The canyon continues to preserve the ruins of ancient indigenous tribes that inhabited the area long ago (from the Ancestral Pueblo to the Navajo). Its a 24 mile round-trip from the Junction, twelve miles of rough road in each direction, with enough twists and turns to qualify as a carnival ridealong with plenty of mud! You will travel the full length of Canyon De Chelly, traveling to the base of the towering 800 foot monolith of Spider Rock, where canyon walls rise over 1000 feet. Youll need a couple of hours to do it justice, depending on how much time you spend at each of the different overlooks. The land, about an hour-and-a-quarter drive into the canyon, has passed from Daniels great-grandmother, to his grandmother, to his mother, always to the oldest female in the family. He is a kind of Kokopelli whose flute playing underscores the magic of the moment. Canyon de Chelly: Part 4: The Road to Spider Rock. Kokopelli Cave is a beautiful canyon located in the heart of the American Southwest. Go for the day or sign up for one of several overnight horse packing trips, which allow riders to experience the star-studded night sky while eating fresh mutton stew and frybread deep in the ancient backcountry. The reddish orange Navajo sandstone walls soar 800 feet above the sandy canyon floor. From I-40, take US 191 north to Ganado. Today, Standing Cow is on all the maps, as much a part of the human landscape of Canyon de Chelly as the White House and the Mummy Cave. Location. The first part of the route was aleady familiar to me. At 800 feet in height, its a good bit taller than your average 50 story sky scraper, and it completely dominates the landscape. Route 7 follows the South Rim of the multi-pronged formation, providing access to seven overlooks, all with killer views into Canyon de Chelly. According to the National Park Service website, it preserves evidence of people living here for more than 5,000 years, starting in campsites, then pit houses. The north fork is called Canyon del Muerto, or Canyon of Death. The vantage point offers a fabulous panorama of the Canyon, along with an unobstructed view of the White House, one of the best preserved ruins in the National Monument. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There are images that represent the clans now present in the Hopi tribe: a bear paw, snake, coyote, and snake dancers. The leaves had changed to a golden yellow on many creating a warm glow as we drove beneath them. Massacre Cave Overlook is located off of the North Rim Drive in the Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d'Shay) National Monument. 3 First Ruin. How did Mummy Cave Overlook get its name? Canyon de Chelly National Monument Canyon de Chelly NM offers the opportunity to learn about Southwestern Indian history from the earliest Anasazi to the Navajo Indians who live and farm here today. If you have a lot of money, you can buy solar for power. These are more recent with cow being painted in 1932. There's even a calendar of free Ranger led programs. An all-day tour usually includes less visited sites like Navajo Fortress . View of the Mummy Cave in Canyon del Muerto, Arizona, 1875. This wall is covered in lines of black, red, white, and grey created by the summer rains spilling down the wall to create this patina called canyon varnish. 'Our way of life is unacceptable to the Hopis,' they said. For over 5,000 years indigenous people have farmed, raised sheep, and lived in Canyon De Chelly. This not for profit group gives good value and excellent guides who will make your Southwest experience outstanding. The park is working on getting translations of the brochure in other languages. The Navajo have been here for hundreds of years. The trip exceeds 32 miles. Visit Destination Website. You can capture great photographs at the sweeping Antelope House Overlook. No Pets Allowed in the Park. The North Rim drive is shorter, just over 26 miles round trip to the Mummy Cave Overlook. 5 Ceremonial Cave. There's nothing like a good road trip. Free Returns 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Fast Shipping (844) 988-0030. _____ The White House Overlook has always been one of the most popular. Without this permit you cannot enter the Canyon. Those are the bones of disobedient children, bleaching the rocks.. Navajos gather pinon nuts, and use the wood for cooking and making cradleboards. The South Rim drive is a 36 mile round trip, from the Welcome Center to the Spider Rock Overlook and back again, making multiple stops in between. You can find a guide online at Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation or the parks visitor center. When Col. CREATIVE. Situated in the middle of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, Canyon de ChellyNational Monument is the heart of Navajo country, both geographically and spiritually. Native people have lived here for nearly 5000 years. The soldiers came through the canyon, destroying dwellings, burning crops, chopping down thousands of fruit trees and killing livestock. She boils and eats bad little kids. These were painted by Navajo artist Dibe Yazhi, or Little Lamb, in the 1830s. By far the most famous feature of the Colorado Plateau is the Grand Canyon, which lies 200 miles to the west of Canyon de Chelly. 