Gallup NM to Canyon de Chelly AZ

---

This morning we traveled northwest to Canyon de Chelly, a place of historical and spiritual significance for the Navajo people. The Canyon is part of the Navajo reservation and there are restrictions as to where you can go without a native guide. It was about a 2 hour trip from Gallup. On the way we stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post , a National Historical Site. It’s the oldest continuously operating trading post in the Navajo nation. John Hubbell was of Spanish decent and opened the trading post in 1877. He and his family ran the post for 50 years. Hubbell was well respected by the Indians. Today the trading post is full of Indian handicrafts. We took a tour of the house and farm. He must have been pretty well off based on his operation. It was an interesting stop.
We got to Canyon de Chelly after lunch and drove the south rim to view the canyon. The top of the canyon is very dry. You look down over the rim and see a small river (wash) surrounded by green trees. The Chinle Wash has provided the Navajo people with water for canyon farming and sheep tending for centuries. Ancient cliff dwellings are all over the canyon. Many Navajos live on the canyon floor in the summer. We enjoyed the scenic stops along the south rim, but the highlight was the 2.5 mile hike to the bottom of the canyon to see White House ruins. This is the only trail you can hike without a guide. We went later in the afternoon. It was cooler and less crowded, although this was really the only stop where there were many people. Seeing the green trees ,red canyon walls and small river up close made the hike back up the 500ft. incline worth it.

---

Photos

Hubbell Trading Post
Still in use as a Navajo trading post.

Hubbell House
Includes the original furnishings. In the center was the living area (shown here) with bedrooms on both sides. Kitchen was in another building joined by a small courtyard.

Art Collection
Hubbell had acquired an extensive art collection on Indians and the southwest, which is very valuble.

Canyon de Chelly
The canyon bottom is farm and pasture land.

White House Ruins
At the bottom of the canyon

Glowing tree
The sun hit this tree at such an angle that it seemed to glow.

Comments

[RSweeney]

Movie set
Ever see the Gregory Peck movie, McKenna's Gold? It was shot in Canyon de Chelly... very dramatic, but the movie screen can't hold a candle to the real thing.