The exception to this rule is the White House Ruins site, one of the most famous and striking examples of the Pueblo-style cliff dwellings left behind by the Anasazi. These 800-year old ruins are nestled into the base of 500-foot tall sandstone cliffs in what author Willa Cather described as silent "immortal repose." Visitors are allowed to travel the short trail to the ruins without a guide. You can access the trailhead from Highway 7 out of Chinle.
Traveling along this highway, which follows the south rim of the main canyon is one of the easiest ways to see several of the Monument's highlights, including Spider Rock, the signature rock formation of the canyon. This pair of 800-foot tall spires shooting out of the desert floor is the result of the uneven layering and subsequent erosion of sand dunes over the course of hundreds of millions of years.
Besides being visually stunning, Spider Rock holds a special place in the spiritual life of the Navajo, and is the symbol of one of their best-known legends. Spider Woman, and her husband Spider Man are holy beings who originated back in the "Second World" of the Navajo cosmology. Spider Woman takes on particular importance among Navajo deities as the originator of weaving, an activity that reflects the very structure of the universe itself, as well as being a primary means of artistic expression for the Navajo, not to mention a pragmatic necessity. The Spider Woman stories are full of intense cosmological significance and it makes sense that she's associated with such a prominent and powerful feature of the landscape. To the Navajo children, however, she has a more menacing aspect, living at the top of the rocks, swooping down to capture and eat misbehaving children. The white limestone stripes at the top of the rocks are said to be their discarded bones.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is about a 3 1/2 hour drive north and east of Flagstaff. Lodging can be found in the town of Chinle, and at the Thunderbird Lodge within the Monument boundaries. Free camping is also available at Cottonwood Campground near the Monument visitor center. Backcountry camping in the canyons may only be done with an official guide.
