Canyon de Chelly

Well, this turned out to be a full day. I’m *very* glad we started from Holbrook and not Tempe!

We started out ~7:30am and headed north through the Navajo Reservation on on BIA-6. It was fairly desolate looking for a while but the road was good. We stopped a few times to take more photos but made good time and finally arrived at the Visitor’s Center at ~9:30 MST. (10:30 MDT - Canyon de Chelly time.

 

 

The jeep tour didn’t start until 1pm so we went out to the end of the South Rim drive and started back. We did Spider Rock Overlook, Face Rock Overlook, and Sliding House Overlook before we decided we need to head back for some lunch before the tour.

Spider Rock is the 800’ sandstone spire that
rises from the floor of the canyon 

We cut things a little close getting to the Thunderbird Lodge cafeteria arriving at about 12:25. We ate rapidly (food was rather bland) and got out to the tour start area just before 1pm. Only to see the morning tour just pull in. Then we had to wait for some late arrivals. They had forgotten about the time difference, and easy mistake to make. We finally got underway and raced down the canyon – if you can call driving on a bed of loose sand racing.

The drive was *very* hot and dusty and thoroughly unpleasant but it was interesting to see the ruins from the bottom and get a glimpse of the Navajo homesteads. Unfortunately, our guide wasn’t a natural story teller so we missed out on that aspect of a guided tour. Was it worth the $50/head? I still can’t make up my mind. At the time, when I was hot, tired, and cranky, I would have said “No”, but now (two weeks later as I’m writing this) I’m inclined toward “Yes”. It’s a much different perspective than you can get from just the overlooks.

After the tour there was plenty of daylight and it was too early for supper, so we finished off the South Rim overlooks. Maybe skimping a little on the last couple. Then back to our room at Thunderbird Lodge and a shower for me (Ken too). We left a lot of sand at the bottom of the tub.

Here are a bunch of photos. Hover your mouse over the picture to get a brief description.

Rock paintings – both ancient and “modern”.


First & Junction ruins – so called because “First” are the first ruins from the mouth of the canyon and “Junction” because they are at the junction of Canyon del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly


Antelope House seen from the tour and then from the overlook


White House ruin from the tour and overlook


Mummy Cave ruin from the overlook (the half day tour didn’t get back to this one)


Views of the canyon