Navajo

The seven overlooks along the South Rim are much closer to the parking lots so if mobility is a little bit of a concern you may want to go with the South Rim Drive. I recommend driving straight to Spider Rock and checking out the view there and then working your way back along the South Rim and taking the hike to the White House ruins (see details below).

The biggest attraction at the park is Spider Rock which is actually two large sandstone spires rising as tall as 750 feet. Geologists estimate that the formation’s genesis began approximately 230 million years ago, long before Native Americans made this place their home. According to Navajo folklore, the Spider Grandmother is said to inhabit the taller of the two spires and was believed to be responsible for all of creation. She also apparently snatched up disobedient children and brought them to her rock. The whitish top of the spire is said to be the sun-bleached bones of rebellious children from the past.

While Spider Grandmother sounds like someone you wouldn’t want to cross paths with you can easily observe her lair without getting too close. The lookout point for Spider Rock is located just a short walk on a paved walkway from a nearby parking lot.

White House Trail

A self-guided trail leading to ancient cliff dwellings, offering a mix of natural beauty and historical intrigue

There are some great hiking options at this park but almost all of them are limited since you’ll need a park ranger or authorized Navajo guide to get around. The exception to this rule, however, is the White House Trail, a marvelous 2.5-mile (round-trip) hike that leads you to up-close views of ruins that are discretely built into alcoves in the side of the canyon. The hike can be a little strenuous coming back up the canyon wall but most visitors agree that the hike isn’t too difficult and is very enjoyable.

The White House Trail will take you about two hours round-trip so it’s definitely doable even if you only have a few hours available on your schedule. And if you see a lot of hikers running up and down the trail, don’t worry—Spider Grandmother’s not on the loose. These human roadrunners are normally just locals getting in some exercise.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument guided tour *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Another way to experience the canyon is by taking a guided tour. There are hiking tours, Jeep tours, and horse tours to choose from. The great thing about these tours is that you can get up close to the clusters of ruins and petroglyphs and experience what most visitors aren’t able to.

If you really want to see and experience all the history of this park firsthand, a private tour will likely be worth your money since most people seem to be quite satisfied with the quality of their tours. Either way, remember that just driving the rims of the canyon and hiking the White House Ruins Trail is enough to have a memorable experience.

As you can tell, there are ample opportunities for great photographs at all the different overlooks. The colorful canyon walls contrast very well with the bright green trees and open blue skies above, and, if you visit the park at the right time in the fall, you’ll be blown away by the stunning color change of all the trees on the canyon floor.

Much like shooting photographs at the Grand Canyon, you’ll be able to move about at the park overlooks and experiment with plenty of foreground opportunities for your out-of-this-world photographs that you will cherish for a lifetime. So get creative with your movements and compositions and you’ll leave Canyon de Chelly with some great and unique photos.

Cottonwood Campground

A campground with its own unique charm

Cottonwood Campground is a great choice for those looking to camp close to the stunning Canyon de Chelly National Monument. This spot offers spacious sites shaded by beautiful cottonwood trees making it a comfortable place to unwind after a day of exploring.

The campground is equipped with picnic tables and clean restroom facilities. It’s a convenient location for accessing the park’s breathtaking views. While there are no electric hookups or showers, the peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty more than make up for it.

For those who enjoy a bit of solitude, the campground tends to be quiet even during peak times. With a $20 fee per night, it’s an affordable option for both tent and RV camping. Plus, you’re just a stone’s throw away from the visitor center making it easy to gather information for your adventures. Whether you’re driving the scenic roads, taking a tour into the canyon, or simply soaking in the scenery, Cottonwood Campground is a great base for your outdoor escapades.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Best time of year to visit Canyon de Chelly

Year-long beauty and intrigue

The best times to visit Canyon de Chelly National Monument are late spring (April to June) and early fall (September to October). During these periods, the weather is generally mild with comfortable daytime temperatures and cooler nights making it ideal for outdoor activities and exploration.

Seasonal highlights

Late spring: Temperatures are warming up and the landscape is often lush and vibrant, perfect for photography and hiking.

Early fall: The weather remains pleasant with crisp air and clear skies. This season also features beautiful foliage as the leaves change color enhancing the scenic views.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Navajo herding sheep *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Considerations

Summer: This season can be extremely hot with high temperatures that may lead to dehydration. Additionally, summer monsoons can bring heavy rains, potentially causing flash floods and affecting tour availability.

Winter: Cold temperatures can make visiting less enjoyable as nights can be bitterly cold. However, some visitors appreciate the unique beauty of the canyon dusted with snow.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Welcome Center *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Some helpful information for trip planning

Elevation: 5,500 feet

Stop by the Welcome Center: There is no entrance fee for the park. Begin your visit at the Welcome Center to pick up a brochure, stamp your passport, browse the park store, or become a Junior Ranger. Open daily from 8 am to 5 pm but closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. During severe weather, the Welcome Center may open at a later time or be closed for the day.

Visit the overlooks: The North and South Rim Drives with nine overlooks remain open all year to visit on your own. The roads are paved and accessible by vehicle (4-wheel drive is not required). The White House Overlook and Trail are open and free to visit. Contact the Welcome Center for additional information.

Time zone change: From March through November, the Navajo Nation observes Mountain Daylight Savings Time when the time will be the same as Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. The rest of Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time all year.

Other fees may apply

Backcountry permits and Cottonwood Campground: The Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation (NNPR) issues backcountry permits and manages the Cottonwood Campground. The NNPR office at entrance of the campground collects fees for backcountry permits and camping. Call 928-674-2106 for more information.