6 Ledge Ruin. I made the trip again in 2013, driving La Reina Sucia, the Dirty Queen, my faithful Jeep Grand Cherokee. If you follow it headed east, it will take you directly to the Visitor Center for the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. If you can, hire a guide before you visit, especially if you plan to go during the peak months, March through October. A severe drought that began in the 1200's is thought to have led to its abandonment. Adams grandfather is credited with naming it because he carved the name Navajo in the rocky walls of the fortress at least according to the Coyote Clan stories. The Anasazi inhabited the area some thousands of years ago. Unlike . Ruins and pictographs from at least five different native cultures line the walls of the canyons, spanning thousands of years of history. The cave was home to the Ancient Pueblo Peoples and named . A short distance from Newspaper Rock, just a few steps away along the base of the cliff, we came to another set of petroglyphs featuring riders on horseback. The twin pillars of Spider Rock, like two gigantic fingers thrusting out of the earth, pointed toward the sky. At its peak (between 1075 to 1100), the main area of Chaco Canyon covered up to ten square kilometers and housed up to three thousand people. Canyon de Chelly is a fairyland of unlikely rock formations, filled with ancient ruins and petroglyphs spanning 5,000 years of human history. Photographers should contact Arizona Highways PhotosScapes. Except for the White House Trail, you can only access the canyon with a ranger or a Navajo guide. 1 Kokopelli Cave. If a tour of Canyon de Chelly is something you really want to do, you should plan as far ahead as possible; particularly if youre traveling in the peak summer season, when demand is highest. Other useful information includes safety, accessibility, fees & passes and permits & reservations. There is NO entrance fee. Perhaps the most picturesque of the Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings were the ones located in the Canyon de Chelly near the Arizona border of the Four Corners. There are two campgrounds in the area. Its not really on the way to anywhere else, very much off the beaten path, and yet there are as many as 800,000 visitors in an average year, making this exceedingly isolated canyon one of the top ten most visited of all the National Monuments in the United States. The only trail open to the public is White House Trail. But the North Rim Drive is equally impressive with views of Canyon del Muerto, so named for the 115 Navajo people killed here by Spanish soldiers in 1805. OUR CANYON DE CHELLY TOURS. The setting is a natural amphitheater, and the overall aspect of the place is simply stunning. The Frog Man indicates great drought while the snake symbol leads to water sources. It is one of two main Canyons and several smaller box canyons that make up the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. All total, there are more than 700 petroglyphs on the walls of Canyon de Chelly. $4.99. Located inside the Navajo Nation, this site has some amazing rock formations. The jeep plowed thru the deep sand and over the ruts made by previous tires to visit the most famous ruins in the canyon, The White House. Seven miles from the Welcome Center is the turnoff to the Antelope House Overlook, which is two miles further along a paved access road. Watch a video of this adventure horseback riding with the Navajo. Who was the boyhood home of Canyon de Chelly? We felt quite privileged to be there with someone who was so directly connected to all of it. There is no entrance fee at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and no booth or gate controlling access, so the visitation numbers mentioned abovehundreds of thousands per yearare simply an estimate, based on the volume of traffic on the two highways running through the monument. The canyon is home to a wide variety of plants and animals, and is a popular destination for hikers and campers. The first is located near the visitor center and managed by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation while the other is privately operated by a Navajo guide on his property near the Spider Rock Overlook. