Today we set out for Canyon de Chelly, via Monument Valley. However, we first decided Laura needed some medical attention. She’d had a sore throat for several days that wasn't getting better and was concerned it might be strep. Since we were headed for the Navajo reservation for the next couple days, we called Blue Shield, found a local clinic in Page, and had her checked out. She did indeed leave with a prescription for antibiotics, so we were glad we went.
We ate our picnic lunch in a park in Page while waiting for Laura’s prescription to be filled. We then set out for Monument Valley. We had planned to take a detour up to The View hotel or even across the Utah border to see the monuments. However, since time was short, we did the world’s quickest tour. We drove about 15 miles north of Kayenta (which must have gotten us close to our intended destinations), pulled off the road, took some pictures and turned around. It was well worth it! The scenery is fabulous – so many iconic views from every Old West movie you've ever seen! The geologic features are fascinating, huge and magnificent.
We made it to Canyon de Chelly in time to check into our hotel within the park and take a hike while it was still light. Canyon de Chelly is a big, Y-shaped canyon. You can enter either through the mouth of the canyon (the bottom of the Y), where it is flat, or you can hike down the steep canyon walls, which reach at least 1000 feet in places. The “White House” ruins are the only area of the canyon that is open to visitors without a Navajo guide. There is a trail that descends 600 vertical feet to the canyon floor, from where you can view the ruins, which are protected behind a fence. The ruins date from the time the Anasazi inhabited the canyon, which we learned later was between about 200-1200 A.D. Amazing that they are still there!
The canyon itself is so serene. No modern noise (except from other hikers we passed). Most of the local Native American families who own homes in the canyon use them only in the summer, when the canyon is much cooler than the land above. In the winter, they live up on the rims. It is still pretty chilly and most of them have not yet moved down to the canyon, so we did not see any locals on our hike.
We’d developed keen appetites from our hike, so we set out for the only open restaurant around (other than fast food), where we thought we’d enjoy some more Mexican food, since it is called Garcia’s. The menu turned out to be mostly standard American entrees, but they had a few Mexican or local items, and we eventually left full and satisfied.
Monument Valley
White House Ruins, Canyon de Chelly
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