White House Overlook and Trail: In 2025, the area may require a fee and be open seasonally. Daily operations will be provided by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation (NNPR). Call 928-674-2106 for more information.

Canyon tours: Local private companies offer canyon tours along the canyon floor by hiking, horseback, or vehicle. Tour operators must be contacted directly for rates and reservations. For a current listing of operators, contact the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation at 928-674-2106.

Safety

Relying on GPS or cell phones to travel across the Navajo Nation is not recommended. A current road map and planning in advance will help save you time.

Stay on paved roads as many short cuts can lead to a maze of unpaved roads used by residents. Be cautious of livestock and deer on road when traveling at night.

There are limited towing services and very few auto repair shops on the Navajo Nation.

Check in and share your travel plans with family and friends.

Chinle *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Directions

The RECOMMENDED route to the park is from Highway 191 in Chinle then turning east on Route 7. The park entrance and Welcome Center is less than 3 miles from Highway 191.

An ALTERNATIVE route is entering the park from the east via Route 64 from Tsaile, AZ. There are 3 overlooks to stop at along Route 64 before getting to the Welcome Center.

DO NOT use Route 7 from the EAST to enter the park. This road is unpaved and unmaintained between Sawmill and the Spider Rock turnoff. Using this road may lead to getting lost and stranded without cell phone signal.

Getting to the park by car or RV

The Welcome Center is about 3 miles from Highway 191 in Chinle, AZ.
From Flagstaff, AZ, take I-40 EAST then Highway 191 NORTH.
From Gallup, NM, take Highway 264 WEST then Highway 191 NORTH.
From Kayenta, AZ, take Route 59 SOUTHEAST then Highway 191 SOUTH.

Visit three remarkable National Parks on the Navajo Nation

From ancient cliff dwellings to present day hogans, the desert Arizona canyons on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona foster a special connection to Indigenous culture and history. Three national parks help protect these sacred homelands. In addition to Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Navajo National Monument and Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site provide opportunities for visitors to respectfully experience and appreciate Native culture and ways of life.

Navajo National Monument

The Diné (Navajo people) have called this region home for generations

For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples have lived and thrived in these sacred canyons cultivating and coxisting with the landscape. At Navajo National Monument, families still continue to live traditional lives raising livestock and growing crops on the high desert landscape. Just 2 miles from the visitor center, the accessible Sandal Trail leads to an overlook of the Betatakin cliff dwelling.

Schedule ranger-guided hikes to go deep into the canyon and visit Betatakin and Keet Seel, well-preserved ancestral Puebloan dwellings last physically occupied around 1300. These tours are quite strenuous and are not recommended for young or inexperienced hikers.

While the ancient architecture is extraordinary, the living culture and natural landscapes are equally beautiful.

Pets are permitted in the parking lot and campground but not on trails to protect the environment and cultural resources of the park.

Camping is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to leave no trace and follow park guidelines.

Hubbell Trading Post *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site

This well-preserved trading post on the Navajo Nation is affectionately called “Hubbell’s”

It has been operating since 1878, making it the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Nation and in the United States. Trading posts on the Nation were important places where the Diné traded for necessary supplies. It was a place to trade for goods and also gather for community connection.

Still a trading post and also a national historic site, Hubbell’s is still a place for the community of Ganado as well as a place for visitors to respectfully learn about and experience the site’s history and culture. You can walk the squeaky wooden floors and browse handmade Navajo rugs, jewelry, and more in the “bullpen.”

While you’re there, enjoy a free ranger-guided tour of the Hubbell home. Learn how trader Don Lorenzo Hubbell and his family prospered, lived, and worked alongside the Diné. Hear the compelling stories of the notable figures hosted by the Hubbells of the survival and resilience of the Diné and the cultural significance of the trading post and the art of weaving.

Pets are not permitted at the site.

Related stories

Most recent Arizona travel stories

Worth Pondering…

We didn’t inherit the earth; we are borrowing it from our children.

—Native American Proverb

Discover Awe and Adventure in Arizona

Arizona is a wonderland of awe-inspiring sights, bucket-list adventures, and soulful journeys. Start planning your trip with this guide.

Timeless beauty. Mind-boggling geology. Pristine pine forests. Dramatic sun-drenched desertscapes. Old West haunts. Puebloan cliff dwellings. And star-filled dark skies.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Arizona is a wonderland of awe-inspiring sights, bucket-list adventures, culinary delights, and soulful journeys. Now that 2022 has been coined the Year of Arizona Discovery, it’s a perfect time to pack up the car or RV and take a scenic road trip. Arizona has so much to offer with its incredible landscapes, diverse culture, and endless natural playgrounds. Here are a few of my favorite scenic road trips and quaint towns to check out.

Globe © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Phoenix to the Sister Cities of Miami and Globe

Heading east from Phoenix on US Route 60 toward Miami, be sure to stop at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden which has desert species from around the world, gentle hiking trails, and rich bird life.

Besh-Ba-Gowah © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

In the classic western town of Miami, visit the Bullion Plaza Museum to explore the ranching and cultural history of this copper mining boomtown. In Globe, you can belly up to the bar for a burger and bloody Mary at the historic Drift Inn Saloon. Cruising the switchbacks through the Salt River Canyon Wilderness Area reveals mountain panoramas and Arizona’s “other Grand Canyon.”

