Photos of Canyon de Chelly. Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located in the northeast corner of Arizona within the Navajo Nation. Although it is named after de Chelly canyon, the monument also encompasses Canyon del Muerto and Monument Canyon, covering an area of about 130 square miles.
Canyon de Chelly contains hundreds of ancient ruin sites of the Ancient Pueblo Peoples (Anasazi), including the White House Ruins, Mummy Cave Ruins, Antelope House, and many smaller sites. Rock art in the form of petroglyphs and pictographs can be found in the entire area. Canyon de Chelly is also extremely scenic with the sheer canyon walls and overlooks from the north and south rim. Finally, one should not miss Spider Rock, a sandstone spire that rises 800 feet from the canyon floor.
Although Canyon de Chelly is administered by the National Park Service, it is home to several dozen Navajo families that raise livestock and sheep on the canyon floor. Entering the canyon is only allowed with a Navajo guide, with the only exception being the White House Trail.
