Canyon De Chelly National Park (Chinle, AZ)
This part of Arizona has been occupied by many different groups of Indians over time, including the Anasazi, the Hopi, and most recently the Navajo. The Canyon reflects this heritage with archaeological remains from all three cultures. The most prominent, however, are the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi. Much of the canyon floor is off limits to visitors without a Navajo guide or park ranger. The one exception is the famous White House Ruin. The canyon, however, contains more than 2500 archaeological sites, and the remains of dozens of Anasazi villages. And artifacts have been found, that date back to at least 1500 B.C.
Videos:
Travel Guide
- Near the park entrance, you will find several examples of traditional dwellings used by the Native Americans of Canyon De Chelly
Traditional Dwelling Canyon De Chelly
2. A view of Canyon De Chelly from the start of the White House Ruin Trail. The trail which is 2.5 miles round trip, takes a couple of hours if you are taking your time. The drop in elevation is about 600 ft.
Rim of Canyon De Chelly
3. A tunnel cut into the rock that gets you below the canyon rim.
White House Ruin Trail Tunnel
4. A vertical shot of the White House Ruin
White House Ruin – Canyon De Chelly (Purchase)
5. A horizontal black and white image of the White House Ruin.
White House Ruin – Canyon De Chelly (Purchase)
6. A view of Spider Rock, two 800 foot spires of rock a few miles south of the White House Ruin. Spider Rock is an important part of Navajo mythology and is considered the home of Spider Woman who is a revered deity and is said to have protected the Navajo from many dangers in the past.
Spider Rock – Canyon De Chelly
Suggested Reading:
Diné: A History of the Navajos – Peter Iverson and Monty Roessel
Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII – Chester Nez