Anyone been to Navajo Rez?

“Anyone been to The Rez? We're fixing to do a week there, and on the Hopi and Zuni(S of Gallup) Res's too. Any tips welcome, thanx.”

“PARADISE LOST
The trail begins at the edge of the Earth, where the sagebrush flats of the Coconino Plateau meet a 3,000-foot-deep expanse of rock and space. Just past the last hairpin turn on Indian Road 18, the Grand Canyon explodes into view. This is where the path to the community of Supai begins. This is where Tomomi Hanamure began her 34th birthday.

The 8-mile path dives through colorful layers of geologic time: ivory Kaibab Limestone, green Toroweap Formation, white Coconino Sandstone, the blood-red scree of Hermit Shale. Then the trail reaches the sandy, cobblestoned bottom of Havasu Canyon. Just above the village, an aquamarine creek emerges, for which the Havasupai tribe ("people of the bluegreen water") is named. The stream gurgles through town, then picks up velocity. In 4 miles, the waters cascade over four huge waterfalls, plunging into fern-decked, turquoise pools. Nearly every travel and outdoor magazine, including this one, has waxerhapsodic about this Shangri-La. More than a few have called Havasu Falls the best swimming hole in the world. And more than 20,000 vacationers a year follow the path to Supai to visit this famed backcountry paradise.

An independent, adventurous woman who lived near Tokyo in Kanagawa Prefecture, Hanamure enjoyed traveling alone to outdoor destinations worldwide. She had special feelings for the Grand Canyon, having spent several recent birthdays hiking to Phantom Ranch, a lodge on the canyon floor. No doubt, Supai seemed an enticing alternative. Like Phantom, the village is surrounded by a lush riparian area and dramatic buttes, and no roads lead there. And like the famous ranch 70 miles upriver, Supai has the creature comforts of a lodge, restaurant, and store, as well as a community at trail's end. All of which could provide a sense of security to a woman traveling solo.”

“Poorest place in the country.”

“Ditto what rosey said, and don't expect anyone to be in a hurry.”

“I was there and did not see no tpees. Just a poor comunity. Hey ape!”

“Be careful, Hopi and Zuni are not Navajo.

Make sure you know where you are and that you have proper permission. Some areas (Canyon De Chelly) require a native guide.”

“Boy, there's a ton of stuff. Just depends on what you plan to do? Hike? Drive? Overnight? Slots? Any activity on the Rez needs a day permit from the Navajo Nation, in Window Rock. Don't know about the Hopis or Pueblo natives.
Little Colorado River, San Juan River, Grand Gulch, Chaco, El Malpias, El Moro, Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Nat'l Monument. Just driving around. A backpack to Rainbow Bridge ROCKS! Snowshoeing up Humphreys Peak. Exploring!! Get Sandra Hinchmans book Hiking the SW Canyon Country and Kelseys Canyon Hiking Guide. You can hike down to White House ruins free otherwise you need a permit to hike or drive in Canyon de Chelly.

Snow may limit access to some places. Get a permit where needed. its really uncool not to get one. I've never been checked but its Navajo land, treat it with respect. Watch out for Natives selling junk, though you might luck onto a nice weaving or sand painting. Be respectful, don't talk too much and look around at the beauty. its a great area!”

“YO BEAR!!!! Lawng time bro, I been meanin' to call you, hope all is well ole friend. Them Injuns never did sleep in teepees, the Hopis and Navajos slept in rock/mud/log dellings. Most famous quarters of the Navajos are the 6 or 8 sided hogans, made with logs and mud with a dirt floor, it's part of their religion too.

No worries on dealing with the heathens, they're all great folks, I've been there before, always had a great time. It does help to have traveled in rural Europe, where many don't care if you check out a room or live or die. The Hopis and Zunis are OK too, just have some little bit of patience and everything's aiight. Boyzie they ain't for smiling and small-talking tho.

Thanx edoc, unfortunately I won't be doing any "real" adventuring on this one tho. Doing the family vacation thang. Here's the plan as it is now:
---2 nights at Monument Valley. On the way up taking in Dinosaur tracks and Nav. Nat'l Monument (and the hike to Betataken ruins). Then taking a driving tour thru John Wayne movie country in Monument Valley.
---2 nights in Chinle. On way to Chinle head NE to Four Corners Tribal Park. From Chinle check out Canyon de Chelly and Canyon de Muerto. Do the hike to White House ruins. Do an Injun 4wheeldrive tour upcanyon to Spider Rock.
---2 nights in Window Rock. See that, Fort Defiance, a Gallup pawn shop that we really like, and the Zuni Res. S of Gallup for a day.
---2 nights in Hopi Res. On way seeing Hubbel Trading Post. When there seeing ancient town of Oraibi, and the historic towns of First Mesa including the blufftop town of Walpi(hope I can sneak a photo of that).

