When my son, Aaron, graduated from Montana State University in 2005, I asked him if he’d like an all-expense paid vacation to the Four Corners area as his reward for a job well done. It had been a ‘bucket list’ item of mine for many years and the time seemed right for Aaron and me to hit the road before life overtook us again. We took in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Arches National Park, and BLM’s Sego Canyon Rock Art and Ghost Town before heading home. We have memories to last a lifetime from an all-too-short tour of some of America’s finest physical and cultural heritage!
Sincerely,
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
Three and a half hours east of the world-famous Grand Canyon, a majestic but much lesser-known canyon offers a more solitary Southwestern experience on colorful lands entirely within the Navajo Nation. Drive along the north and south rims to enjoy incredible vistas, including a view of the park’s dramatic 800-foot monolith, Spider Rock. Hike the only public trail (two and a half miles round-trip) into the canyon to see the White House Ruin left by Ancestral Puebloans. Hire a Navajo guide to explore even more of the canyon’s geology and learn about the native people who continue to live and grow food in the canyon as their families have for generations.
State(s): Arizona
Established: 1931
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