Canyon de Chelly and More

Our little group departed Monument Valley and headed to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Some interesting facts are: Canyon de Chelly is the second largest canyon in the U.S. and it is the only NPS site that is owned wholly by the Navajo Nation.  Because of this, it was open during the government shutdown.

The site consists of two large canyons the join together at the far western end: Canyon del Muerte (north side) and Canyon de Chelly (south side).  We had a Navajo guide hired to take us up Canyon del Muerte to see dwellings, petroglyphs, and pictographs.

Mummy Cave - at one time this very large dwelling housed upwards of 300 people.  It was settled by groups that left Mesa Verde in Southwestern New Mexico.

The Navajo fought battles in these canyons with both the Spanish explorers and the U.S. Army.  Finally, in the 1860's, the U.S. Army captured them and moved them to Oklahoma. Eventually, the Navajo returned to their homes in the canyons.  Many of the pictographs and petroglyphs depict the encounters with what would have been foreigners to the Navajo.

There are still Navajo who have summer homes in the canyon.  They live in their native way, tending cornfields and without electricity and running water.  From high above the south rim, you can see a small home at the base of a 700-800 foot cliff.


During the 1930's the CCC planted many trees throughout the canyon to ward off erosion.  Some of these trees are non-native and the Park Service is in the process of removing them and conducting controlled burns.  As is common throughout national parks, the work of the CCC to make these places accessible to all is very evident.  This work holds special meaning as John's stepfather was a member of the Corp.  We are fairly certain these footprint carvings were made by the CCC to mark the trail.



At the far end of the Canyon de Chelly, on the south side is Spider Rock.  Towering from the canyon floor, 700 feet below us.

The Park Service does their best to keep visitors safe. It is always important to remember that this is not Disneyland.  Sometimes getting the right picture is worth some risk.


Way back in the very early 1970's, The Eagles scored big with "Take It Easy."  Until that time, Winslow, Arizona had been left behind when I-40 bypassed Route 66.  All it took was one set of lyrics to put Winslow back on the map.

Standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

Such a fine sight to see,

It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford

Slowin' down to take a look at me.