Canyon de Chelly National Monument & Window Rock AZ

10 September 2011


America's other "Grand Canyon" lies just a hundred miles or so north east of the more famous canyon.  One of the reasons it is not as well known is that it lies entirely within the Navajo Reservation and therefore is "off the beaten path."


The 10th of September 2011 found us visiting Canyon de Chelly National Monument for the first time.


The name de Chelly is actually pronounced "d'SHAY."  


The name is derived from a Navajo word that the Spaniards attempted to translate; hence the spelling that appears strange to English speakers.

Travel in the canyons is only permitted with a park ranger or Navajo guide.  Therefore, visitors must view the canyons from the two established roads:  North Rim Drive or South Rim Drive.  We took the drive along the South Rim.  

The first view we had of the canyon was with a backdrop of thunder clouds moving in.  The rain storm passed over quickly with less than five minutes of actual rain.

Archeological evidence indicates that these canyons have been inhabited for over 5,000 years.


Even in early September, when most of the region is parched, the canyon floor was lush an vibrant while up above on the mesa there were only a few desert plants. 


Looking over the side of the canyon's steep walls made objects below appear in miniature.  The white rectangle in the middle of this picture next to a tree is the roof of a house.  The furrows around the house is a corn field.

I thought the Grand Canyon was breath taking, this canyon (series of canyons) is just as beautiful.  


With the mesas all around, the canyons are almost invisible until the edge is approached.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is actually comprised of a series of canyons:  Canyon Del Muerto on the North has a side canyon called Black Rock Canyon and Canyon de Chelly on the South has two side canyons called Bat Canyon and Monument Canyon

At the junction of Canyon de Chelly, Bat Canyon, and Monument Canyon is Spider Rock.  There is a Navajo legend about a woman called the "Spider Woman" that lived on top of the rock.  She is said to have been a powerful healer and fortune teller.  People from all over the nation would go to her for advice and healing.

Since the entire canyon system is part of the Navajo reservation, non natives are not permitted to visit the canyons unescorted.  Several Navajo families have their homesteads on the canyon floors.  They raise sheep, goats, cattle, and food crops such as corn.  

This is Spider Rock from a slightly different perspective, also later in the day so it is in shadow.

If you look closely, I had binoculars, at the indentation in the rock face, there are traces of cliff dwellings.  


Archeologists have dated these and similar dwellings in the cliffs to approximately 1000 years ago.  This one is named "The White House" because of the white plaster that was used in the construction.


The 2.5 mile path/trail down to the White House is the only trail that visitors are allowed to explore without a guide.  Signs indicate that visitors must stay on the path.

This little known park is a spectacular find.  Unlike the popular parks, the day we were there had very few visitors.  

The Monument is accessed from Chinle Arizona.  It is approximately two hours north of Interstate 40.  

There is a campground adjacent to the park entrance.  Camping spaces are on a first come first serve basis.  Since we were there so late in the year, there were quite a few spaces available.

The following day, we attended a Pow Wow at Window Rock AZ.  This is an example of the couples dance competition.  The dancers are judged on the costume authenticity and the accuracy / expertise of dance movement.  The couple at the beginning of the line took first place.

After the couples dance competition we watched the individual dance competition.

Again, the dancers were judged on the authenticity of movement and costume. 


In addition, there was a drum circle competition.  Each participating drum circle had 8 to 10 drummers. Each drum circle played for 10 to 15 minutes.  The judges went to each circle, listened to the music, and observed the techniques used.

 After the Pow Wow, we visited the rock that the town was named after.  


From a distance, the hole in the rock does look similar to a window.

 I don't know whether you can tell but there are two climbers at the bottom right hand edge of the window.  Look just to the left of the flag pole.

These pictures do not do justice to the actual size of the "window" in the rock.

My best guess would be that the hole is at least 50' in diameter.

Walking closer to the wall that was in the earlier picture, the size of the hole is more evident.

When I turned around, while still standing next to the wall in the earlier picture, the rock in this picture was adjacent.  On the right is a memorial to the Navajo that served in World War II.