Canyon de Chelly : Looking for time estimates

Hello

Mapquest.com says it would take almost six and a half hours to drive to
Canyon de Chelly from Phoenix. Is that about right or does it take less
time ?

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

Thanks very much.

In article ,
Canyon Dude wrote:

Hello

Mapquest.com says it would take almost six and a half hours to drive to
Canyon de Chelly from Phoenix. Is that about right or does it take less
time ?

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

about right. If you;re not walking, you can see it in a few hours

When we were there you had to go with the Native American guides.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 22:33:53 -0500, Canyon Dude
wrote:

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

"richard" wrote in message
...
When we were there you had to go with the Native American guides.

You don't need guides if you are are just driving and stopping at rim
viewpoints, hiking to White House ruin or going on a ranger-led hike.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 22:33:53 -0500, Canyon Dude
wrote:

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

In rec.travel.usa-canada Canyon Dude wrote:
Hello

Mapquest.com says it would take almost six and a half hours to drive to
Canyon de Chelly from Phoenix. Is that about right or does it take less
time ?

That is probably about right, maybe a little less.

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

Hmm. A quick run on the rims and visit to the visitor's center, maybe an
hour or two. Of course you won't have really SEEN Canyon de Chelley, just
grazed it.

When we went we took a half day, and took a horse ride out into the canyon,
with a Navajo guide, which was awesome. We stayed in Window Rock at the
Navajo Nation Inn, but you could also stay in nearby Chinle.

Julie


Thanks very much.

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Juliana L Holm wrote:

In rec.travel.usa-canada Canyon Dude wrote:
Hello

Mapquest.com says it would take almost six and a half hours to drive to
Canyon de Chelly from Phoenix. Is that about right or does it take less
time ?

That is probably about right, maybe a little less.

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

Hmm. A quick run on the rims and visit to the visitor's center, maybe an
hour or two. Of course you won't have really SEEN Canyon de Chelley, just
grazed it.

When we went we took a half day, and took a horse ride out into the canyon,
with a Navajo guide, which was awesome. We stayed in Window Rock at the
Navajo Nation Inn, but you could also stay in nearby Chinle.


If you're not a horseback fancier there are also jeep tours, also led by Navajo
guides. They run 3-4 hours. You cannot drive or hike into the canyon on your
own, except for a couple of very restricted trails. The canyon is home to a
number of Navajo family farms and they don't want people wandering over their
land unescorted.

The tours are well worth the time; this is an awesome place.

Larry

--
Larry Finch

N 40° 53' 47"
W 74° 03' 56"

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 22:33:53 -0500, Canyon Dude
wrote:

[...]
Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ?

It doesn't take long to *see* the canyon form from the paved, south
rim drive overlooks. But that's a little like seeing the USA from an
airplane window. There is much more to see, and understand, than is
apparent from above.

To really see the Canyon de Chelly, and the Canyon del Muerto, you
have to take one of the Navajo-guided trips into these canyons. The
history of the people who have lived in the canyons is dramatic, and
the ruins are awesome. But it takes much of a day, minimum.


Caveat

Canyon de Chelly is a long drive from anywhere but absolutely worth the
effort. I'd suggest a 2 night stay in Chinle (the Holiday Inn's nice with a
decent restaurant and a nice pool). Book at least a 1/2 day guided tour of
the canyons. If you were hikers (or even walkers), I'd recommend the White
House Trail, which winds its way down from the South Rim (I think). It's a
fairly rough climb back out, however. If you only have time for one of the
rim drives, the South Rim drive is neater than the North because of the
great views of Spider Rock. Walk out to the edges of the overlooks to get
the best views.

Bill B

"richard" wrote in message
...
When we were there you had to go with the Native American guides.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 22:33:53 -0500, Canyon Dude
wrote:

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

I think it's worth the walk down the White House Ruin Trail just of the
scenery on the way down, and to get a sense of the ambiance of the area?

Click here for some pictures of the White House (Ruins) trail and Canyon de
Chelly: http://www.nationalparklover.com/canyon_de_chelly.htm


"Bill Bordiuk" wrote in message
...
Canyon de Chelly is a long drive from anywhere but absolutely worth the
effort. I'd suggest a 2 night stay in Chinle (the Holiday Inn's nice with a
decent restaurant and a nice pool). Book at least a 1/2 day guided tour of
the canyons. If you were hikers (or even walkers), I'd recommend the White
House Trail, which winds its way down from the South Rim (I think). It's a
fairly rough climb back out, however. If you only have time for one of the
rim drives, the South Rim drive is neater than the North because of the
great views of Spider Rock. Walk out to the edges of the overlooks to get
the best views.

Bill B

"richard" wrote in message
...
When we were there you had to go with the Native American guides.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 22:33:53 -0500, Canyon Dude
wrote:

Also, once we are there, what is the minimum amount of time we can see it
in ? We're not hikers.

To answer the original question (how long a drive from Phoenix), we were just
up there last week and it took only 5:05 to drive from south Phoenix to Chinle.
The route we took was I-17 to Flag, the I-40 to the Winona exit (I think it
was exit 211 or so), then on the backroads (Indian 15, often not marked) thru
Leupp. Never more than 5-8 miles over the posted limits.

I don't know if it's faster taking I-40 further east, probably not.

Bill