Indian Country Adventure

Sacred Lands of the Navajo

Canyon de Chelly & Monument Valley, Arizona

Saturday, August 14 – Sunday, August 22, 2010

Our days in Indian Country will be spent either traveling in 4×4 vehicles along scenic highways or hiking through the magnificent canyons of the Southwest. Our guides are traditional native people graciously hosting us on their sacred land. Evenings will be filled with sharing meals with our hosts, listening to their stories and immersing ourselves in their culture.

Although we do have a planned schedule, you will need to be prepared to be flexible. Everyday life among the Navajos is intertwined with family and the natural environment around them rather than the clock. This natural cycle sometimes requires us to change schedules or re-plan activities.

 

ITINERARY


Day 1: Arrival Day – Saturday, August 14
Salt Lake City, Utah

Overnight: Royal Garden Inn Hotel, Salt Lake City
Hotel check-in time is 3:00pm; check-out time is 11:00am. Please plan your flight schedule accordingly.

A NOTE ABOUT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME & TIME ZONES: 2010 Daylight Saving Time begins on March 14th. While Utah and Arizona are both located in the Mountain Time Zone, Arizona does NOT recognize Daylight Saving Time – BUT the Navajo Nation, although located within Arizona, DOES! (If none of that makes sense, don’t worry, we’ll keep track of the time for you!)


WILL IT BE HOT IN THE DESERT?

August daytime temperatures will be warm, averaging in the upper 80s, with nights considerably cooler.

Salt Lake City:  Located In northern Utah at an elevation of 4,330’, highs will be about 89 and lows around 62.

Canyon de Chelly:  Located in the northeast corner of Arizona, at an elevation of 5,500’ to 7,000’, will have an average daytime high of 89 and nighttime lows of 58 degrees.

 Monument Valley, located in the Four Corners area, straddling the northeast border of Arizona and the southeast border of Utah at an elevation of 5,200’, will experience daytime temperatures of around 88 degrees and nighttime temperatures of 62

Day 2: Sunday, August 15
Salt Lake City, Utah to Chinle, AZ

Today’s Schedule:

7:45am – Meet for Breakfast

8:30am – Load Gear in Jeep

8:45am – Depart Hotel

Breakfast: Royal Garden Inn (Hot Breakfast Buffet – Included)

Lunch: Ray’s Tavern, Green River (Pay on Own)

Dinner: Chinle Area (Pay on Own)

Overnight: Holiday Inn – Garcia’s Trading Post, Navajo Reservation, Chinle

This morning we say good-by to Salt Lake, and make our way south, through the mountains and into Utah’s coal and red rock country.

Our first stop is at the CEU (College of Eastern Utah) Museum, located in Price, one of Utah’s best kept little secrets. This museum houses a collection of Native American artifacts found in Utah, representing both the past and present era. A short tour through here will provide us with an excellent opportunity to learn about the Navajo culture before we visit them.

Ray’s Tavern, a landmark from the 1940’s, is our lunch-stop. This old tavern is known for its 1/2 lb. cheeseburgers and fresh, hand-cut fries. My favorite is the grilled chicken salad. From here we’ll head for Chinle, gateway to Canyon de Chelly, to meet our Navajo guides.

 


Day 3: Monday, August 16
Chinle to Canyon de Chelly, Arizona – Winnie Henry’s Camp

7:45am – Meet for Breakfast

8:30am – Load Gear in Jeep

8:45am – Depart Hotel

Breakfast: Holiday Inn – Garcia’s Trading Post, Chinle (Pay on Own)

Lunch: Winnie Henry’s Camp

Dinner: Winnie Henry’s Camp

 Overnight: Winnie Henry’s Camp, Wild Cherry Canyon

Accommodations: Primitive Camping: 2-person tents; outhouses with
chemical toilets; tub/shower enclosure.

Our adventure begins after breakfast with a hike down the red rock cliffs of Canyon de Chelly to Winnie’s Camp. Vehicles will carry our gear for us so we can enjoy the hike without having to carry heavy backpacks.
 
The next few days will be spent hiking the Canyon trails, visiting its spectacular rock art and ruins, and learning he ways of the Navajo from our host and guide, Winnie Henry, a tribal elder and well-known weaver.
 