While in Globe visit Besh-Ba-Gowah, the heartland of the Salado people. The term was originally given by the Apaches to the early settlement of Globe. Roughly translated, the term means “place of metal.” Here visitors will see the partially restored ancient ruin of the Salado people who occupied the site between A.D. 1225 and A.D. 1400. Enjoy the self guided tour of the village which allows visitors to experience the mysteries of those who came before.

Lake Powell © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Page to Canyon de Chelly

Traveling up US Route 89 from Flagstaff leads to the marvels surrounding Page, gateway to Lake Powell. Drink in dramatic views of the famed Horseshoe Bend stretch of the Colorado River or take a tour of Antelope Canyon and witness the wonders of wind and water erosion in the narrow slots.

Then, road trip it to the Navajo Nation to see Canyon de Chelly National Monument where towering rock spires, stunning sandstone cliffs, and Ancestral Puebloan art and villages await.

White House Trail © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

There are two ways to experience Arizona’s lesser-known canyon. You can drive along the rim stopping at overlooks to marvel at the vertical cliffs and stone spires and hike on one trail, the White House Trail. Otherwise, there is no entry into the canyon without a permit and Navajo guide. A popular choice is riding down the canyon aboard a 20-passenger tour truck.

Old Town Cottonwood © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The Charm of Cottonwood

Located in the heart of Arizona and the heart of wine country, Cottonwood is ideally situated above the heat of the desert and below the cooler temperatures of Arizona’s high country. Surrounded by the red rocks of Sedona to the northeast and Mingus Mountain to the southwest, its lower elevation makes it a perfect spot for your next Arizona adventure.

Wine tasting in Old Town Cottonwood © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Old Town Cottonwood is known for its Main Street with over 60 businesses including charming boutique hotels, wonderful restaurants, shops, antique stores, and wine tasting rooms. The Verde Valley Wine Trail runs right through town and has more stops here than anywhere else on the trail. Sit back and sip, savor, and enjoy the fruit of the vine in Old Town.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Cottonwood is also home to Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Less than two miles from Old Town, this landmark has earned a reputation as a favorite fishing hole, bird lover’s paradise, and hiker’s dream. Its trails meander through sycamore and cottonwood trees along the banks of the Verde River making it a jewel in the center of Cottonwood all year round. Visit Cottonwood, the heart of Arizona wine country, where everyone is welcome!

Montezuma Castle National Monument © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Verde Valley

A hundred miles north of Phoenix, the Verde Valley region is home to red rocks, green mountains, and scenic journeys. Head to Montezuma Castle National Monument, a 900-year-old, 20-room dwelling built into a limestone cliff—or, hop on the Verde Canyon Railroad luxury train and cruise through the canyons in an open-air viewing car. The Copper Art Museum in Clarkdale features galleries of amazing copper art and artifacts. Oenophiles will appreciate the Verde Valley Wine Trail whose 26 winery stops lead through charming towns like Jerome, Clarkdale, and Cottonwood.

Grand Canyon National Park © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Native American Culture

The territory we’ve come to know as Arizona has only been a state for a relatively short time, the last of the lower 48 to be admitted to the Union. Indigenous people have lived here for millennia.

Navajo Land © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

There are 22 sovereign nations here including the Hopi tribe, the Apache tribe, the Navajo (known as Dineh, “the people,” in the four corners), and the Hualapai, the tribe that manages the famous Grand Canyon West.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The seven Navajo tribal parks and three national monuments in Najavoland are treasured by outdoor enthusiasts. There you will find fascinating rock formations, sandstone canyons, historical sites, and ancient ruins; and visitors have the opportunity to learn about Navajo history, traditions, and culture.

Goulding’s Trading Post, Navajo Land © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

While in Tuba City, located on the western Navajo Indian Reservation, check out the Explore Navajo Interactive Museum which features a traditional hogan, handmade rugs, and baskets. Next door is the Navajo Code Talkers Museum dedicated to Navajo veterans who served in the US Marines and used the Navajo language to send encrypted messages during World War II.

Driving through Navajo Land © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Also, don’t skip the opportunity to visit Tuba City Trading Post, which offers a variety of handmade items like extraordinary Indigenous art, handmade jewelry, and beautiful textiles.

East of Tuba City, Hubbell Trading Post is the oldest operating trading post in the Navajo Nation. The Arizona historical site sells basic traveling staples as well as Native American art just as it did during the late 1800s.

Worth Pondering…

It’s breathtaking. You can’t believe it. It’s very photogenic; it has a kind of mythic feeling of age, of legend…You’ve seen it in the movies, but when you see it in life, it’s so epic in its proportions that it almost stands for the whole of the West.

—Peter Bogdanovich, filmmaker

8 Native American Heritage Sites to Visit This Fall

Dive into the incredible sacred stories behind your favorite parks and sites

How many Native American tribes do you think are there were in all 50 states?

574. Yes, there are that many federally recognized tribes in the United States today with the number increasing as years goes on.

Mesa Verde National Park © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

And, in Canada, there are over 630 First Nation communities (a title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples) speaking more than 50 languages, divided into six cultural divisions in eight geographical locations.

That being said, the lands all around us in both the United States and Canada are the traditional homelands to indigenous peoples. Some of them have been designated as Native American heritage sites which I’ve been privileged throughout the years to visit and hear stories about—from the brave Crazy Horse warrior to sacred refuges in the Grand Canyon, and even the original Native American tales of giant monsters in Monument Valley.

With Native American Heritage Month in November, fall is a fantastic time to visit and hear the first stories behind many of America’s greatest parks and monuments. A few favorites are listed here by their original Indigenous names.

