The Four Corners Area - American Southwest - page 112

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the junction of Canyon de Chelly and Monument Canyon. The monolithic pinnacle
known as Spider Rock rises 800 feet from the canyon floor, its two free-standing towers
forming a natural monument. Across the canyon from Spider Rock is the similarly strik-
ing Speaking Rock, which is connected to the far canyon wall.

Other Ways to See the Canyon
Access to the floor of Canyon de Chelly is restricted; unless you're on the White House
Ruins Trail (see “The South Rim Drive,” above), you must be accompanied by an autho-
rized guide in order to enter the canyon. Navajo guides usually charge $15 per hour with
a 3-hour minimum and will lead you into the canyon on foot or in your own four-wheel-
drive vehicle. De Chelly Tours ( & 928/674-3772 or 928/814-5396; www.acanyon
dechellytour.com) charges $125 for a 3-hour guided Jeep tour for up to three people.
Similar tours are offered by Canyon de Chelly Tours ( & 928/674-5433 or 928/349-
1600; www.canyondechellytours.com), which will take you into the canyon in a Jeep or
a Unimog truck (a powerful four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle). Unimog tours are $60 to
$66 for adults and $40 to $44 for children 12 and under; Jeep tours are $175 to $193
for 3-hour tours for up to three people. Tours depart from the Holiday Inn parking lot.
Reservations are recommended. The monument visitor center also maintains a list of
guides.
Another way to see Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto is on what locals call
shake-and-bake tours , via a six-wheel-drive truck. In summer, these excursions really
live up to the name. (In winter, the truck is enclosed to keep out the elements.) The
trucks operate out of Thunderbird Lodge ( & 800/679-2473; www.tbirdlodge.com)
and are equipped with seats in the bed. Tours make frequent stops for photographs and
to visit ruins, Navajo farms, and rock art. Half-day trips cost $46 per person ($35 for
children 12 and under), while full-day tours cost $74 for all ages. Full-day tours, offered
spring through fall, leave at 9am and return at 5pm.
If you'd rather use a more traditional means of transportation, you can go on a guided
horseback ride. To leave the crowds behind, drive east along South Rim Drive to Tot-
sonii Ranch ( & 928/755-2037; www.totsoniiranch.com), which is 1 1 / 4 miles past
the end of the paved stretch of this road. Rides from here visit a remote part of the can-
yon (including the Spider Rock area) and cost $15 per group per hour for the guide and
$15 per person per hour. Totsonii Ranch also offers overnight rides for $335 per person
and 2-night rides for $515 per person.
If you're physically fit and like hiking, consider hiring a guide to lead you into the
canyon. Hikes can start at the White House Ruin trail, near the Spider Rock overlook,
or from near the Antelope House overlook. These latter two starting points are trails that
are not open to the public without a guide and should be your top choices. The hike
from Antelope House gets our vote for best option for a hike. Guides can often be hired
at the monument visitor center. Guides charge $15 per hour for up to 15 people.

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SHOPPING
The Thunderbird Lodge Gift Shop, in Chinle ( & 800/679-2473 ), is well worth a stop
while you're in the area. It has a large collection of rugs, as well as a good selection of
pottery and plenty of souvenirs. In the canyon wherever visitors gather (at ruins and
petroglyph sites), you're likely to encounter craftspeople selling jewelry and other types
of handwork. These craftspeople accept cash, personal checks, traveler's checks, and
sometimes credit cards.