Well that's it, I gotta look up the locale of the Code Talkers Museum, I want to see that(perhaps Kayenta).

My only problem now is where to book on the Hopi Res, there's only 2 motels. One in the mdl of it all (could be crappy tho), and one 11 miles down the road called Keams Canyon Motel. I'm trying to find info of somebody liking one over the other, or at least pictures of them, but no luck thus far, perhaps one'a you bright techies can peck and scratch something up.....

I'm gonna put in another hike somewhere too, altho it's still not too late for heavy snows there, so my fangers are crossed.”

“Have a blast ape. Great territory. If you have never read Tony Hillerman, great time to pick one up.”

“On leg 3 now, 2 nights at Window Rock. (Really the only reason we're here is to be within a drive of Gallup and the Zuni rez 30 minutes S of there.) Gallup is an armpit for those of you who've not had the pleasure, but I once met a guy there who runs a pawn shop that we LOVE. Old whitey with Navajo family that's been there for almost 40 years. Gallup is a great place to buy turquoise, BUT you gotta know what you're buying. Dang Arabs have most of the shops going in Gallup with fancy-shmancy shops where busses of big money flows in to buy. Most of their stuff is fake.

This morning we left Canyon de Chelly(pronounced "Shay") and Canyon del Muerto to see Fort Defiance(non-existant now) and Window Rock park (uh, not what the drawn pictures look like, I guess that's why the brochure pix are nicely drawn).

I must admit to some surprise that all of Kayenta, Chinle, Fort Defiance, and Window Rock are total sheet-holes. It's like all of the trashiest white-trash of my WNC mountians (the worst of them) have been made Navajos and then sent to live here, with their trailers. I cannot help but to think, Thank God I ain't born Navajo! Even Many Farms, where I was hoping to meet up with a Nav lady silversmith I once met in Sedona, was.... not too good. Many Farms is a long, wide valley with natural springs in the desert, basically is a long, wide trashcan with broken-down cars, broken-down trailers, hogans with crap layed up against them. None of that is in the guidebooks.

We're meeting many fine folks tho, and having a great time. Super little flea-market today, scored some jewelyry direct. Man they's a guy there with some killer old saddles too, too bad I've no horses, hehe.
More later.”

“I was at window rock and four corners 20 years ago. I recall mainly the incredible jewelry (spent $28 on the most gorgeous doeskin, beaded cuff bracelet ever...and that was a fortune back then), and the horrible poverty. Sorry to hear it hasn't improved.”

“"I cannot help but to think, Thank God I ain't born Navajo!"

That's pretty ethnocentric. Evaluation of a whole group of people based purely on a limited sample is extremely unfair. Perhaps I could evaluate the "state" of the "white people" based upon a tour through my local trail park?

Pandering and "poor Indians" is unfair as well.”

“Isn't Monument Valley on Navajo land? That's one place I'd like to visit.”

“So it is.

I ought to read through all the messages next time before posting :-/”

“Come over to Seligman AZ and visit me!”

“yo ape. Say hey to the family fer me and keep havin fun! Yo bear!”

“yo ape. Say hey to the family fer me and keep havin fun! Yo bear!”

“Consider going to Navajo Arts and Crafts, locations Window Rock, Chinle, Cameron and Kayenta Arizona, at Navajo National Monument, and in Alamo and Shiprock, New Mexico. You need to get out that car! Take the family to Navajo Nat'l Monument, go up on the Mokee Dugway to Muley Point.

Bail on Tuba and head up to Marble Canyon and stay at the lodge, cheap. Take the family to the mouth of Paria Canyon, hike down Cathedral Wash or Jackass Canyon to the Colorado, or explore Waterholes Canyon (Just don't go down something you can't get up as you head down canyon). For a serene drive, head up to the Navajo Mt chapter house area and chill.Or park your car at intersection of US 160 and CR 98 and see what drives and stops by!! Take pictures, EXPLORE!

The rez can look depressing to us anglos but Navajos probably look at our overindulgence and shake their heads. All depends of ones point of view my friend. Any questions , give me a call.
last edited: 3/13/08 6:29:44 PM”