Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona

[cbo111]

Anyone here had the pleasure of visiting Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeastern Arizona? I am intrigued by this place and may look to hire a Navajo guide and experience this national treasure. It appears to be nowhere near any airports, so Albuquerque may be the best option. That leaves a 4-hr drive to enjoy the arid scenery. Maybe less crowds due to the remote location.

 

[saydiver]

Took a day trip there in the late 80s while visiting friends in Farmington, NM. It seems it's not well known even today and is well worth the trip.

 

[Ian S]

It's somewhat lesser known than the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Sedona but we visited it back in 2005 and really enjoyed it. As you noticed, it's a bit remote. While you can do some limited sight-seeing from the rim, to go into the canyon requires a Navajo guided tour. We did it as part of a trek to Monument Valley and Four Corners. At the time we lived in Phoenix but now live in Sedona. I'm not sure it's a place you'd go many times since you really can't do much exploring on your own. Be aware if you visit, that the Navajo Nation has its own laws. One that affects outsiders is the ban on alcohol. Just something to be aware of.

 

[walkinwood]

This is a place I've wanted to visit. If you go, please come back and share your findings. Thanks.

 

[Ian S]

As I indicated, we combined it with a trip to Monument Valley which you might also want to consider. M.V. is another instance where you miss a lot by not taking a Navajo guided tour. You can at least drive your car through the park there but you don't get to go off the main paved road. For Canyon de Chelly, you would want to stay in Chinle. For Monument Valley, there are limited choices of accommadation but there is the classic Goulding's Lodge and a new hotel, The View, nearer the park. Stay near the park so you can marvel at the views when you get up in the morning!

 

[cbo111]

As I indicated, we combined it with a trip to Monument Valley which you might also want to consider. M.V. is another instance where you miss a lot by not taking a Navajo guided tour. You can at least drive your car through the park there but you don't get to go off the main paved road. For Canyon de Chelly, you would want to stay in Chinle. For Monument Valley, there are limited choices of accommadation but there is the classic Goulding's Lodge and a new hotel, The View, nearer the park. Stay near the park so you can marvel at the views when you get up in the morning!

Great ideas. Thanks for the feedback. I just may head there in April.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow!

 

[starry night]

Road Scholar itinerary

We are also exploring how to visit this and other hard to reach sites along those lines.
Here is an itinerary by Road Scholar whose trips we have enjoyed. I’ll be happy to leave the arrangements, transportation, lodging and lectures to them.

https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/4541/ancestral-homelands-hopi-navajo-and-chaco-canyon

 

[Chuckanut]

I visited it well over 40 years ago. At that time the Native American tours were filled so we hiked down the one trail into the canyon and crossed the river on foot. It wasn't deep, but very muddy. And the mud was the sticky kind that stuck to your boots and tried to pull them off as you crossed river. What fun! The good thing is we had the White House ruins to ourselves for nearly an hour. IIRC, tribe members still farm the canyon floor.


https://www.tripsavvy.com/canyon-de-chelly-national-monument-guide-5191469#toc-best-hikes--trails

There is only one trail in Canyon de Chelly National Monument that you can hike without a guide, the White House Trail. If you want to explore any further, you’ll either need to take a ranger-led hike or hire a Navajo guide. Trails you can hike with a guide include Beehive, Bat, Tunnel, Bear, Baby, Crow, and White Sands.

• White House Trail: This 2.5-mile, out-and-back trail starts at the White House Overlook on South Rim Drive and switchbacks 600 feet down to the canyon floor, ending at the White House Ruin. Allow two hours, plus time to view the ruins and shop for Navajo arts and crafts. The trail has little shade, so wear a hat, liberally apply sunscreen, and bring plenty of water.

 

[Zona]

The White House Trail that Chuckanut mentions is well worth doing, as is a guided tour -- you will get so much more out of it. The Spider Rock viewpoint pictured is breathtaking. We visited Canyon de Chelly a decade ago on a long road trip from AZ to Alaska (If you'd like to look at a couple of our old blog posts with photos feel free to PM me). We had a Class B campervan and stayed at the Cottonwood campground (now called the Tseyi’ Dine’ Heritage Area) just near the entrance. There was a small restaurant at the Thunderbird lodge within walking distance that served delicious fry bread tacos.

Other things you may want to see if you're driving might include Petrified Forest NP and the Painted Desert, Monument Valley, and if you have a lot of time you could even head over to Page to see the Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River. Beyond that, there's a decent motel with a good restaurant at Vermillion Cliffs called Cliff Dwellers -- they make a pretty good Avocado Pie. But then if you're heading that way, you probably may as well go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. A pretty drive, but remote. Views from the North Rim are pretty spectacular, though.

Try to pick a drier time of year to visit (OP mentioned April and that would probably be a good time), as flash floods can happen during heavy rains. For example, I just checked the website now as I'm typing (rain expected through the weekend) and there is an alert that the White House overlook and trail is currently closed because of "safety and law enforcement concerns".

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Timely post. I’m in Germany right now exploring the Christmas Markets (and more), but it’s on my todo list when I get home to plan out a trip to see Monument Valley and other things I can tie into one trip. Targeting May or June probably. I’ll follow this thread.

 

[SecondAttempt]

You can fly into Flagstaff which is a little closer but hardly a major airport. I've been there but did not explore much but it's on the bucket list. There is a lot of related stuff to see in that area so I would suggest you do more research and extend your trip. Things to see:

Bandolier NM
El Morro NM
Chaco Canyon NP
Santa Fe New Mexico
Pecos NM
El Malpais NM
Painted Desert NP
Petrified Forest NP
Aztec NM
Meteor Crater
Wupatki NM
Walnut Canyon NM
Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona

NM = national monument not New Mexico
NP = national park

There is much more in the area

Personally I would hire a Navajo guide both for local info and to support them.

 

[grasshopper]

Well worth the trip, I would also add Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, 37 miles south in Ganado, AZ. We hiked the White House trail and it was a great day hike. we stayed at the Thunderbird Lodge, and had a flat tire without a good lug wrench.

 

[DrRoy]

Yes
.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I've started to research doing this trip in June. At Canyon de Chelly, the White House Trail AND even the White House Overlook pullover from the road are indefinitely closed to the public. It sounds like there was an outbreak of vandalism during the Covid years as well as excessive theft in the parking area for the trail before Covid. Which is a shame. The National Park Service website for the park says "because of safety and law enforcement concerns."