For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons

A one-of-a-kind landscape and the cherished homeland of the Navajo people, Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a truly special place.

Spanning more than 83,000 acres, Canyon de Chelly National Monument offers an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the wild Arizona landscape, and to learn more about the history of the Navajo people.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

This unique park is located entirely on Navajo Nation land and offers a rich history with countless options for outdoor recreation.

Sheer cliffs rise on either side of this flat-bottomed, sandy ravine, an area created much the way uplift and water formed the Grand Canyon. Though only a fraction of the Grand Canyon’s size and majesty, Canyon de Chelly offers more than a rugged landscape. Native Americans have worked and lived there for thousands of years, and today Navajo people still call it home.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Canyon de Chelly’s blend of landscape and cultural heritage allows a glimpse at an area originally inhabited 4,000 years ago and which still sustains people today.

From the mesa east of Chinle in the Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly is invisible. Then as one approaches, suddenly the world falls away—1,000 feet down a series of vertical red walls.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

The sheer walls, shaped and smoothed by thousands of years of rain and wind, provide a dramatic backdrop for those who still live and farm within the canyon.

Chiseled by millions of years of stream-cutting and land uplifts, the colorful sheer cliffs of Canyon de Chelly National Monument may look harsh and barren, although in fact, natural water sources and rich soil make them anything but. These canyons have supported human inhabitants for thousands of years, from the Ancient Puebloans who planted crops and raised families here 5,000 years ago to their descendants—the Hopi people—who cultivated peach orchards and cornfields among the cliffs.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

The Navajo—also known as the Dine’—settled in the region much later, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument continues to be a protected land for Navajo people and their culture. The park was established in 1931, largely to preserve its rich archaeological sites, and to this day, the homes and farms of the Navajo are visible from the cliff tops.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Visitor Center: Start your visit to Canyon de Chelly at the visitor center to learn more about the history and rules at this unique place. To enhance your visit a free park map, activity schedule, and trail guide are available. The visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Scenic drives: South Rim Drive and North Rim Drive, each more than 30 miles long, are excellent driving routes along the canyons. The scenery is spectacular, including the White House Ruin cliff dwellings and the 800-foot sandstone spire known as Spider Rock.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Hiking: A self-guided hiking trail is located at the White House Overlook on the South Rim. The round-trip hike usually takes about two to three hours, leading down to the White House Ruin and back.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Ranger-led programs: A wide range of free ranger-led programs are available between Memorial Day and Labor Day, including talks and guided hikes into the canyons. Because of the sensitive nature of the canyons’ geology and historic artifacts, the only way to enter is with a ranger or an authorized guide from one of the private companies that offer canyon tours.

Camping: Primitive campsites are available at the Cottonwood Campground on a first-come, first-served basis. Showers and hookups are not available, and a camping fee is required.

Getting There

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

There is no entrance fee to visit Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and the main entrance is just east of Chinle, Arizona. Starting on Highway 191, take Route 7 about 3 miles east to the park entrance and visitor center. Gas, groceries, supplies, and a post office are available in Chinle, and there is also a camp store located at the visitor center.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Nearby Parks

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is nestled in a corner of northeastern Arizona where several national parks are within a few hours’ drive of each other, including:

Petrified Forest National Park

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Grand Canyon National Park

Canyon de Chelly National Monument © Rex Vogel, all rights reserve

Worth Pondering…

We didn’t inherit the earth; we are borrowing it from our children.

—Native American Proverb