Canyon de Chelly 

Touring the visitor center opened another whole new canyon to our trip this year.  There is evidence that people have lived in these canyons for nearly 5,000 years--longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted on the Colorado River Plateau.  At the Canyons mouth near Chinle the rock walls are only 30 feet high but deeper in the canyons the walls rise until they stand over 1,000 feet.  Cliffs rise straight up, overshadowing streams, cottonwoods, and small farms.  The Navajo people still live in these canyons and farm the lands,

We stayed at the Canyon de Chelly cottonwoods Campground.  We had wide open spaces, dump and water, and plenty of chicks, horses, and stray dogs wandering the grounds.  Can't believe there is no fee for the campground although it is posted that there will be a fee in the future.  

Our friendly little horses ran wild.  

 We did the 37 mile round trip drive through the canyon and had gorgeous views.

Deep in the canyon Tsegi Overlook provides a view of the Navajo farmlands.  We saw a small herd of goats in the distance.    

White House ruin was built by ancestral Puebloan people and occupied about 1,000 years ago.  It is named for the long wall in the upper dwelling that is covered with white plaster.  

 Cairns mark our hike to the White House Ruin.

"With beauty all around me, I walk" A great quote as we hiked through this canyon

Spider Rock is an 800 foot sandstone spire that rises from the canyon floor at the junction of Canyon de Chelly and Monument Canyon. W e could see the volcanic core of Black Rock Butte and the Chuska Mountains .  Another great day of discovery of our beautiful America.  We must come back.