Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “de-SHAY”) offers an unforgettable adventure. Explore Canyon de Chelly and feel transported centuries back amid nature and ancient ruins. Although Canyon de Chelly sits far from modern towns, you will find plenty to do.
Spend a day hiking White House Ruin and exploring the park’s two scenic rim drives.
Directions to Canyon de Chelly
Canyon de Chelly is situated in the Four Corners region of the United States, near the town of Chinle in northeastern Arizona. Take Highway 191 in Chinle, Arizona, and then turn east on Route 7. From there, the park entrance and Welcome Center are less than 3 miles from the Highway. There are a few other ways to get to the park, but this route is the best. Google Maps accurately takes you to the entrance.
A History of Canyon De Chelly
Canyon de Chelly is one the longest continually inhabited landscapes in the world. For nearly 5,000 years, the canyon has been the home of Native people. The original inhabitants were the Archaic people (2500-200 B.C.), who lived in seasonal campsites. We don’t know much about these people, but there are remains of images etched in the canyon walls.
Around 200 B.C., the Basketmakers began farming the area instead of hunting and gathering, and in around 750-1300, they moved from the pithouses to multi-storied villages above the ground. The people of this time period are called Ancient Puebloans, and they are the predecessors of today’s Pueblo and Hopi Indians. They are often referred to as Anasazi, a Navajo word meaning “ancient ones.”
Today, Canyon De Chelly is part of the Navajo Nation, and Dine’ families make their homes, raise livestock, and farm the lands in the canyons. The Dine’ use both traditional and modern tactics. Like those that came before them, they inhabit the land and it provides for their people.
Hiking to the White House Ruins
Canyon de Chelly is part of the National Park Service, but because it is located on Navajo Land, most of the trails require a Navajo guide. The only trail you can hike on your own is the White House Trail.
The White House trail is a fun and scenic trail that leads you to one of the oldest and most famous sites in the monument, the White House Ruins. The White House Ruins is a two-story structure. Part of the ruins are on the canyon floor, while the other part is about 50 up in an alcove. The ruins are incredible!
The hike to the White House Ruins begins at an overlook and descends around 600 feet down a cliff on the south side of Canyon de Chelly. The path leading to the bottom is wide, well-maintained, and not too steep.
A typical round trip time for the trail is 1 to 2 hours, depending on how long you choose to admire the ruins.
Know Before You Go
Canyon de Chelly is in a remote area, and getting there usually involves a long drive. Check the National Park Service’s Alerts and Conditions page before planning your trip.
The White House Ruins trail closed in 2020 and has not yet reopened. Private Jeep and hiking tours with Navajo guides are still available during the closure. These guided tours offer a way to see the canyon even while the trail remains closed.
Should You Opt for a Tour?
Navajo Jeep tours explore different canyon locations and last a half or full day. Tours typically cost between $100 and $250.
I haven’t taken a guided tour myself, so I can’t offer a personal review. However, friends who joined these tours had great experiences and highly recommend them.
Scenic Drives in Canyon de Chelly
Canyon de Chelly has two great scenic drives, the North Rim Drive and the South Rim Drive, that are open year-round and free to the public. Before you begin the driving tour, I highly recommend stopping by the visitor center and picking up a map so you will have information and directions to each stop.
The South Rim Drive on Road 7
The South Rim Drive is my favorite because it features many incredible canyon overlooks. This scenic drive stretches 20 miles along the southern rim of Canyon de Chelly. You’ll find various pull-offs leading to different overlooks along the route. Some overlooks are roadside, while others require a short drive or hike. It leads to Spider Rock and offers amazing views of ancient ruins inside the canyon.
Stops Along The South Rim:
Tunnel Canyon Overlook
This overlook provides a good look at the beautiful canyon walls.
Tsegi Overlook
You can see Navajo homes and farms in the canyon bottom below.
Junction Overlook
On your left, you can see the pueblo site with a dwelling containing rooms and two kivas. Straight ahead on the far side of the canyon, look for Junction Ruin. It consists of rooms and one kiva.
White House Overlook
You can see a village built into the canyon wall across from White House Overlook. Ancient builders constructed White House Ruin in two sections: a cliff alcove and a canyon-floor pueblo. The original site included around eighty rooms and at least four kivas. Erosion has reduced the visible structure to about forty remaining rooms today.
Sliding House Overlook
This site shows the large sandstone pits that held rainwater for ancient people and the Sliding House Ruin, which is located on the narrow ledge across the canyon. Built by the early Pueblo people, the walls were engineered to keep their home from sliding into the canyon.
Face Rock Overlook
The Face Rock Overlook is one of the most popular stops in Canyon de Chelly. Here, you can see four small sites through the viewfinder. To the far right is the outline of Face Rock, the pinnacle facing Spider Rock. According to Navajo oral history, Face Rock reports the names of misbehaving children to Spider Woman.
