Backcountry Archaeology: Hiking in Canyon de Chelly

What to Expect

Travel

All transportation is by Crow Canyon vans and four-wheel-drive vehicles provided by guides; expect drives on rough dirt roads. This program involves several hikes of up to 6 miles roundtrip, over uneven and difficult terrain, at elevations above 6000 feet. When hiking in canyons, you may encounter precipitous edges or sloping canyon sides. Some trails are not maintained, and you must feel comfortable traversing uneven sandstone, talus slopes, and sand dunes. Two days, we will hike all day and then be driven out of the canyon in 4-wheel-drive vehicles. A commensurate level of physical endurance and hiking skill is required. If you have any doubts about your ability to participate, please contact us and consult your physician.

Note: Although Canyon de Chelly is a National Monument, it is also home to Navajo farmers and sheepherders who have lived off the land for generations. The monument is jointly managed by the federal government and the Navajo Nation, and hiking in the canyon bottoms requires the use of a guide.

Accommodations

All nights are spent in comfortable motels or lodges, including four nights at the historic Thunderbird Lodge at the mouth of the canyon. Accommodations are double-occupancy; single accommodations are available for an additional fee of $440. The dining facility at the lodge is located in the old trading post built in 1896 and offers cafeteria-style dining; because the monument is on the Navajo Reservation, no alcoholic beverages are permitted. During full-day hikes, participants will carry their own lunches.

Weather

The climate in the northern Southwest is generally very dry and sunny. Late spring and early fall daytime temperatures can be quite variable, ranging from the 50s to the 80s; summer temperatures can reach into the 90s and occasionally exceed 100 degrees. Nighttime temperatures are cooler and generally pleasant. Although it can rain any time, afternoon thunderstorms are most common in July and August.

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