Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located in Chinle, Arizona. The park is located on Navajo tribal lands. It is one of my favourite American National Monument Park’s to visit.
One of the biggest attractions the park has to offer is the famous Spider Rock. It is mind-blowing to see! It towers 800-feet out from the canyon! It is truly impressive!
I visited Canyon de Chelly National Monument as part of a 3-week road trip across parts of American, back in August 2014. I only had a day in the park. However, this was enough time to visit the main highlights.
On the day of your visit, I recommend stopping by the Visitor Centre to pick up a free map of the park. I also recommend checking out the National Park Service website for opening times, accommodation, and other information about the park. Here’s a link to their website: https://www.nps.gov/cach/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm
Here is how I spent a day in the park:
The Scenic North Rim Drive
This is a drive not to be missed in the park! With 3 breathtaking overlooks to check out, make sure your camera is fully charged! The drive will take around 2-hours to complete.
Tips: It is best done in the morning to capture the best photos!
The Scenic South Rim Drive
This is another drive not to be missed in the park! With 7 impressive overlooks to see, make sure you have your camera to hand. The drive should take around 2-hours to complete.
Tips: For the best photos, take the drive in the afternoon!
White House Ruin Trail
The White House Ruin Trail is a 2.6-mile round trip. The trail leads you down into the canyon to view some incredible house ruins, from 1070, buried in the canyon wall. The path is well marked and not too steep. The trail took us around 2-hours to complete, including stops for taking photos.
To read more about the history of the White House Ruins, check out The American Southwest website: https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/canyon_de_chelly/white-house-ruin-trail.html
Spider Rock Overlook
If you only have time to do one thing in the park, this is the ‘thing’ to do! One of the most impressive rock formations I have ever seen! A moment that took my breath away!
To find Spider Rock Overlook, head along the Scenic South Rim drive to the easternmost viewpoint. It is a 1/4-mile to the viewpoint, along a well-marked path.
Other Park To Visit Nearby:
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
