Our family has discovered many incredible places, but Canyon de Chelly National Monument is truly a hidden gem offering views of breathtaking landscapes and rich history.
Here’s our guide to making the most of your trip to this amazing place.
A Brief History
Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “d’SHAY”) is one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America. The canyon has been home to Native American peoples for over 5,000 years, from the ancient Ancestral Puebloans to the modern-day Navajo Nation. The name “Canyon de Chelly” comes from the Navajo word “Tséyi’,” meaning “rock canyon.”
The canyon’s rich history is reflected in its numerous archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and pictographs. The Navajo people, who still live and farm within the canyon, consider it a sacred place.
Getting There
Canyon De Chelly is located in the northeastern corner of Arizona, near the town of Chinle. Once you arrive in Chinle, the entrance to the Canyon de Chelly Visitor Center is just a short drive from the center of town. Admission is free and there is no entrance gate. It’s worth a quick stop at the visitor center for a map, though!
Exploring the Canyon
Canyon de Chelly offers a variety of ways to explore its stunning landscapes and historical ruins; however, you will need to plan ahead. The only way to enter the bottom of the canyon is through a guided Navajo Tour. They offer multiple types of tours including jeep, horseback, and hiking tours.
Driving:
If you driving, the canyon is broken into the North Rim Drive and the South Rim Drive. When we stopped in the visitor center, the National Park Service had a sign recommending the north in the morning and the south in the afternoon for the best pictures.
We did not intend to stay for a long time, not realizing how great this National Monument was, so we only had time to do the South Rim Drive. The drive is 37 miles round-trip (dead-ends at Spider Rock) and offers numerous overlooks with spectacular views of the canyon. Key stops include the Spider Rock Overlook, which provides a view of the iconic 800-foot sandstone spire, Face Rock Overlook, Sliding House Overlook, and Junction Overlook. The Whitehouse Overlook was closed while we were there.
The North Rim Drive is 34 miles round-trip and features overlooks with views of the canyon’s northern section. Key stops advertised include Antelope House Overlook, which showcases ancient ruins and rock art, and Mummy Cave Overlook, which has views of well-preserved cliff dwellings.
Hiking:
White House Ruin Trail: This is the only trail in the canyon that you can hike without a guide. It’s a 2.5-mile round-trip trail that descends 600 feet into the canyon, leading you to the White House Ruin, an ancient cliff dwelling. However, it was closed during our visit and after a bit of research, we found that it has been closed since March 2020 with no expected reopening. There was a lot of vandalism during the Navajo COVID shutdown and there are no current plans to reopen.
As such, you will likely want to engage a Navajo guide who will be able to take you into the canyon. Knowing what we know now, we would have opted to spend more time here and take a guided tour, whether it be in a Jeep onto the canyon floor, a hiking tour, or even by horseback.
Though this National Monument is smaller than the current 63 National Parks, we really enjoyed the views and thought it lived up to the National Park caliber more than some of the others we have been to (looking at you Gateway Arch and Congaree). So if you are planning a stop here, it’s worth a little extra time to take it all in.
