Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a stunning natural and cultural landmark located in northeastern Arizona, within the Navajo Nation. Known …
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Mar 31, 2025
You can see the historic sites of the inhabitants who lived in this majestic area, building stone buildings and living in a relatively austere place. However, look beyond the stone - as the building…Full review by bobwG8226JF
Mar 30, 2025
This is now top 3 southwest location for me. It’s truly beautiful and we saw it up close with Beauty Way tours. This was the best decision we made, we drove for 3 hours with an incredible Navajo guid…Full review by Claudia H
Mar 14, 2025
Wow, where do I start. Canyon de Chelly National Monument is fantastic history and breath taking views similar to the grand canyon. Lots of wildlife and peaceful areas with views. The staff at the vi…Full review by TasteofTuscany
I've read from destination experts' and other travelers' postings that one should never drive after dark on dark AZ roads b/c of preponderance of critters large and small. Does this apply to the road(s) between the canyon and Chinle? (I have the same question re road(s) betw. Monument Valley and Kayenta or Mexican Hat, will post same Q there.) I ask b/c really want to see night sky and wonder if staying in the canyon is the only safe way to do so. Thanks very much!
A:
I've never driven those roads after dark but I guess you'd need to be just as careful on those as on any country roads in the dark as basically hitting any critter at speed is going to …
I've never driven those roads after dark but I guess you'd need to be just as careful on those as on any country roads in the dark as basically hitting any critter at speed is going to totally screw your rad at the very least and a deer through the windscreen is definitely to be avoided. The other thing to specifically be aware of is that satellite navigation in the canyon de Chelly area is very flaky so don't blindly trust it ... I made that mistake and got taken down a dirt road for a while before I sussed that it was wrong. The Indian reservation roads between canyon de Chelly and Mexican hat and Monument valley are pretty good with a proper tarmacadam surface but there are no gas stations or other facilities so make sure you have a full tank and plenty of water before setting out. As for the night sky, light polution is generally low in the area so you dont strictly need to stay in the canyon itself (unless you specifically want to get a better view of the hogans and cliff dwellings - and contribute to the local economy). Monument Valley is an experience (but driving should be undertaken with caution as the dirt road is incredibly rough and will be tough on the average hire car (and is probably specifically excluded in hire car contract) , Unless you have proper high clearance 4x4 I'd avoid the temptation. Use local tour , make do with view from the rim or tour the "mini monuments" at Valley of the Gods further down the road towards Moab (still a dirt track but marginally less wearing on the nerves and the suspension than the Monument Valley trail).
Canyon de Chelly is just outside Chinle, Az. There’s not much there when it comes to places to stay and eat. We stayed at the Best Western which was inexpensive, and clean. We ate …
Canyon de Chelly is just outside Chinle, Az. There’s not much there when it comes to places to stay and eat. We stayed at the Best Western which was inexpensive, and clean. We ate dinner at the restaurant in front of the hotel. Check one of the rental websites like Home Away for a b&b, but you probably won’t find one.
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