Canyon de Chelly

10/17 Canyon de Chelly ( d'shay) This canyon is two canyons, Canyon de Chelly and Canyon de Muerte that come together. There is a lot of history in this canyon from the ancestral Puebloans building cliff dwellings to the current generation continuing to farm and raise sheep in the canyon. The Spanish and the American's tried their best to eradicate the Navajo from the canyon but were unsuccessful. Kit Carson lead a group of soldiers into the canyon to perform a scorched earth policy to get the Navajo to move to the reservations at Bosque Redondo. Eventually they moved and after several years of horrible living at the reservation they were allowed to return to their native lands including the Canyon de Chelly which is the epicenter of traditional Navajo culture today. There are a lot of books about this area and one of them that I liked was "Blood and Thunder" by Hampton Sides. It is about the life of Kit Carson and talks extensively about the campaign to move the Navajos to the reservations. Also the first chapter in the book "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown is dedicated to the Navajo Campaign.
Off my soapbox and on to the pictures! We went out on the south side of the canyon first and then turned back and went out the north side. These roads run along the rims of the canyon and afford stunning views into it. I regret not taking the Jeep Tour of the canyon floor but that will bring us back for next time.

 The first stop is always the visitors center for stamps and post cards. Why have an expensive camera when some other guy has already done the work for you? Outside the VC was a tradition hogan. Many of the Navajos still live in hogans or the more modern hogan, the house trailer.

This is a summer hogan the above is the winter hogan.

A compilation of photos from Tunnel, Tsegi and Junction Overlook. Most of the overlooks are accessible with nice paved paths and handrails along the side. 

 Next stop is White House Ruins.

 The bottom section of the ruins used to stretch to the cliff dwellings up high. There is a trail that runs from the rim we were standing on across the valley floor to the ruins. It is the only trial that one does not need a Navajo guide for in the canyon.

 The jeep trail in and out of the canyon is always distinguishable.

 The top of White House Ruins trail. I told Becky I wanted to go but she said no to this one.

No, not accessible.

 

We skipped Face Rock and went right to Spider Rock because you could see both of them from the overlook. Which is a nice paved trail once again. The railing is right at the edge of the cliff so you can look right down to the canyon floor seven hundred feet down.

 Spider Rock where Spider woman lives. Spider woman taught the Navajos how to weave and they always leave an imperfection in the weaving so that she will not be jealous and be mad because they are better weavers than her. 

 This is Face Rock. Face Rock faces Spider Rock and Face Rock tells Spider woman when the children have been bad and she captures them and takes them to the top of the rock.

 From Spider Rock we retraced our steps back to the entrance of the Canyon and went up Route 64. The pavement ends for Route 7 at Spider Rock and continues on as a dirt road. I'm all for dirt roads but this one didn't take us where we wanted to go and it was pretty sloppy from the recent rains. The first overlook off 64 is a quarter mile trail to the canyon rim with several overlooks. One of them is.

 The Navajos hid from the Spanish and from Kit Carson on top of this rock. Eventually they were forced down due to lack of food and water.

 When Becky and Patrick came back from their hike we drove down to the next overlook combining Massacre Cave Overlook and Mummy Cave. The reason that this canyon is called Canyon del Muerto is because they found mummies in a cave.
The cave below is called Two Fell From Here. Basically the Spanish came through here and the Indians hid in the cave and the Spaniards stood on the same spot we were and blasted the cave with their guns and killed all the Indians, Massacre Cave.

 Some other cave dwelling.

 Ah ha! You thought I was kidding but they are paved with handrails!

 This is where they found the mummies. Not my mummy but someone else's. Hi, Mom!

 A last look at the canyon and we headed for the trailer. It was a nice day getting to see something Becky and I have talked about seeing since our last trip to Arizona. I wasn't disappointed by the beauty or the history. Next time, Jeep tour!