Canyon de Chelly National Monument lies on the outskirts of Chinle in Apache County in northeastern Arizona, on Navajo trust land. Red rock walls, historic sites, and the present-day lives of the Diné shape different aspects of a visit to the canyon. If you are planning a stay in Chinle, you can consider the landscape, self-guided visits, and cultural history as distinct focuses.
Explore the Canyon on Your Own
The North Rim Drive and South Rim Drive are paved and open year-round for self-guided visits. There are three viewpoints along the North Rim Drive and seven along the South Rim Drive—four more. When planning, you can also distinguish between the two roads by the number of viewpoints they offer.
The White House Trail is the only public hiking trail in Canyon de Chelly that you can walk without a permit or guide. If you would like to plan a hike, it is a specific option alongside self-guided visits along the two rim drives.
Rock Landscape and History
The red rock walls of Canyon de Chelly rise up to 1,200 feet above the wash. Spider Rock is one of the towering spires of erosion-resistant sandstone and caprock above the canyon floor. The canyon also contains alcoves and cliff dwellings that preserve extraordinary architecture. The rock formations and structures thus offer different insights into the character of the place.
The historic sites also differ in their locations: Massacre Cave can be seen from the “Massacre Cave Overlook” on the North Rim Drive. Mummy Cave is the largest Pueblo village in Canyon de Chelly and sits 300 feet above the canyon floor. A view of a cave from an overlook and a Pueblo village high above the floor thus offer two distinct points of reference for the canyon’s history.
Diné families live in the canyon, raising livestock and growing crops. This present-day life is part of understanding the place, just as much as the preserved alcoves and cliff dwellings. Canyon de Chelly is shaped not only by historic structures, but is also an area where families live and make a living.
Chinle also has a designated historic landmark: the Chinle Franciscan Mission Historic District has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 2007. This listed district adds another aspect of local history to the historic sites in the canyon.
Planning Your Stay
The location of the park entrance and the Welcome Center is a useful point of reference for getting there: both are less than three miles from Highway 191. There is a park store in the Welcome Center.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the park offers a free ranger program with talks. If you would like to include a talk in your visit, check the current program dates before your trip and factor the seasonal schedule into your plans.
First, consider which visits you want to shape your stay: independent drives along the rim roads, the White House Trail, or historical and geological topics. This can help you choose where to stay based on the experiences you actually plan to include.
Discover more destinations: Window Rock, Steamboat, Greer, Springerville, Ganado, Lupton, Sanders, St. Michaels
For the regional travel overview: Apache County.
