Today we visited one of our all time favorite places--Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d'Shay) which is about 30 miles north. Betsy wanted to paint, and I'm always ready for a visit here as it's one of my top three Arizona destinations--Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Canyon de Chelly in no particular order.
Canyon de Chelly is thought to be one of the oldest continuously inhabitated locations in North America, possibly as far back as 2000 BC. The walls of the canyon at it's mouth are about 300 feet tall, but as you follow the canyon the walls rise to almost 800 feet above the canyon floor. Several ancient peoples have lived in the canyon since it offered protection and water so they could grow crops.
The Navajo people found this canyon in the 1700's where they planted corn, and tended to flocks of sheep. Today, about 400 Navajo continue the traditional lifestyle within the towering canyon walls. The Navajo have long considered this canyon sacred, therefore visitors are not allowed in the canyon without Navajo guides. You may however drive the north or south overlook roads for spectacular views into the canyon.
Betsy loves this place because it's such a challenge to capture on canvas, and its beauty. Whenever I visit, I somehow know that I am where I need to be at that moment.
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