Canyon De Chelly, Arches National Park & Park City (Road Trip pt. 3)
The next stop after lovely Santa Fe was Canyon De Chelly!
This is a spot in the heart of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Canyon de Chelly stands as a testament to the captivating history and natural beauty that has shaped this sacred place for centuries.
There were amazing huge red cliffs and ancient ruins, it was such a hidden gem Nancy and Hugh steered me torwards.
I felt like I took a step back in time being so fully immersed in the nature here and learning about the rich cultural history of the Southwest.
I learned about the canyon and its history through my local guide on a tour I took through Thunderbird Lounge.
Canyon de Chelly had evidence of humans as early as 2500 BCE. The canyon's sandstone walls have seen all to the remarkable Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) and Hopi civilizations who once thrived in this region. The Ancestral Puebloans carved intricate dwellings and left a legacy of expression and ingenuity! It was so inspiring for me to see.
As time passed, the canyon became a sanctuary for the Navajo people, who sought refuge within its protective walls during times of conflict.
Our guide told us horrible stories of war that happened within the canyon. But also of how his ancestors used the canyon better than the Europeans could, and could wait out their attackers on places their enemies couldn't climb. It is amazing that Navajo people are still living in the canyon and sharing its stories with visitors.
The canyon is not only a testament to the resilience of the indigenous peoples who have called it home but also a living museum of their culture and history. Being here and listening to these stories was some of the best education I’ve received.
Look at this heart shaped cactus I saw after we stopped for lunch.
I felt like I gained a deeper insight into the Navajo way of life. My guide shared his families stories and traditions which made me have such an appreciation for this land and the enduring spirit of the Navajo people.
The tour was 8 hours with no service. It was so so freeing (also weird at first) not having a phone to constantly look at to get my mind off things. It’s much more difficult to completely unplug like that in everyday life. I thought my mom or dad would’ve been really worried because I didn’t have service from 8 am- 6 pm- but no one even noticed haha!
I got pretty tan in the Arizona sun too- it was such a great day of exploring on the canyon floor.
It was a super reflective time during my stay here. There wasn’t as much to do outside of the canyon- only two restaurants in town and not many visitors. I really think people should explore more here. It would help the economy of the Navajo, and it’s so important to learn about the history and tragedies of our own country. When I visited there was only one iHop and one restaurant at a hotel for 70 miles so options were limited! So I ended up going to the grocery store instead and eating at the hotel. After hiking, exploring and enjoying the days of seeing the canyon I would come back and sit by the pool to write down all I had taken in.
It was a lovely time!
After 3 days at Canyon de Chelly, I headed to Arches National Park in Moab, Utah.
I got a national park pass for the year when I got here. I HIGHLY recommend this if you’re on a road trip! For $80 you can go to any national park for the year- so it was kinda fun to see how many I could go to along the way. Also- when I went with 3 friends to Yellowstone, the park pass worked for everyone in the car. Win win!
Arches was such an awesome park. The rock formations were mind blowing- and honestly a little nerve wrecking. I was worried some would fall but they’ve been there for thousands of years.
I didn’t attempt too many long hikes here- did about 5 or 6 half mile hikes from the parking lot to go see the rocks up close.
It was so flipping hot in August, but so worth it. Since most rocks weren’t too far from the parking lot it was super doable and just beautiful! I should’ve attempted to watch some sunsets here but the driving was so crazy with the cliff’s cut offs and sharp edges. It was scary to drive during the day so I didn’t want to even try at night! If you’re not bothered by that I bet sunsets here would be amazing.
The town was also awesome. There were so many cute restaurants and bars- it was weird though how much state liquor and alcohol laws change from state to state. I wanted a bottle of wine but in Utah I couldn't buy that after 8 which was a bummer. But there was a distillery was open so all I could buy was a handle of vodka. It seemed a little backwards for them trying to be strict about alcohol!
The vodka did last the whole two months of a road trip and was finished off with a lot of friends at a Pilchuck goodbye party so it wasn't horrible.
The day after exploring the national park, I was headed to Park City to stay with another one of my mom’s friends! When I told her where I was coming from she recommended this waterfall hike. It was about 3 miles and was so fun. I swam and it was so nice and cold after a hot walk. There was like a 4 foot snake in the waterfall though! Ill put a picture its hard to see but that kept me from swimming right under the waterfall.
I felt so independent and proud of myself for doing all these hikes and exploring alone.
It was the perfect way to start my day and then headed to my next city!
I had never been to Park City in the summer time. I’ve only been once but it was covered in snow and we were there to ski so it looked so different.
It was an awesome city. My brother visited them recently for a volunteer opportunity he had for the film festival and said it was the coolest thing. So that city really reminds me of a Hollywood getaway and a little bit of Entourage.
I got in later in the day so the first day we had a great dinner at home and I got to fall asleep nice and early.
We visited Carrie and her family when we were young. I think I was 7 and it was my first time seeing snow! Her daughter was like 4 and her son was a baby watching little Einsteins and now Emma is going to college and Charlie is like a senior. Its so crazy how much time passes and you realize when you see friends who live farther away!
The next day Carrie and I took a hike with her dog on a trail behind her work. It was so cool to see how important an active lifestyle is in Utah. It was fun being so active within nature. It doesn’t feel as much of a workout when there’s so many amazing views. And a cute dog to be entertained by too! At this point I was missing Sookie (And John haha) so much so it was good to get my dog fix in!
Next week I’ll take a break from the road trip journey stories to keep it fresh and new. Comment below if there’s anything you guys would like me to write about!
After I’ll go on to talk about Idaho and then the Pacific Northwest, then Canada, Montana, and my journey home!
Thanks for reading!
Grace
