The whole of northern Arizona and the four corners region seems to be pocked with canyons including those comprising Navajo National Monument. These rocky crevasses served ancient inhabitants of these areas as safe places to build communities and farm with generally reliable sources of water in the streams that created the canyons.
Canyon de Chelly was home to Ancestral Puebloans and so were the canyons that make up this small protected place. However, these canyons are much more like Mesa Verde with just the ancient ruins and not currently active communities.
There are only three large cliff dwellings within this National Monument and only one visible without going on a ranger led excursion into the back canyons. However, it is a well-preserved ruin. I didn’t really have a chance to go on one of these longer expeditions, but enjoyed my quick pit stop between Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley.
In addition to the 1-mile trail to the Betatakin ruins overlook, there are two other short trails that don’t require a guide. I took the Aspen Forest Overlook trail down into the canyon to where the ranger-led trail begins. This is worth the nearly 1-mile trail that descends 300 feet because you get a different view of this beautiful place.
At the overlook there is a placard to describe what you’re seeing calling the forest below a remnant of the last ice age. The grove also provides a home for the endangered Spotted Owl. Some of the trees are 700 years old.
Near the visitor center is a replica Hogan and sweat lodge. Also, there are some dinosaur footprints in a stone.
Navajo National Monument is 38 miles out of Kayenta, AZ in the Navajo Nation. It is a non-fee park.
