You Probably Didn’t Know These 13 Incredible Things About Arizona’s Canyon De Chelly
By Monica Spencer|Published July 12, 2016
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Located in northeastern Arizona on the Navajo Nation, just east of the one-stoplight town of Chinle, Canyon de Chelly is a place ripe with lush landscapes and intriguing history. It also happens to be one of the most visited national monuments in the country, seeing roughly 800,000 visitors each year. Read on for some beautiful photos of the park and some interesting facts that may (hopefully) be new to you.
1. The Navajo name for this area is Tséyi’ (pronouned “say-yih”), translating to “within the rock” or “deep in the rock.”
3. The area typically referred to as Canyon de Chelly is actually several canyons connected together. The three major ones include Canyon del Muerto, Monument Canyon, and, of course, Canyon de Chelly.
4. Canyon de Chelly has been inhabited for centuries and that evidence is very clear with the presence of ancient cliff dwellings, which date as early as 350 AD. However, there is human evidence tracing back approximately 5,000 years!
6. Spider Rock, the 750 foot spire that rises from the canyon’s floor, is home to and named after Spider Woman. In the Navajo creation story, she is a holy person who brought creation and beauty to the Navajo people, most notably through weaving.
7. The nearly 84,000 acres is Navajo Tribal Trust Land and is under jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation. It is the only national park or monument to operate in this way.
10. Navajo Nation poet laureate and ASU professor Laura Tohe wrote and published a book of poetry centered around the canyon called Tséyí / Deep in the Rock: Reflection onCanyon de Chelly in 2005.
12. During the Navajo Wars in the 1860s, Canyon de Chelly was considered a Navajo stronghold. 1864 was a pivotal year, however, as that was the year Colonel Kit Carson and the U.S. Army led attacks on the area, scorched earth campaigns, and eventually forced relocation and internment once homes and resources were gone across Navajo homeland.
13. Canyon de Chelly was declared a national monument in 1931 to better protect and preserve the ruins and other archaeological sites from looters. It took some convincing with the Navajo tribal council to ensure this process would not interfere with their treaty rights.
As you can see, this canyon is beautiful and incredibly historic. It’s a great spot to visit year-round but we recommend early fall when the day temperatures are a bit cooler, which means now is a good time to start planning a trip there!
