Canyon de Chelly

We pulled into Canyon de Chelly Campground around 5:00, excited to be done driving early for the day! Our first task was to play “appletters” on the picnic table. Just before we started our first game, a ranger came over and told us about the evening program at the visitor center. After a few games, we headed to the program on the history of corn and the Navajo culture. Afterwards, we played a game of cribbage and went to bed.



In the morning we decided to do the south rim drive and hike the White House Trail (the only trail that you could hike without a Navajo guide). We enjoyed the overlooks of red-rock formations and miniature Mesa Verde style cliff dwellings. The trail brought us to a dwelling named “white house” because the rocks in the upper building had been bleached. After the Spider Rock lookout (the last on the south rim), we headed north.



We drove for most of the rest of the day with a stop for lunch at the Blue Coffee Pot Cafe for lunch; it was our third day of Mexican lunch in a row! We drove through part of Monument Valley, Glen Canyon/Lake Powell and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It was a beautiful drive, but we were ready to quit as soon as we entered Utah. Like a mirage, a KOA appeared on the road in Glendale, meaning that we could take showers after being in the sun for three days! Chicken soup for dinner and we headed to bed. We’ll be heading to Cedar Breaks National Monument in the morning!