Hovenweep National Monument © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

A kind reminder when visiting tribal lands: It’s always good practice to ask before entering someone’s space and especially before taking their photo. Please respect privacy, remember that all tribes are different, and note our tradition of listening when elders speak (which is sometimes not in English).

Mesa Verde National Park

Ancestral Pueblo, Colorado

After living atop the mesas for 600 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people moved their homes to the mesa walls and became cliff dwellers. They kept their crops and fields atop the mesa but lowered their harvest down to food storage rooms.

There they dwelled for another hundred years before beginning their migration further south. Descendants of these people teach their children that their ancestors only inhabited such areas for a time before journeying on as their deity bid.

Today, Mesa Verde National Park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 tribes and offers visitors a mind-perplexing glimpse into the lives of those who once lived here. Here, you will also find guided and self-guided tours, hiking trails, camping, an evening program, stargazing, bird watching, and seasonal events.

Monument Valley © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Tse Bii’ Ndzisgaii / Monument Valley

Diné Nation, Arizona/Utah

One of the most majestic and most photographed points on earth this great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.

The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs and trees, and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley. All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience.

Most known for its appearance in films such as Forrest Gump (when Forrest decides he’s tired and stops running in the center of the road) and the old John Wayne cowboy flicks, the breath-taking Tse Bii’ Ndzisgaii remains much as it did back in the 1930s. The site holds the story of monsters who once plagued the people before the Hero Twins and female deities worked together to turn the monsters to stone. It is those monsters who remain as monuments of this gorgeous desert valley.

Tseyi’ / Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Diné Nation, Arizona

Related to the Athabaskan people of Northern Canada and Alaska, the Navajo settled the Southwest between the four sacred mountains. For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons—longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. In the place called Tsegi, their homes and images tell us their stories.

The Navajo, or Dine’ as they call themselves, continue to make their homes, raise livestock, and farm the lands in the canyons just as the “Ancient Ones” had. The farms, livestock, and hogans of the Dine’ are visible from the canyon rims. “A place like no other”, the National Park Service and Navajo Nation work together to manage the land’s resources.

Cottonwood Campground, Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Cottonwood Campground is located near the entrance of Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Chinle. Administered by Tseyi’ Dine’ Heritage Area, it offers camping for anyone desiring to pitch a tent or park your RV to enjoy a quiet night or two under the stars. A picnic table and barbeque grill is available at each campsite.

Take in the breathtaking views and relish in the paths of the ancient ones who once flourished in the canyons by booking a guided tour from one of the local tour operators; they will take you in by horse, vehicle, or on foot. Or, you could take a self-guided tour of the South and North Rim Drives and view the canyon from the overlooks.

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Ancestral Pueblo, Arizona

Montezuma Castle National Monument is dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival, and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape. Although people were living in the area much earlier, the Sinagua began building permanent living structures—the dwellings you see at the monument—around 1050.

Beaver Creek at Montezuma Castle National Monument © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

There are many possible reasons the Sinagua chose to build their homes on the cliffs. At Montezuma Castle, the cliff faces south, so the dwellings are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The high location also protected them from damage caused by the annual flooding of Beaver Creek. The dwellings may also have been built high up for protection or to help the Sinagua view approaching travelers. More than likely, the cliff dwellings served all these functions and more, much like our houses today

Montezuma Well © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Although the Sinagua left about 600 years ago, the Verde Valley has been continually occupied by other groups of people. Some Hopi clans believe that the Sinagua were their ancestors. Some Yavapai-Apache say that not all Sinagua left but instead integrated with the Yavapai and Apache. Today, the monument is affiliated with many tribes including the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona: Yavapai, Apache, Hopi, and Zuni.

Casa Grande Ruins National Nonument © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Ancestral Ruins, Arizona

Explore the mystery and complexity of an extended network of communities and irrigation canals. An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People’s farming community and “Great House” are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Archeologists have discovered evidence that the ancestral Sonoran Desert people who built the Casa Grande also developed wide-scale irrigation farming and extensive trade connections which lasted over a thousand years until about 1450.

Casa Grande Ruins National Park © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Whether the Casa Grande was a gathering place for the Desert People or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of canals and trading partners is but part of the mystique of the Ruins.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Archeologists call a site where there are earthen buildings, red on buff pottery, and extensive canals, “Hohokam”, but this is not the name of a tribe or a people. Years of misunderstanding have confused the ancestors of the O’Odham, Hopi, and Zuni people with the name Hohokam which is not a word in any of their languages nor the name of a separate people.

Tuzigoot National Monument

Ancestral Pueblo, Arizona

Around the year 650, 1400 years ago, people began settling in the Verde Valley. Among the oldest structures found in the valley are the pithouses, partially buried dwellings that were the most common form of housing across the southwest between about 4,000 years ago and 600 years ago.

Construction of multi-room pueblos began by the year 1000. The pueblo at Tuzigoot is architecturally similar to pueblos that can be seen around the region, like, Aztec Ruins National Monument, and Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, and many sites along the Mogollon Rim in Arizona including Montezuma Castle.

This village was built high on a limestone ridge over a hundred feet above the floodplains of the Verde River. It has clear lines of sight in every direction and can easily be seen from many of the other hills and pueblos in the area. Tuzigoot was a prime spot to build with excellent views, easy access to reliable, year-round water, and floodplains where cultivation of water-intensive crops like cotton was relatively easy.

