Images of Nature - Instruction - Workshops
Views of Nature Photography
"Turtle" climbing the slope (very slowly!!)
Two views of Spider Rock, one from the overlook on the south Canyon Rim Drive and the other from the bottom of the canyon. Spider Rock is an 800-foot tall monolith rising from the floor of Canyon de Chelly. The name comes from the Diné (Navajo People) deity "Spider Woman," a revered woman with supernatural powers who taught them how to weave on a loom. Navajo lore has it that Spider Woman made her home on top of this column. There are many other stories about Spider Woman and her influence upon the Navajo People, easily found on the internet.
Canyon de Chelly
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One of the many side canyons in Canyon del Muerto
Mummy House Ruins in Canyon del Muerto
Canyon de Chelly
Canyon de Chelly (pronounced de SHAY) is located in northeastern Arizona. The name comes from the Navajo word Tseyi, which means "inside the rock." The pronunciation evolved from Spanish to English and comes down to us today as "de Chelly."
The canyon's 84,000 acres are located entirely on Navajo Nation land. The Department of Interior and the Navajo Nation cooperate to administer the land as a National Monument. Public travel in the monument is limited to the rim drives and the hiking trail to a viewing area for White House Ruins. For those wishing to travel the three canyons that make up the monument (del Muerto, Monument and de Chelly), a Navajo guide is required. There are numerous small companies in and around Chinle, AZ that provide guides with four wheel drive vehicles. Check our links page for suggestions on guide services. Some of the companies will provide a guide to ride along in a private vehicle but we'd recommend against that as the chances of getting mired in mud or sand are high.
Photography opportunities abound, both from the overlooks on the north and south rim drives and from the guided tours of the canyon floors. The prime subjects are the majestic rock formations and the Ancestral Puebloan ruins.
Window Rock Arch in Canyon de Chelly