The south rim drive along Canyon de Chelly gives one the big picture of its depth and length. The walls tower over one thousand feet high at its deepest. The wash meandering through it doesn’t seem powerful enough to have carved this spectacular scenery, but it becomes a raging river that floods the canyon floor at times during the year.
Visit my previous post, Canyon de Chelly, for views inside the canyon, petroglyphs, ruins, and history.
I often choose to read stories that complement and inform about places I travel. On this journey, I reread a couple of Tony Hillerman mysteries, set in Navajo country. The Fallen Man takes place in this canyon. Hillerman’s novels celebrate the stark but beautiful landscape of the area and feature authentic characters that reflect the Diné culture. One of my favorite figures is Jim Chee, a Navajo policeman. Chee prefers the healing ceremonies intended to bring a criminal back into harmony with his world, rather than imprisonment, used as punishment in white culture. The grandmother of my tour guide’s family (see previous post) helped teach the author about Navajo customs. Tony’s daughter, Anne Hillerman, has continued the series, featuring women as her main protagonists.
Heading north, on the way home to Colorado, I drove through Moab, Utah, an area I’ve visited many times, home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Just south of the town, there’s an arch easily accessible from the road.
Please do not download or reproduce images from this site. ©
Your comments are welcome!
Popular posts/stats/categories
Email me at: Ruth@RuthRosenfeld.com
Ruth Rosenfeld 
Thanks for sharing these images of this canyon, the top picture of Spider Rock beats everything 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate your visit, Rudi! That particular view of the canyon is certainly stunning, and the one that is most notable for the place.
LikeLike
It’s really admirable that you actively seek out books that take place in the areas you travel to. Very insightful way to learn about the place, all the while enjoying a bit of storytelling!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Rebecca. It’s a good way to learn a little more than the usual touring, gives a different perspective. As a fiction reader, I enjoy it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing photos! We also look for books that take place in the arera we are headed to and also read Hillerman on our trip west. One of my favourites is The Colony of Unrequited Dreams while traveling in Newfoundland.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cool, glad to know other people do this too! I’ll check that book out. It sounds interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the colours in the canyon … and how stunning are the rock formations. The arch is beautiful … snow in an almost desert area (it is snow?) – never seen that before!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not an unusual combination in the more northern deserts. Snow is part of our life. Thanks for your visit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous photos! Tony Hillerman sounds like an excellent reading recommendation. Perhaps one I’ll save for a future Utah visit. I do hope that there’s a great American road trip still ahead of me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, I hope the American west will make it to your travel to-do list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your photos are again compelling and beautiful. I am reminded of my two visits to the Canyon, both of them on mostly cloudy days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to hear you were able to see the canyon. I didn’t get much sun there either. Thanks for your kind comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to see more images of the Canyon de Chelly, this time echoing our experiences as we did that drive. The views of Spider Rock in particular are excellent and really took me back to our visit. I read some of Tony Hillerman’s books around that time but I hadn’t heard that his daughter Anne was continuing the family tradition – I’ll look out for some of her titles. Oh, and I love that shot of Window Rock in the snow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do look for Anne’s stories – I read two of them. Her emphasis on the female characters give a slightly different spin that really appealed to me. I had forgotten about that arch near the road, a happy surprise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love reading novels that take place in areas I’m visiting too. Your pictures from the rim are gorgeous and make me want to see it in person, from above and inside. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad to know you are a travel reader too! It’s definitely worth a trip, and a delight to share the photos with you.
LikeLike
Oh Ruth, it looks absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to visit Utah one of these days 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sure you will. This site is in northeastern Arizona, just south of Utah.
LikeLike
I’ve scrolled through these pictures good few times. I can’t believe how stunning the views are! 😍
Also I think it’s great how you discover places through books. It must feel quite special when you get to visit these places in reality.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is quite an amazing place. I had a hard time winnowing down the photos, I took so many! The reading gives some background while I’m traveling, and some entertainment too. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful photos. Spider Rock is just amazing. How neat that your guide’s grandmother contributed to those books!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you! It’s a beautiful spot. Actually it was my guide’s mother, the grandmother of the man I originally booked the tour with. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely captures of the red rock landscape from your drive along the south rim of the Canyon de Chelly. How neat to see some snow on the ground in the Moab area.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you! Such a dramatically beautiful place. Snow is always a possibility at higher altitudes. I woke up to snow this morning, even though it’s May. I’m sure you experience the same in Canada.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like the last post, I’m just blown away by the look of this place. Amazing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous photos. That landscape really is powerful.
Alison
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Alison. It was humbling to see.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, what a wonderful collection of beautiful photos. Such spectacular views of the Canyon, I’ve never seen a landscape so fascinating. I would imagine that the greatest colours of the canyon could be seen during sunset and sunrise hours! Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Aiva. I’ve never been good at finding the right time for a photo or a perfect view – it’s always been the moment I’m there. But I’m sure you’re right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🥰🥰🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spectacular photos, Ruth. From the very first I thought you were in some portion of the Grand Canyon.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Dave. It’s much smaller and narrower, but it has the same feel.
LikeLike
So pretty. Makes me want to go back. It’s been 11 years!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s an amazingly beautiful place, isn’t it?!
LikeLiked by 1 person