There’s A New National Monument Just Outside Of Grand Canyon National Park In Arizona

We all know how wondrous and incredible the Grand Canyon is. And while you could spend days at the North or South Rims, you can explore another national monument nearby. The Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is the latest addition to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management and is worth checking out.

On Aug. 8, 2023, President Joe Biden designated a new national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. This new monument is overseen by both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Located by the Grand Canyon, the purpose of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is to preserve thousands of sites that are deemed sacred by numerous Native American tribes.

This new national monument is comprised of nearly 1 million acres across 1,562 square miles that not only protects sacred ancestral sites but a variety of flora and fauna species.

This incredible landscape is also now protected from uranium mining.

One integral part of Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is Red Butte. Sacred to the Havasupai, it's located in the southern portion of the monument.

If you're wondering the meaning behind the name "Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni," here it is: "Baaj Nwaavjo" means "where the indigenous people roam" in the Havasupai language while "I'tah Kukveni" means "our ancestral footprints" in Hopi.

Have you visited this new monument yet? If you plan on visiting the Grand Canyon, I think adding a visit to Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is worth it. To learn more about Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, visit the U.S. Forest Service website.

Have you ever wanted to get a bird's eye view of the Grand Canyon? If so, you can book a 45-minute Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon from Tusayan, Arizona on Viator.