Hovenweep National Monument

Ancestral Ruins, Utah/Colorado

Human habitation at Hovenweep dates to over 10,000 years ago when nomadic Paleoindians visited the Cajon Mesa to gather food and hunt game. These people used the area for centuries, following the seasonal weather patterns. By about 900, people started to settle at Hovenweep year-round, planting and harvesting crops in the rich soil of the mesa top. By the late 1200s, the Hovenweep area was home to over 2,500 people.

The towers of Hovenweep were built by ancestral Puebloans, a sedentary farming culture that occupied the Four Corners area from about 500 to 1300. Similarities in architecture, masonry, and pottery styles indicate that the inhabitants of Hovenweep were closely associated with groups living at Mesa Verde and other nearby sites.

Most of the structures at Hovenweep were built between A.D. 1200 and 1300. There is quite a variety of shapes and sizes including square and circular towers, D-shaped dwellings, and many kivas (Puebloan ceremonial structures, usually circular). The masonry at Hovenweep is as skillful as it is beautiful. Even the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde rarely exhibit such careful construction and attention to detail. Some structures built on irregular boulders remain standing after more than 700 years.

Today’s Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi people are descendants of this culture.

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Ancestral Pueblo, New Mexico

Pueblo people describe this site as part of their migration journey. Today you can follow their ancient passageways to a distant time. Explore a 900-year old ancestral Pueblo Great House of over 400 masonry rooms. Look up and see original timbers holding up the roof.

Aztec Ruins, built and used over a 200-year period, is the largest Ancestral Pueblo community in the Animas River valley. Concentrated on and below a terrace overlooking the Animas River, the people at Aztec built several multi-story buildings called “great houses” and many smaller structures. Associated with each great house was a “great kiva”—a large circular chamber used for ceremonies.

Nearby are three unusual “tri-wall” structures—above ground kivas encircled by three concentric walls. In addition, they modified the landscape with dozens of linear swales called “roads,” earthen berms, and platforms.

An interesting 700 yard trail leads visitors through the West Ruin, an excavated great house that had at least 400 interconnected rooms built around an open plaza. Its massive sandstone walls tower over 30 feet. Many rooms contain the original pine, spruce, and aspen beams hauled from distant mountains.

In about 1300 the Ancestral Pueblo people left the region, migrating southeast to join existing communities along the Rio Grande, south to the Zuni area, or west to join the Hopi villages in Arizona.

Worth Pondering…

Traveling is almost like talking with men of other centuries.

—René Descartes

Monument Valley has Re-opened: What to Know Before You Visit

One of the most iconic and enduring landmarks of the American Wild West, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has reopened

Monument Valley was described by the filmmaker John Ford (1895-1973) as “the most complete, beautiful, and peaceful place on earth.” Many of Ford’s films were westerns and filmed in Monument Valley, one of his favorite film settings.

Of course, seeing the place in a movie is nothing like being there. As filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich explains, “It’s breathtaking. You can’t believe it. It’s very photogenic; it has a kind of mythic feeling of age, of legend… You’ve seen it in the movies, but when you see it in life, it’s so epic in its proportions that it almost stands for the whole of the West.”

The Navajo Nation is reopening parks and businesses on a phased basis, welcoming visitors back to the community’s monuments, casinos, and unique attractions.

After more than a year of being closed during the pandemic, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is now open on a limited basis. The park that straddles the Arizona/Utah state line reopened last week after the Navajo Nation determined that the reservation has achieved the orange status of its COVID-19 reopening plan. According to the “Safer-at-Home” order issued August 12, 2021, the Navajo Nation is returning to “Orange Status”; thereby Navajo Parks and Recreation will continue to follow all safety protocols. It is mandatory that all visitors and tribal members continue to wear face masks at all times while visiting the Navajo Nation. According to the order, 50 percent capacity is permitted in most businesses including in restaurants, casinos, hotels and campgrounds, museums, and parks.

As part of the plan, several other destinations on the Navajo Nation—Canyon de Chelly, Antelope Canyon, Navajo National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post, and Four Corners Monument—also are open to visitors under certain conditions. Visit your destination’s website for specific COVID-19 guidelines.

Here is everything you need to know to plan a trip to Monument Valley.

Can I drive through Monument Valley?

There are two ways to visit Monument Valley. You can enter the park and drive to the valley overlook but not beyond. Admission is $20 per vehicle for up to four people. Each additional person costs $6.

You need to book a tour to go on the full 17-mile Monument Valley loop drive. Self-driving is not allowed at this time. You’ll ride in your outfitter’s vehicle. According to Louise Tsinijinnie, media representative for Navajo Nation Parks, most vehicles are open-air and can hold 10 to 12 passengers. Tours typically cost $65-$75 per person, Tsinijinnie said. A list of tour guides is at navajonationparks.org.

Monument Valley Visitor Center

From the visitor center, you see the world-famous panorama of the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. You can also purchase guided tours from Navajo tour operators who take you down into the valley in Jeeps for a narrated cruise through these mythical formations. Places such as Ear of the Wind and other landmarks can only be accessed via guided tours. During the summer months, the visitor center also features Haskenneini Restaurant which specializes in both native Navajo and American cuisines, and a film/snack/souvenir shop. There are year-round restroom facilities. One mile before the center, numerous Navajo vendors sell arts, crafts, native food, and souvenirs at roadside stands.

The View Hotel and Camping at Monument Valley

For visitors wanting to stay inside Monument Valley, The View Hotel and Premium Cabins are open at 50 percent capacity as well. The campground and RV sites remain closed. Masks must be worn indoors, in any public areas, and on all guided tours.

