Canyon De Chelly National Monument (pronounced "d shay") offers a spectacular collection of sheer red sandstone cliffs forming a maze of canyons that all lead into the main Canyon De Chelly. Although none of the cliffs exceeds 1000 feet (300 meters) the huge 800-foot monolith "Spider Rock" is an awesome sight. The canyon, which is controlled by the Navajo Indians and is part of the Navajo Reservation, is also home to thousands of Ancestral Pueblo ruins and archaeological sites, dating as far back as 2500 BC.
Two scenic drives provide great overlooks of Canyon De Chelly and Canyon del Muerto (canyon of death), and the canyon floors can be explored by foot, jeep or horseback with Navajo Guides . The only way into the canyon without a guide is the White House Nature Trail, a 2.5 mile hike that descends 600 feet to the canyon floor and leads to the huge White House Ruins. The summer monsoon season often generates late afternoon thunderstorms that produce dozens of short-lived waterfalls; autumn provides a feast of colors.
The Navajo Reservation does adjust their clocks for daylight savings time, while the rest of Arizona does not.
Located in Northeastern Arizona, Canyon De Chelly is rather isolated. Holiday Inn Thunderbird Lodge or Cottonwood Camp can provide for your overnight stay, and there are limited services nearby in Chinle.
To learn more about Canyon de Chelly, select a topic of interest from the list to the left.
