Explore 5,000 years of history in northeastern Arizona
What makes Canyon de Chelly National Monument special? Roughly 40 Navajo families live on the canyon floor during the summer. From the scenic overlooks, you can see their hogan, horses, other livestock, and farms, and in the canyon itself, you can watch weaving demonstrations and listen to Navajo storytellers under the stars.
Breathtakingly beautiful, Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d'shay) is a place full of history and culture. The National Park Service, which manages Canyon de Chelly jointly with the Navajo Nation, believes the canyon has been continuously occupied for almost 5,000 years. Here, you'll have a unique opportunity to interact with the Navajo people in a way you can't elsewhere.
The Visitor Center provides a list of guides who can point out the cliff dwellings left behind by the Anasazi, or Ancient Ones; Massacre Cave, where the Spanish killed more than 115 Navajo; and Fortress Rock, where the Navajo hid from United States troops trying to force them to the reservation. It also offers ranger-led activities and a map detailing the three overlooks on the North Rim Drive and seven on the South Rim Drive.
On Foot, Horseback, or by Jeep
If you have limited time, don't miss Spider Rock, which rises nearly 800 feet from the canyon floor. According to legend, Spider Woman, who taught the Navajo how to weave, lives at the top of this sandstone spire but descends at night to devour naughty children. If you have a couple extra hours, hike the 2.5 mile, round-trip path to the White House Ruin Trail - the only point where you can enter the canyon without a Navajo guide.
Leander Staley, who provides tours through his family-owned company, Beauty Way Jeep Tours, says that if you limit your visit to the canyon rim, you miss a big part of what Canyon de Chelly has to offer. He recommends taking a jeep tour or guided hike through the 84,000-acre park or camping overnight in the canyon. Some companies, such as Totsonii Ranch and Justin's Horse Rentals, also offer horseback rides into the canyon.
"At the overlooks you see how large the canyon is, but once you are in the canyon you are able to get close to the pictographs, the petroglyphs, and the ruins," he explains. "It's like looking into the past and imagining what they were thinking and seeing."
If You Go
No fee or guide is required to drive the north or south rim of Canyon de Chelly or to hike the White House Ruin Trail. If you want to enter the canyon, though, you will need to hire a Navajo guide. Fees vary based on the tour.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
The Visitor Center is three miles from Route 191 in Chinle, AZ, and is open daily from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., except for Christmas Day.
928-674-5500