What is Monument Valley?

Monument Valley is not a ‘valley’ in the true sense of the word but rather a vast, desert-like expanse of land punctuated by towering, huge stones that rise hundreds of feet in height. Monument Valley is one of the most majestic—and most photographed—points on earth. This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.

Area Geology

The geology of the area helps add to its grandeur. Monument Valley is part of the Colorado Plateau which covers 130,000 square miles. More than 50 million years ago the area was a lowland basin that over eons of time and extensive layers of sedimentation, ceaseless pressures from below the surface, and eventual geological uplifts were transformed into a plateau. Then wind and water took over the task of creating the dramatic vistas and formations that we see today.

The current elevation of the valley floor ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet. The floor is basically siltstone. Iron oxide gives the area its red color. The blue-gray rocks get their color from manganese oxide. The buttes are clearly stratified in several distinct layers: Organ Rock Shale, de Chelly Sandstone, and Shinarump Conglomerate.

Where is Monument Valley?

Monument Valley is a part of the Navajo Nation. It is located on the Utah/Arizona border, east of Highway 163, midway between Kayenta, Arizona, and Mexican Hat, Utah. The park entrance is in Utah.

Alternative to Monument Valley

Often described as a “Miniature Monument Valley”, the Valley of Gods is definitely worth checking out—and it’s totally free and without restrictions. The area is publicly managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The 17-mile Valley of the Gods Road, also known as BLM Road 226, stretches between US-163 north of Mexican Hat and Utah Route 261 just below Moki Dugway. Hoodoos, spires, buttes, buttresses, forming and collapsing arches, and towers are all visible along the drive.

Details

Navajo Name: Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii (Valley of the Rocks)

Elevation: 5,564 feet above sea level

Size: 91,696 acres (spans Utah and Arizona)

Worth Pondering…

So this is where God put the West.

—John Wayne

Canyon de Chelly National Monument: People Still Live Here & I Can See Why

Stunning scenery blends with Navajo culture

We know COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is impacting RV travel plans right now. For a little inspiration we’ll continue to share stories from our favorite places so you can keep daydreaming about your next adventure.

A comparatively little-known canyon, Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “de shay”) has sandstone walls rising up to 1,000 feet, scenic overlooks, well-preserved Anasazi ruins, and an insight into the present day life of the Navajo, who still inhabit and cultivate the valley floor.

People have lived in the canyon for more than 5,000 years, archaeologists believe, making it the longest continuously inhabited area on the Colorado Plateau. Ancient ruins are tucked along its cliffs, as are centuries-old pictographs.

Chinle in the Navajo Nation *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

From the mesa east of Chinle in the Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly is invisible. Then as one approaches, suddenly the world falls away—1,000 feet down a series of vertical red walls.

The sheer walls, shaped and smoothed by thousands of years of rain and wind, provide a dramatic backdrop for those who still live and farm within the canyon.

Navajo guides at Canyon de Chelly National Monument *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Canyon de Chelly is managed through a partnership between the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation, and many areas, including the backcountry, are accessible only with a permit and an official Navajo guide. Start your visit to Canyon de Chelly at the visitor center to learn more about the history and rules at this unique place. To enhance your visit, a motoring guide and a trail guide are available at the bookstore in the visitor center.

Begin your visit to Canyon de Chelly National Monument at the Visitor Center *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The northernmost and southernmost edges are accessible from paved roads—the North and South Rim drives. The South Rim Drive offers the most dramatic vistas, ending at the most spectacular viewpoint, the overlook of Spider Rocks—twin 800-foot towers of rock isolated from the canyon walls and a site of special significance for the Navajo.

Spider Rock at Canyon de Chelly National Monument *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

From the visitor center to the last overlook is about 16 miles one-way. There are seven overlooks from which to view Canyon de Chelly. Watch for changes in vegetation and geology as the elevation rises from 5,500 feet at the visitor center to 7,000 feet at Spider Rock. Allow two to three hours for this drive—and considerably longer, if you’re a photographer.

The third overlook, Junction, affords the first look at the canyon’s depth, and the signs warn that it’s a sheer drop of 600 feet to the bottom. Junction has views of Chinle Valley and the confluence of Canyon del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly.

The scenery elevates to spectacular at the Sliding Rock Overlook, about 700 feet above the canyon floor and site of ruins that once slipped off the canyon walls. Face Rock Overlook is even higher and sort of a prelude to the most magnificent of all—Spider Rock Overlook. From here you can see the volcanic core of Black Rock Butte and the Chuska Mountains on the horizon.

According to legend, Spider Woman taught the Navajo how to weave and now lives on top of the spire that is covered with white limestone. The legend says the white stuff is the bones of bad children who were carried off by Spider Woman.

Sharing the White House Trail with Navajo sheep herders at Canyon de Chelly National Monument *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Also worthwhile, but not quite as scenic, the North Rim Drive has only three overlooks from which to view Canyon del Muerto. Some of the most beautiful cliff dwellings are along this 34-mile route from start to finish. Allow a minimum of two hours for this drive.

White House Ruins at Canyon de Chelly National Monument *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Don’t miss the White House Ruins. This is a superb hike. Long ago, hundreds of people lived in the structure built into the cliffs. Now the walls are a reminder of how life once thrived in the canyon.

