On my trip down to Phoenix I camped the second night at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. I arrived about 4:30 P.M., coming in from the northeast on 64, driving through the Navajo Nation. I stopped at a couple of the overlooks on the North Rim then headed to Cottonwood Campground and find a campsite. Not many people in the campground so I had my pick of sites. 🙂 I then headed to the South Rim and checked out some of the overlooks. It is such a beautiful place to experience. The views are spectacular and oh, the quiet.
The monument was authorized in 1931 to preserve the important archaeological resources that span more than 4,000 years of human occupation. The monument is approximately 84,000 acres of lands located entirely on the Navajo Nation with roughly 40 families residing within the park boundaries. The National Park Service and the Navajo Nation share resources.