Canyon De Chelly

Canyon De Chelly (pronounced d'SHAY) National Monument, is a few miles east of Chinle, in the Navajo Nation, eastern Arizona. Twin sandstone walls emerge from the desert floor, climbing quickly to become thousand foot cliffs. Between these sheer sides, the Navajo still farm, eeking out a living on the canyon floor. It looks idyllic from above, with long abandoned stone and adobe dwellings of the Anasazi popping up all along the canyon cracks.

Down on the canyon floor, on a guided trip I took with 18 others on the back of a truck, it's not quite so idyllic. The floor is basically a flood plain, which the Navajo are able to create fields out of in certain areas. Still the canyon walls are amazing.

The South Rim drive ends at the astonishing Spider Rock, where Monument and Bat Canyons split away from Canyon de Chelly. These twin 800 ft pinnacles of rock soar to within 200 ft of the canyon rim

This is where Monument and Bat canyons split away, with almost a gate entrance.

The White House trail is the only unguided hike you can take into the Canyon itself, taking you from the canyon rim, down a step trail, through a short tunnel and out onto the valley floor here. It then wonders across the floor to the White House ruin, another Cliff Dwelling.

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