For your efforts you’ll get an up-close look at White House ruins, mentioned in the Navajo Night Chant as “white house in between”. The trail begins at the White House Overlook and is a two- or three-mile round trip, depending on which signs you believe. Allow two to three hours to complete the trail. The drop from the rim to the canyon floor is 600 feet. Since the trail is considered moderately strenuous, hiking boots are recommended. Ensure you take plenty of drinking water, especially if you’re hiking in the summer’s heat.

Worth Pondering…

We didn’t inherit the earth; we are borrowing it from our children.

—Native American Proverb

Magnificent Monument Valley: Where God Put The West

The mesas, thin buttes, and the tall spires rising above the valley, and the contrasting orange sand, makes Monument Valley the most impressive landscape in the southwest

One of the most iconic and enduring landmarks of the American Wild West, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has isolated sandstone mesas, buttes, and a sandy desert that has been photographed and filmed countless times.

Monument Valley boasts crimson mesas, surreal sandstone towers which range in height from 400 to 1,000 feet. Made of de Chelly sandstone, which is 215 million years old, the towers are the remnants of mesas, or flat-topped mountains. Mesas erode first into buttes like the Elephant, which typically are as high as they are wide, then into slender spires like the Three Sisters.

The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.

It is one of those sights that takes your breath away and makes you speechless—what the Western writer Zane Grey once described as “a strange world of colossal shafts and buttes of rock, magnificently sculptored, standing isolated and aloof, dark, weird, lonely.”

Known as Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii (or Valley of the Rocks) to the Navajo, they believe it is a gift from their creator and each unique formation has a story.

Entering Monument Valley is to enter a world of mystery, incredible beauty, and age-old tradition.

The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs, trees, and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley. All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience.

Our visit to Monument Valley was in two parts: Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and Goulding’s Trading Post.

Our first stop was the legendary Goulding’s Trading Post located just north of the Arizona-Utah border, six miles from the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

After arriving Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in mid-afternoon and obtaining information about available options for exploring this wonderland of rocks, we departed the Visitor Center at Lookout Point and started the Valley Drive, a 17-mile self-guided dirt road. The road winds past the valley’s best red rock buttes and spires, with 11 stops for photos.

This is considered one of the world’s premier spots for landscape photography. The best stops for photographing the towers are the Mittens and Merrick Butte, Elephant Butte, Three Sisters, John Ford’s Point, Camel Butte, The Hub, the Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, Sand Springs, Artist’s Point, North Window, and The Thumb. The best times for photography are early mornings and late afternoons when the shadows lengthen and the sun brings out the reds and oranges in the buttes.

Allow at least two to three hours at the posted 10 mph. Expect to eat the valley’ orange dust, because other vehicles will kick up thick clouds of it during the dry weather that you’ll find in this high desert most of the year.

In a swirl of red dust we dropped down into the valley rim in our four-wheel-drive dinghy with guide map in hand.

The road is dusty, steep in a couple of places and rather uneven, but does not need a four-wheel-drive—the journey is suitable for the majority of family cars, and small to medium sized RVs, though the surface is perhaps not improved too much in order to increase business for the many Navajo guides and 4WD Jeep rental outfits, which wait expectantly by the visitor center.

Though rough in many spots and probably impassable in wet weather, the road was easily travel on this day.

We wound our way past the Mittens, Elephant Butte, the Three Sisters, and to John Ford’s Point—named for the famous director who made movies in Monument Valley, many of them starring John Wayne.

The weather was perfect—sunny and warm—as we continued on past Camel Butte, the Hub, and to the Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei. The changing light and shifting shadows created an never-ending stream of views. Continuing on around Raingod Mesa and Artist Point, we timed our drive to return to the

After photographing the amazing sunset we drove our toad east to our camping site at Cottonwood RV Park in Bluff, Utah, a round day trip of 119 miles.

Worth Pondering…

So this is where God put the West.

—John Wayne

Canyon de Chelly National Monument: A Truly Special Place

For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons

A one-of-a-kind landscape and the cherished homeland of the Navajo people, Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a truly special place.

Spanning more than 83,000 acres, Canyon de Chelly National Monument offers an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the wild Arizona landscape, and to learn more about the history of the Navajo people.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

This unique park is located entirely on Navajo Nation land and offers a rich history with countless options for outdoor recreation.

Sheer cliffs rise on either side of this flat-bottomed, sandy ravine, an area created much the way uplift and water formed the Grand Canyon. Though only a fraction of the Grand Canyon’s size and majesty, Canyon de Chelly offers more than a rugged landscape. Native Americans have worked and lived there for thousands of years, and today Navajo people still call it home.

Canyon de Chelly’s blend of landscape and cultural heritage allows a glimpse at an area originally inhabited 4,000 years ago and which still sustains people today.

From the mesa east of Chinle in the Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly is invisible. Then as one approaches, suddenly the world falls away—1,000 feet down a series of vertical red walls.

The sheer walls, shaped and smoothed by thousands of years of rain and wind, provide a dramatic backdrop for those who still live and farm within the canyon.

Chiseled by millions of years of stream-cutting and land uplifts, the colorful sheer cliffs of Canyon de Chelly National Monument may look harsh and barren, although in fact, natural water sources and rich soil make them anything but. These canyons have supported human inhabitants for thousands of years, from the Ancient Puebloans who planted crops and raised families here 5,000 years ago to their descendants—the Hopi people—who cultivated peach orchards and cornfields among the cliffs.

The Navajo—also known as the Dine’—settled in the region much later, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument continues to be a protected land for Navajo people and their culture. The park was established in 1931, largely to preserve its rich archaeological sites, and to this day, the homes and farms of the Navajo are visible from the cliff tops.

