There?s plenty to do all across the great Grand Canyon State, whether
you already own a home here or perhaps you?ve purchased some
Arizona real estate you?re
holding onto until you can build your dream home. And as long as we?re
talking about homes, all across Arizona there are ancient homes that
are still visible that allow visitors to take a peek into long-ago
Native American life; some of them are tucked into the steep canyon
walls of Northern Arizona?s Canyon de Chelly (pronounced ?Shay?). Along
with the site?s numerous ancient dwellings that reflect one of the
longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America, Canyon de
Chelly?s most distinctive geological feature is Spider Rock, a soaring
sandstone spire similar to those that dominate the landscape in nearby
Monument Valley.
Boasting artifacts and rock imagery that are remarkably preserved,
Canyon
de Chelly is thought to have been built between 350 AD and
1300 AD and is dotted with hundreds of ancient pueblo ruins that were
once home to the Anasazi Indians. In the 1700s, Navajo tribes-people
began to make their way west from northern New Mexico, eventually
settling in Canyon de Chelly and even today, a Navajo community
inhabits the canyon floor. Designated as a National Monument in 1931,
Canyon de Chelly is the only National Park Service site to be
completely located within the Navajo Nation.
If you go: Start at the Canyon de Chelly National Monument Visitor
Center, where you can learn more about the area and the Navajo people.
Two drives follow the rims of the canyon from the visitor center; these
are the only drives allowed without a guide. If you have time, be sure
to check out the well-preserved Puebloan ruins nestled in the
1,000-foot-tall rock walls (accessible only via guided tour). You can
explore the White House Ruin trail on your own, but please be aware
that most visits to the canyon floor require accompaniment by a park
ranger or an authorized Navajo guide.
Overnight accommodations can be found in nearby Flagstaff, Chinle or
Tuba City, while a free campground is available within Canyon de Chelly
National Monument.
John Vatistas
