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Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > National Parks > Canyon de Chelly National Monument |
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PO Box 588, Chinle, AZ 86503
Phone: 928-674-5500
Fax: 928-674-5507
Open All Year
Overview.0 Steep reddish cliffs towering over wildflower-covered bottomlands characterize this canyon system. Eons ago, ancient streams and fierce winds of northeastern Arizona deposited layers of iron-rich sediments, which then hardened into rock. Waters rushing down from the Chuska Mountains cut deeply into the rock, forming the four canyons visitors see today: Black Rock, Monument, del Muerto, and de Chelly.<P>About 2,500 years ago, Anasazi Indians first began cultivating small crops in the fertile bottomlands and building pit houses in the shadow of sheltering cliffs. Later they developed stone houses known as pueblo, many ruins of which can still be seen. They gradually left the area during the thirteenth century, to be replaced by the Navajo at the beginning of the eighteenth century.<P>Tenaciously holding onto their land, they resisted Spanish and U.S. efforts to remove them until 1864, when Kit Carson forced them onto a reservation in New Mexico. A few years later, they were allowed to return to the canyons, and today the park's 83,840 acres are still owned by the Navajo. With 1,000-foot brightly hued cliffs, over 2,000 separate ruins, and many pictographs, this park attracts photographers and archaeologists alike.
<P>At the canyons' entrance you'll find the visitor center, which opens at 8 a.m., and Cottonwood campground. The only trail for which you don't need a guide (there is a fee for guides) is at the White House Ruins Trail. With the pamphlet purchased at the visitor center, stay on the trail to the ruins of a 12-family building. The hike itself lasts about two hours; bring along water for the 2.5-mile round-trip. Another highlight is the Spider Rock Overlook. From the bottom of Canyon de Chelly, a slender rock reaches 800 feet into the air. Navajo legend says the Spider Woman lives here. Along the North Rim Drive, which has four overlooks altogether, be sure to stop at the Antelope House Overlook. Peering down into the canyon, you'll see the outlines of a large 91-room site. Look over to the canyon walls to see (with binoculars) the colorful antelope drawings reputedly done by a 19th-century Navajo artist.<P>Throughout your trip, you'll note the presence of modern-day Navajo residents. Their farms still pepper the canyon floor, and they are protective of their historical treasures. While you're welcome to view the ruins, you're asked not to enter archaeological sites because it's easy to damage them. Keep in mind that the Navajo Nation goes on Daylight Savings Time while the rest of Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time.
<P>What to see and do. 0 If you don't mind paying extra (to see the rest of the trails requires a guide and there is a fee for this), plan on spending a night here. Minimum three-hour hikes led by authorized Navajo guides are available and you can sign up for them at the visitor center. Because the land is privately owned, you can explore it only when accompanied by a ranger or guide. Navajo guides will also lead you through the canyons on longer, more strenuous hikes.<P>Before you set out, walk through the visitor center's exhibits introducing you to Native American history in the canyon. On the hike, you'll have plenty of opportunity to photograph the cliffs, dwelling ruins, and occasional eagles and hawks soaring above you. Profusions of summertime wildflowers reward your descent down the steep canyon sides. Afternoons and evenings ranger programs may be available at the campground. Check the visitor center for the schedule.
<P>Another way to tour the canyon floor is by four-wheel-drive vehicle or on horseback. At the handicapped-accessible Thunderbird Lodge, located a half-mile from the visitor center, you can sign up for one of their 4WD excursions. If you have your own vehicle, you can hire an authorized guide for a fee at the visitor center. Otherwise, hire a jeep and guide through a private outfitter. Two stables organize day-long and overnight horseback trips for another way to give your feet a break.<P>You may enjoy two scenic routes, the North and South Rim Drives, running along the rims of the canyon system. Each drive takes at least two hours because you'll be stopping at one of the seven overlooks which dot the South Rim Drive.
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Archeological Sites |
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Wildlife Viewing |
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