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Where the figures are so dense it is like the print on a newspaper. While visiting the Navajo Nation, please remember we observe Daylight Savings Time from March to November. A bit smaller than First Ruin, and a bit less well preserved, this is an Anasazi structure dating to the same approximate era. As a child, Daniel would climb sandstone cliffs, which rise up to 1,000 feet and hold treasures of Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs, pictographs, ladders used to escape marauding U.S. Cavalry, and caves that still bear chips from the bullets of Spanish conquistadors who killed 115 defenseless Navajos. Then they disappeared, at least that's what historians thought for years. He said people often come to the canyon to meditate. The symbols werent carved into the rock, and they are not painted. That drive requires another hour and a half, bare minimum, so if youre going to do both, you should play it safe, and set aside half a day. You can also hire a Navajo guide at the visitor center to take you into the canyon on a 4x4, horseback, or hiking tour. Ah, that would be because theres much more to it than rock formations and an oversized ravine. Advance Reservations are Recommended The Navajo Reservation observes Daylight Saving Time. The left hand fork is the spectacular work of nature known as Canyon del Muerto. The final one, the Massacre Cave, has the darkest history - a small structure inside the edge of a cliff was the place where over 100 Navajo people were killed during a Spanish military expedition in 1805. Four trips that will help you take in the stunning beauty of this ancient site. Ben lived in the canyon for many years and knows it well. About 200 Navajos died of starvation and exposure along the way. Canyon de Chelly Tours, founded in the latter 1980s, is an enterprise of the late Leon Skyhorse Thomas. He has been an amateur photographer most of his life since he first borrowed his fathers 35 mm camera at age 15. Reflecting one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America, it preserves ruins of the indigenous tribes that lived in . Required fields are marked *. Chipping it off creates petroglyphs. Since most of the park is inaccessible without a tour guide, this is a perfect way for the public to enjoy the splendorous views. The cave was occupied until about 1300 when Puebloan life in Canyon de Chelly abruptly ended. All of the guides working for those companies are Navajos with family ties to the Canyon, and I think its safe to say that they all have great stories to tell! Massacre Cave is named for a battle that occurred in 1805 between the Navajo people and Spanish soldiers. I come out of the canyon refreshed. Visitors can travel the rim drives and view many of the major attractions of the canyon. This year, we had more than 15 inches of snow. Your email address will not be published. Packages are also available, combining a guided hike with an overnight stay in a Hogan, for example. The White House Ruin trail is the only one you can hike without a guide. Private tours offer the most flexibility, and in most cases, a more comfortable ride. My visit to the canyon floor ended with Ben driving us past Dog rock and then as he called them last ruins. Required fields are marked *. It is to them, I guess, like Ground Zero or Pearl Harbor. The most popular tours last between 3 and 4 hours. Kokopelli's Cave Our cave house is built into the vertical cliffs of the 60 million year old Ojo Alamo sandstone and overlooks the beautiful La Plata river valley some 300 below. I did that in 1989, escorting some friends from Papua New Guinea in the big Jeep Wagoneer I had at that time. Why? 3. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos . The ruins left by the Anazazi were built high off the ground, often a 60-to-70-foot climb, higher now because the canyon bottom is much lower. Your email address will not be published. Our first stop, very near the mouth of the canyon was a prehistoric bulletin board she called Newspaper Rock. Basic three hour tour includes Antelope House Ruin in Canyon Del Muerto and the White House Ruin in Canyon de Chelly. But I like to keep it simple, cook over the fire, keep it pitch black, no lights.. The standard Jeep tours, which are the most popular, range from three to six hours in length. Leroy DeJolie explained how Fortress Rock and the whole Canyon de Chelly is a symbol to the Navajo that they can survive anything. It is named for the white plaster that coated the long back wall. 1982-06-09 Canyon de Chelly AZ0024-ps.jpg 810 1,215; 915 KB Spring is a long box canyon where one of the famous scenes from the Lone Ranger movie with Johnny Depp was filmed. Junction Ruins near where the south and north forks of the canyon divide. Whether you're flying solo or with your family, on a motorcycle or in an RV, across your state or across the country, the important thing is that you're out there, away from your town, your work, your routine, meeting new people, seeing new sights, building the best kind of memories while living your life to the fullest. His mother has two, 5-acre fields and about four acres of orchards. The variety of historical, cultural and scenic locations in Canyon del Muerto made me anxious for my exploration with Ben and Adam of the monuments namesake, Canyon de Chelly. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. It is a living breathing time capsule that is brought to life by the people who still live within its towering rock walls. The Grand Canyon has been carved, over millions of years, as the Colorado River cuts through the Colorado Plateau. Private Jeeps Tours Rates: To drive or ride horseback through the canyon, you must hire a Navajo guide. They began the long walk home on June 18, 1868. . We entered Chinle Wash from that same dirt road, just past the Visitors Center, and I took off down the sandy creek bed, keeping up a steady speed and zig-zagging diagonally across the deepest ruts, to avoid getting trapped. Most of them travel into both canyons, but dont go all the way to the end of either road. Pets are not permitted in the visitor center, on the White House Trail, or canyon tours. Most tour companies offer 4x4 tours, guided hikes, and overnight camping. A pair of binoculars would come in handy to truly appreciate the ruins from this distance. Address: BIA Indian Route 7, approximately 1/2 mile South of Canyon de Chelly National Monument Welcome Center, Google map LINK to get to this location. On a longer ride into the canyon, pass through small forests of cottonwood and Russian olive trees and across various . Lat/Longs: 3908'55"N 10932'22"W. Type Of Land: Navajo Tribal Trust Land. . Amazing wall art met my eyes at Newspaper Rock. Stop there to pick up a map of the park, and to get current information about guided tours and other activities, as well as road conditions, and any closures that might affect your visit. I can guarantee youll consider it time well spent! At Standing Cow Ruin, named for another Little Lamb painting of a cow, you can see pictographs of the Spanish soldiers, one wearing a red cape with a cross, and two white circles, which Daniel says tells the story that it took two days to kill the 115 people. The Cave itself is 70 below the top of the cliff. Catch the best of sites like White House, Spider Rock, Mummy Cave, and more with Ancient Canyon Private Tours, widely regarded by both locals and visitors alike, as the absolute best touring service that this area offers! Photography along the North Rim road is best during morning hours. If you want to explore any further, youll either need to take a ranger-led hike or hire a Navajo guide. Last Light at Spider Rock 2018 Jim Chamberlain, A twin pinnacle of Navajo sandstone soars 800 feet in solitude at the eastern end of Canyon de Chelly. The Yucca Cave Ruins were visible from the Massacre Cave Overlook, which was the first stop we would visit in the Monument. The Kokopelli figure is the rain dancer." This was how some of the numerous petroglyphs were described by Navajo guide and storyteller Adam Teller of the Coyote Clan. From above, youre looking down on the whole tableau, and Spider Rock, shorter than the soaring canyon walls, appears as one small part of the larger scene. He still has that camera. Daniel whoops to show us how his voice echoes back and forth, back and forth, back and forth against the canyon walls. You may see Navajo sheepherders tending to their flocks in the flow of the southwestern sun. Minerals from cascading water create patina on the canyon walls. At Chinle, turn east onto IR 7. Look up there see those white banded streaks on top? This hotel is 4.6 mi (7.5 km) from Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility and 6.1 mi (9.9 km) from White House Overlook and Trail. We will then continue on to: Petroglyph Rock First Ruins Junction Ruins From there we will go to the South Canyon and visit White House Ruins (Restrooms available and vendors are selling jewelry, arts and crafts) Pictographs on the canyon wall show handprints, stick figures and Kokopelli lying on his back playing his flute. A word to the wise when booking a tour: the private tours are more expensive, but well worth the additional cost. Both roads are paved and are open year-round. For more ITKT travel stories about USA Visitors are only allowed to hike to the canyon floor from the White House Overlook down a steep trail to the ruins. There are circles, the Anasazi representation of the life cycle and yellow dancers. I recommend Adam Teller at Antelope House Tours at www.canyondechelly.net/. Youll see more, because youll stop more often, and the smaller vehicles used on private tours are a LOT more comfortable. Most people experience the park by driving its two scenic drives, one with views of Canyon de Chelly and the other with views of Canyon del Muerto. For Daniel, life in the canyon is a respite from the modern world. What to See in Canyon de Chelly. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I can guarantee youll consider it time well spent! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. "He met them and asked why they're leaving. Barely three miles into the canyon, wed traveled a thousand years in just under a hundred minutes, and we were barely even underway! It carries spiritual meaning to all Navajos even those who reside in other parts of the reservation. The shadow of a raven flying near the canyon wall. The following ruins may be viewed on the tour: Kokopelli Cave; Petroglyph Rock; First Ruin; Junction Ruin; Ceremonial Cave; Ledge Ruin; Antelope House Ruin; White House Ruin; This is only a partial listing of archeological sites . That arrangement was Sylvias specialty, and driving through that canyon, with her ongoing expert narrative providing background on all the points of interest, was some of the best fun Ive ever had. The sites were also chosen to protect from rain, wind and snow, and to take advantage of sun in the winter and shade in the summer. That, in combination with the beautiful setting, is a very powerful draw. Daniel voice quiets as he relates this story of death, and he tells us how he has taught his children the Navajo ways, using cedar and corn pollen in blessings. The Pueblo people hunted and farmed in the canyon more than 1,000 years ago, and some Navajo, who settled the canyon in the 1700s, still reside here today. There are circles, the Anasazi representation of the life cycle and yellow dancers. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. I watched as a safari vehicle pulled up to the rock, so the tourists could take pictures. <>. Mummy Cave ruin, in the Canyon del Muerto branch of the Canyon de Chelly canyon system. The Canyon de Chelly National Monument lies approximately 210 miles northeast of Flagstaff. Read our. The park is located in Chinle, Arizona, and is entirely on Navajo tribal lands with families living in the canyon. The town of Chinle is 2 miles from the park and offers a grocery store, post office, hardware store, bank, laundromats, gas stations, convenience stores, and fast food places. Canyon De Chelly National Monument. For a current list of authorized providers, click this link: Canyon de Chelly Tour Operators: Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation. The Navajo Fortress is where 300 Navajos hid from Kit Carsons soldiers in 1864 and avoided the infamous Long Walk where 4000 Navajos were moved to New Mexico. Until just a few years ago, if you had a four-wheel drive vehicle, you could hire a Navajo guide to ride along with you and show you the way while you drove yourself into the Canyon, slaloming through deep sand in the washes and splashing across muddy creeks, traveling at your own pace, and stopping wherever you liked. "Maasau-u saw them leaving," he continues, mentioning a key Hopi deity. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Check it out! Located on the North Rim Drive in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, this site contains an Anasazi cliff dwelling that was once occupied over a thousand years ago. White House Ruin In Canyon De Chelly National Monument. Its like therapy.. Taking the advantage while the men were away they attacked the remaining of the Navajo people of that tribe. There is more useful information to help plan your visit, including basic information, directions, and operating hours for the park. The drive and a short walk to the lookouts will take around 1.5 hours. Viewing Spider Rock from below provides a dramatically different perspective on this extraordinary formation. The series that follows is a detailed account of my own experience in this remarkable place. Similar tours are offered by Canyon de Chelly Tours (www.canyondechellytours.com; tel. The Kokopelli figure is the rain dancer. This was how some of the numerous petroglyphs were described by Navajo guide and storyteller Adam Teller of the Coyote Clan. They mean so much more when described to you by a descendant of the people who made them. Mount Cook National Park: A Whisper of Peace, Alcatraz to Pitcairn: An Island Odyssey 2, Alcatraz to Pitcairn: An Island Odyssey 1. These depict the invaders from Santa Fe who came in 1805 to conquer the canyon. Archaeological evidence indicates that this giant amphitheater consisting of two caves was occupied for 1,000 years, from A.D. 300 to 1300. . ANavajo guide can take you into the canyon in their SUV, or, if you prefer, you can join a guided hike, or a trail ride on horseback. Cottonwood Campground. Canyon de Chelly National Monument was established in 1931 and is one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America. Canyon de Chelly: Part 1: The Rim Drives Most of Canyon de Chelly can only be seen by visitors who are accompanied by an authorized guide, but the Rim Drives are free of charge, no reservation required. That would never have been allowed today, but at the time, before the National Monument was established, there werent any rules against it, so Sylvias great grandfather was simply being practical, using what was available. Click any of the photos above to stop the slide show and expand the images to full screen. The hogan, much newer than the other structures, was built using sandstone bricks recycled from the surrounding ruins. Come check out our giant selection of T-Shirts, Mugs, Tote Bags, Stickers and More. We stop at the White House, the good one Daniel says, which was built and lived in from 1060 A.D. to 1275 A.D. Or, you can exit I-40 at Window Rock and drive approximately 50 miles north on IR 12 to Tsaile. 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