Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeastern Arizona is the only NPS unit owned and lived-in by an indigenous community — the Navajo Nation. The canyon has been continuously occupied for at least 5,000 years, with Archaic, Basketmaker, Ancestral Puebloan, Hopi, and Navajo occupation phases all preserved in stratigraphic context. The cliff dwellings of White House Ruin and Antelope House (Pueblo III, c. 1100-1300 CE) sit tucked into the soaring 1,000-foot sandstone walls. Spider Rock — an 800-foot freestanding sandstone spire — is sacred to the Navajo. Public access remains restricted; nearly all interior canyon access requires a Navajo guide, a deliberate preservation choice.

36.1542°, -109.4683°

Walkthrough videos (1)

Canyon de Chelly: Secrets of a Living Navajo Landscape | Truthful TravelerTruthful Traveler

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