The Canyon was Winnie’s home when she was a child. That’s where her mother’s family built their hogan (a traditional Navajo dwelling), raised their sheep, and lived their lives. Her father was born in the adjoining Canyon del Muerto. The Navajo are matriarchal, so he moved to his wife’s land when they married. As the remaining matriarch, Winnie now holds the land. She is happy to share the trails she ran up and down as a young girl and the stories of her life and Navajo life in the Canyon. 
 
There is no running water or electricity in the Canyon. Consequently, camping is primitive and we have to haul in all our water, wood, and supplies. If we don’t bring it, we don’t have it. Winnie’s Camp is situated under a large stand of Cottonwood trees a short distance from her “Old Hogan”. Meals are cooked over a fire or Coleman stoves. (Please note that meat is an important part of the Native American diet, so accommodating vegetarians may be difficult at times.) Evenings are usually spent in the “Old Hogan” or around the campfire listening to stories and planning the next day.

  

Day 4: Tuesday, August 17
Winnie Henry’s Camp

  

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Overnight: Winnie Henry’s Camp

Today, we’ll spend the day of hiking along the ancient trails of Canyon de Chelly, following in the footsteps of the Anasazi; discover spectacular prehistoric ruins and primitive rock carvings.

 

 

Day 5: Wednesday, August 18

 Winnie Henry’s Camp

  

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Overnight: Winnie Henry’s Camp

After breakfast, we’ll hike to legendary Spider Rock as Winnie shares the more stories of her childhood.


Day 6: Thursday, August 19
Winnie Henry’s Camp to Chinle, Arizona

Breakfast: Winnie’s Camp Site

Lunch: On the trail

Dinner: Junction Restaurant, Chinle (Pay on Own)

Overnight: Holiday Inn – Garcia’s Trading Post, Navajo Reservation, Chinle


Time to bid “Hagona” (see you again) to Winnie and Canyon de Chelly. Driving out of the Canyon can take an hour or several, depending on the conditions, so our schedule today will be flexible.

We’ll plan the afternoon to relax and prepare for the next portion of our journey. This is a good time to take a shower, do laundry, repack, or visit Canyon de Chelly’s Visitor Center. Winnie’s brother’s Teddy and Gary Henry have the jewelry concession at the visitor’s center and sell beautiful, hand crafted pieces. Be sure to stop by!

 

Day 7: Friday, August 20
Chinle to Monument Valley, Arizona 

Breakfast Holiday Inn – Garcia’s Trading Post, Chinle (Pay on Own)

Lunch Burger King, Kayenta (Pay on Own) – Quick Tour of the Code Talker’s Exhibit

Dinner Monument Valley Sunset Dinner Tour

Overnight Harold Simpson’s Traditional Navajo Hogan


Monument Valley is known worldwide for its red rock spires, buttes, and mesas, but it is also home to a world-renowned group of Navajo basket makers. Basketry has all but disappeared in other areas of the Navajo Reservation, while these People have taken basketry in directions never imagined by their ancestors. We’ll be hosted to a demonstration of their skill and have an opportunity to purchase works of art directly from the artist. 
 
The highlight of our day will be a sunset dinner tour of Monument Valley led by Harold Simpson, who was raised on this land. (Sunset will be at 8:20pm tonight.) Following dinner, we will retire to his guest hogan for the night.
 
 

 

Day 8: Saturday, August 21:  
Monument Valley to Salt Lake City, Utah

Breakfast: Simpson’s Hogan

Lunch: On the Road (Pay on Own)

Dinner: On the Road (Pay on Own)

Overnight: Royal Garden Inn Hotel, Salt Lake City


We have a few stops planned to break up the drive back. First is Twin Rocks Trading Post, which is the place to see baskets made by master Navajo basket weavers. Steve & Barry Simpson (no relation to Harold) have an outstanding collection of Native jewelry, rugs, baskets, carvings, and more. Depending on time, other stops may include Edge of the Cedars, site of a Pre-Pueblo ruin & a massive pottery collection and Sego Canyon Petroglyphs, with rock art representing cultures from 8,000 years ago to the modern Ute People of today.
 

Departure Day: Sunday, August 22
Salt Lake City, Utah to Your Home City

Breakfast: Royal Garden Inn Hotel (Hot Breakfast Buffet included)

Airport Transfers: The Royal Garden Inn will provide airport shuttle service. Please let us know your departure schedule and we’ll make arrangements for your transfer to the airport.

 

Individual departures throughout the day.