Canyon
De Chelly is home to archaeological sites of Indian Villages built
between AD 350 and 1300. The Canyon is made of sheer red cliffs
with caves in the walls that house the sites. Canyon de Chelly National
Monument is still alive today with the Navajo Indians living there
now. Take a tour with an authorized guide and learn about the history
of the area and see the places that not every visitor gets to see.
The Visitors Center is open daily from 8am to 5pm during October
thru April and 8am to 6pm May thru September.
The park itself is open year round.
Lodging
is available for Canyon De Chelly. There are free campsites available
on a first-come, first-served basis year-round. If your group has
more than 15 people, you can make reservations but reservations
are not accepted for RV groups. Visitors may also go backcountry
camping if accompanied by an authorized guide.
Thunderbird Lodge is also an option for lodging. If neither of these
appeal to you, Chinle,
AZ is only three miles west of Canyon De Chelly and offers
more lodging and dining.
Canyon De Chelly is full of things for you to do such as: Auto tours,
hiking, pictograph viewing, interpretive exhibits and talks, horseback
riding (by prior arrangement), picnicking and photography. Thunderbird
Lodge offers jeep tours through the canyon.
The
canyon bottom is only accessible to visitors if they have a 4-wheel
drive vehicle, a park service permit and an authorized Navajo guide.
To do this costs $15 an hour for one vehicle. Visitors can have
up to five vehicles per guide and each one costs an additional $5.
Canyon Hiking is also a possibility but also requires a park service
permit and an authorized Navajo guide. This will also cost you $15
per hour and the guide is limited to 15 people. If you're hiking
along the 2.5 mile White House Ruins Trail, you don't need a guide.
Canyon
De Chelly is home to archaeological sites of Indian Villages built
between AD 350 and 1300. The Canyon is made of sheer red cliffs
with caves in the walls that house the sites. Canyon de Chelly National
Monument is still alive today with the Navajo Indians living there
now. Take a tour with an authorized guide and learn about the history
of the area and see the places that not every visitor gets to see.
The Visitors Center is open daily from 8am to 5pm during October
thru April and 8am to 6pm May thru September.
Lodging
is available for Canyon De Chelly. There are free campsites available
on a first-come, first-served basis year-round. If your group has
more than 15 people, you can make reservations but reservations
are not accepted for RV groups. Visitors may also go backcountry
camping if accompanied by an authorized guide. 
The
canyon bottom is only accessible to visitors if they have a 4-wheel
drive vehicle, a park service permit and an authorized Navajo guide.
To do this costs $15 an hour for one vehicle. Visitors can have
up to five vehicles per guide and each one costs an additional $5.
Canyon Hiking is also a possibility but also requires a park service
permit and an authorized Navajo guide. This will also cost you $15
per hour and the guide is limited to 15 people. If you're hiking
along the 2.5 mile White House Ruins Trail, you don't need a guide.