Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Chinle

Terrill was the best guide! The history we learned here, about Kit Carson and the 9000 Native families sure wasn't taught in my history books. He conveyed the sacred, spiritual history of this place from his heart, and brought a whole different dimension to it. Fantastic.

One of the most beautiful canyons in the West. This monument is jointly owned by the Navajo tribe and the National Park Service. To be taken into the inner recesses of Canyon de Chelly one must hire a Navajo guide. If you have the time and money it is well worth it; there are also beautiful drives on the top of the canyon and lovely views into the canyon. It is a spectacular place, and one of the few places where the real traditional Navajo lifestyle is still at work. I'm a geologist so I should note that Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "shay") is the result of a large monoclonal uplift with the stream cutting down through layer after layer of beautiful sandstone. Everyone should go there at least once.