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Location: From Interstate 40, take Hwy. 191 at Chambers, north approximately 39 miles. At Hwy. 264, turn northwest for 5.5 miles. At this point, Hwy. 191 separates and turns north again. Take Hwy 191 another 30 miles to Chinle. You are here. There are at least 3 motels in town plus camping at the mouth of the canyons at Cottonwood campground. Canyon de Chelly is a National Monument located on the Navajo Indian reservation.
Some History: The history of both Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto is far more extensive than can be presented here. A brief discussion would include prehistoric peoples including the Archaic (2500 - 200 B.C.), the Basketmaker (200 B.C. - 750 A.D.), the Pueblo (750 - 1300 A.D.), the Hopi (1300 - 1600 A.D.), and the present day Navajo (1700 - present).
| The White House ruins. There is a hiking trail from the rim, down to these ruins. It is the only trail down to any of the ruins. |  |
Canyon de Chelly has provided an excellent place for Indians of the area to grow crops of corn and orchards of peach's. The Navajo lived more or less peacefully here until the late 1700's when warfare erupted between them, other Indian tribes, and the Spanish moving into the area from the Rio Grande. The Navajo found a natural fortress in the many canyons and high outlooks of these two canyons. These small wars continued with both the Spanish and later Mexicans trying to control the area. In 1846, Stephen Watts Kearny took control of the area from the Mexicans and claimed the territory for the United States. For some 17 years after this, the region was relatively peaceful but continued incursions into the Navajo lands, plus many instances of broken promises finally brought the matter to a head and once more, war broke out between the Navajos and the settlers.
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A natural fortress combined with excellent farm and ranch lands. |
In 1863, Colonel Kit Carson began what would be the final, devastating campaign against the Navajo Indians. During the winter of 1864, Carson began pushing the Indians down the canyons to the mouth, killing or capturing all who put up any resistance. They killed the sheep of the Indians, burned their homes (hogans), and destroyed their fields. From a military standpoint, the campaign was highly successful. Navajo resistance was ended but the Navajo people lost more than just their homes. They were forced to march 300 miles (The Long Walk) to Fort Sumner in New Mexico to be incarcerated. Many Indians died on the march and many others died while incarcerated at the fort. Note: This same treatment was meted out to the Cherokee living in the eastern states. They were also forced to leave their lands in 1838 by Andrew Jackson and march to the plains of Oklahoma. The Trail of Tears exacted the same destruction on them as The Long Walk did on the Navajos.
After 4 years, the Navajo people were allowed to return to their lands. They no longer had a way to live and survived by getting food from government food distribution centers located at Fort Sumner and elsewhere. These centers would eventually become the trading post. It was the trading post that became the focal point of Indian community life. There are remnants of 2 such posts located at the mouth of Canyon de Chelly. One was the Camille Garcie post which has been incorporated into part of the Holiday Inn and the other which was Sam Days trading post built in 1902, is now part of the Thunderbird lodge.
| The scenery is spectacular throughout the canyons. This is the famous Spider Rock. |  |
Today, both canyons present a specular view of both old and new Indian life. The canyon floors still contain farms and ranches of the Navajo Indians. The walls of the canyons have myriad examples of earlier Indian occupations in the form of a multitude of cliff dwellings. There is one hiking trail which is open to the public. It descends the Canyon de Chelly wall to the location of the White House ruins. There are also numerous jeep tours available to view the interior of the canyons. Camping is available at the Cottonwood campground located at the mouth of the canyons. There is an excellent visitor center located where the two roads that provide the tours along the sides of both canyons, come together.
For more information, go to National Park Service Home Page.