Spider Rock Overlook
From the overlook, the floor of the canyon is about 1,000 feet below. Spider Rock, or Tse na’ashje’ii, is the most prominent landmark in this area. At 800 feet tall, it stands at the junction of the two canyons.
The North Rim Drive on Road 64
Canyon de Chelly’s North Rim Drive is less popular than the South Rim. It has fewer overlooks, but a lot to see. A brief description of the stops is listed below.
Antelope House Ruin Overlook
There is a quarter-mile trail that divides to reach the viewpoints of Antelope House Ruin (to the right) and Navajo Fortress (to the left). Antelope House was named after the prehistoric paintings of antelope on the canyon wall to the left of the ruin. The Antelope House is a three-to-four-story pueblo that contains more than eighty rooms and seven kivas.
Navajo Fortress Viewpoint
Navajo Fortress, the isolated high redstone butte located across the canyon, was once an important Navajo refuge from raiders. This location holds a lot of interesting history.
Mummy Cave Overlook
Mummy Cave Overlook is one of the largest ruins within the canyon. This dwelling is built in two adjacent caves several hundred feet above the streambed. The largest portion of the settlement is in the eastern alcove and includes four kivas and more than fifty rooms. The western cave contains about twenty rooms.
Massacre Cave Overlook
There are two viewpoints of Massacre Cave at this overlook. A battle took place at the rock-strewn ledge located to the left under the canyon rim overhang.
Yucca Cave Viewpoint
Yucca Cave was occupied in the Basketmaker, Pueblo, and Historic periods. The cluster of structures in the alcove includes four definite rooms, one kiva, and two other possible rooms.
The Story of Spider Rock
Spider Rock is one of the most famous rock structures in the Canyon de Chelly area. The site itself is amazing, but as a bonus, it has cool stories associated with it. There are two versions of Spider Woman and Spider Rock. I’ll let you pick your favorite.
Version 1
According to Navajo legend, Spider Woman lives at Spider Rock. Spider-Woman was the first to weave the web of the universe.
In the Navajo creation story, the first world was small and pitch black. There were four seas and an island. In the very middle of the island was a single pine tree. Ants, dragonflies, locusts, and beetles lived there and made up the Air-Spirit People of the First World.
The second world was known as blue, where life was given to Spider Woman & Spider Man. Only their inner spirits or souls were made. Their physical bodies were made later to contain their spirits when they evolved into future worlds.
In the third world, the holy ones advised Spider Woman that she had the capability of weaving a map of the universe. At first, she did not know what they meant and was not told how it could be done. Curiosity became her energy and driving force to learn to weave as the holy ones instructed.
The holy ones heard about Spider Woman’s new talent and came to visit her. During the visit, the holy ones instructed Spider-Man to construct a weaving loom and also create the tools used in the various processes of weaving.
Dine (Navajo) of today live in the fourth world, known as the “Glittering World.” Young weavers are instructed to find a spider web in the early morning, glistening with sunlight and sparkles. They are told to place the palm of their right hand upon the spider’s webbing without destroying or damaging the web. At that moment, Spider Woman’s gift of weaving enters the young weaver’s spirit, where it lives forever.
Version 2
Navajo elders warn young children that Spider Woman is always on the lookout for naughty children. They say Spider Woman receives tips from Face Rock, who is always watching. And when Face Rock reports any mischief among children, Spider Woman finds them, spins them tight within her web, and takes them to the top of Spider Rock. There, she eats the naughty children, and their leftover bones melt in the sun, creating the white bands you can see at the very top of Spider Rock.
If we’re talking bedtime stories, I certainly hope my parents would opt to tell me version #1. However, I have heard that version 2 is much more popular amongst children!
Additional Things to Know Before Traveling to Canyon de Chelly
Before you go to Canyon de Chelly, make sure to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks, as there are no facilities or services available on the trails. Wear sturdy shoes and dress in layers, as temperatures can vary throughout the day. It’s also important to be respectful of the Navajo culture and traditions, as the canyon is still home to many Navajo families.
If you love exploring ruins
If you love exploring ruins, the Southwest is is the place for you. There are many cool sites to see. One of my favorite places in Maze Rock Art Site. The site is located in Paria, UT between Kanab, UT and Page, AZ. Access to the ruins requires a short hike, but what you will see is phenomenal.
Leave It Better than You Found It
Always remember to do your part to keep the area beautiful. Pack in everything you pack out and not changing the landscape. Remember to respect nature and follow ethical practices when engaging in outdoor activities. Always leave a place better than you found it, and practice the principles of Leave No Trace. Enjoy your time exploring Canyon de Chelly!