Visitor Center: Start your visit to Canyon de Chelly at the visitor center to learn more about the history and rules at this unique place. To enhance your visit a free park map, activity schedule, and trail guide are available. The visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Scenic drives: South Rim Drive and North Rim Drive, each more than 30 miles long, are excellent driving routes along the canyons. The scenery is spectacular, including the White House Ruin cliff dwellings and the 800-foot sandstone spire known as Spider Rock.

Hiking: A self-guided hiking trail is located at the White House Overlook on the South Rim. The round-trip hike usually takes about two to three hours, leading down to the White House Ruin and back.

Ranger-led programs: A wide range of free ranger-led programs are available between Memorial Day and Labor Day, including talks and guided hikes into the canyons. Because of the sensitive nature of the canyons’ geology and historic artifacts, the only way to enter is with a ranger or an authorized guide from one of the private companies that offer canyon tours.

Camping: Primitive campsites are available at the Cottonwood Campground on a first-come, first-served basis. Showers and hookups are not available, and a camping fee is required.

Getting There

There is no entrance fee to visit Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and the main entrance is just east of Chinle, Arizona. Starting on Highway 191, take Route 7 about 3 miles east to the park entrance and visitor center. Gas, groceries, supplies, and a post office are available in Chinle, and there is also a camp store located at the visitor center.

Nearby Parks

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is nestled in a corner of northeastern Arizona where several national parks are within a few hours’ drive of each other, including:

Petrified Forest National Park
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Grand Canyon National Park

Worth Pondering…

We didn’t inherit the earth; we are borrowing it from our children.

—Native American Proverb

5 Places No One Will Be Going In 2019 (And You Can Have All To Yourself)

If you are craving a getaway far from the madden crowds and off the beaten path, consider one of the following locations that you can have all to yourself

Popular road trips and tourist spots are usually known for a variety of different reasons.

Well-known tourist destinations offer numerous options for RVers and other travelers to enjoy a variety of things such as scenic landscapes, delectable cuisine, well known historical landmarks, a variety of recreational opportunities, and local festivals and other events that are distinctive to the area and not found elsewhere.

These popular destinations often come with a few drawbacks though. In addition to large crowds and congested traffic, finding a local RV park or campground within a reasonable driving distance and at a cost effective price point can be a major issue. Also, reservations are a must, and in some cases, need to be made up to a year in advance.

Although it can be fun to visit these popular bucket-list destinations for the significance of the place and the variety of options for entertainment and activities, if you are craving a getaway far from the madden crowds and off the beaten path, consider one of the following locations that you can have all to yourself.

Below, we take a look at five different places that offer the RV traveler just as many unique opportunities as well known and crowded locations but at lower prices and with a more relaxed atmosphere.

Cumberland Island, Georgia

Most visitors come to Cumberland for the natural glories, serenity, and fascinating history. Cumberland Island is designated a National Seashore and managed by the National Park Service. Visitors must purchase ferry tickets through the Park Service.

Cumberland Island is the largest barrier island along the Atlantic Coast with the longest expanse of pristine seashore—18 glorious miles of deserted sand. No docks, houses, or other structures interrupt its serene beauty. The island boasts a healthy expanse of vegetated dunes that make it one of the most important nesting spots for loggerhead sea turtles in all of Georgia, and a sanctuary for migrating shore birds.

Walterboro, South Carolina

For those reminiscing about the warmth and familiarity of an authentic small town, Walterboro provides the perfect opportunity to step back through time. Nature lovers can take advantage of South Carolina’s year-round balmy weather and enjoy the quiet solitude of the ACE Basin and The Great Swamp Sanctuary.

Visitors are reminded of the town’s early days as a summer retreat—tree-lined streets where quaint homes with broad porches and beautiful churches date to the 18th century.

Visitors love scouring the village’s dozen antique shops and shopping the Colleton Farmers Market for farm-fresh produce and delicious homemade food products.

Lassen Volcanic Peak National Park, California

Another oft-overlooked National Park Service site is Lassen Volcanic Peak, which gets lost in the splendor of the other national parks in California. Lassen Volcanic Peak is in the northern part of the state, and is best known for the astounding hydrothermal sites.

Hiking is the most popular activity here. Many established trails will take you past—and through—those bubbling springs, including Bumpass Hell, an area with acres of bubbling mud pots. As the name implies, Lassen Peak is a volcano. On the side of the mountain, visitors can observe lava rocks left by its last eruption, in 1917.

Hubbell Trading Post, Arizona

The squeaky wooden floor greets your entry. When your eyes adjust to the dim light in the “bullpen” you find you’ve entered a mercantile. Hubbell Trading Post has been serving Ganado selling goods and Native American Art since 1878. Little has changed in more than 140 years at the oldest operating trading post on the Navajo Reservation.

Visitors also can tour the Hubbell house; browse the visitor center (built in 1920 and used originally as a school); and see barns, corrals, wagons, and other historical farm equipment, as well as a variety of farm animals, including Churro sheep.

Valley of the Gods, Utah

This little valley near Bluff, Utah is filled with sandstone formations and starry night skies. Located in the southeastern corner of Utah it is out of the way of the main Grand Circle Tour. To drive through the Valley of the Gods you will take a 17-mile, unpaved loop. Similar to Monument Valley, but only a quarter of the size, it remains quiet and peaceful. Free BLM camping is offered within the valley, a unique opportunity not to be missed. What are you waiting for?

Worth Pondering…

Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.

—Confucius