Sunday the 1st: Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona
After Mesa Verde, we headed to Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Chinle, Arizona. Canyon de Chelly is on a Navajo reservation and contains some stunning ruins of the Ancestral Puebloan people. Because the ruins are in the Canyon, you can only see them from the overlooks unless you hike in, have a four wheel drive vehicle, or ride a horse. We chose the last option after hiking for a bit on Saturday. Also, the Saturn is not exactly a four wheel drive vehicle.

So in order to ride into the Canyon, we hired a Navajo guide who provided each of us with a horse and saddle. We set off to make the most of our time and have the thrill of actually touring the Canyon on horseback. It was a little hair raising at times but well worth it. However, it may be pretty difficult to to walk tomorrow!

Took a quick detour before we got to Canyon de Chelly. First we visited the Four Corners Monument and then we drove through Monument Valley. Four Corners was pretty much a tourist trap but one of those "once in a lifetime" things. Monument Valley was cool to see...definitely the classic American West scene. Apparently, our guide book considers it to be that iconic too as they chose the photo for their front cover.

Four Corners plaque set into a marble square in the ground. Yes, that's all you see at the monument.

Monument Valley:

We thought the view in front of us looked awfully familiar:

Canyon de Chelly, White House ruins:

Kevin surveying the valley floor on horseback:

One of about six ruins we saw:

We gave our horses our apple cores at the turnaround point, two hours out in the Canyon. This is Kevin's horse, resting up for the return trip:

Back in the saddle again:

Ancient petroglyphs were at every turn of the canyon...these were about thirty feet off the ground. They blend in so well though that unless the guide pointed them out, we never would have found them.

The dusty trail ahead:

Elizabeth's horse:

The Canyon at sunset: