A famous Diné (Navajo) poem ends with the phrase 'May I walk in beauty.' This request is easily granted at many spots on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona. At 27,000 sq miles, the reservation is the country's largest, spilling over into the neighboring states of Utah and New Mexico. Most of this land is composed of arid undulating hills, until – all of a sudden – Monument Valley's crimson red buttes rise before you, or you come face-to-face with ancient history at the cliff dwellings at Canyon de Chelly and Navajo National Monuments. Elsewhere, you can walk in dinosaur tracks or gaze at the shifting light of hauntingly beautiful Antelope Canyon.
Many Navajo rely on the tourist economy for survival. You can help keep their heritage alive by staying on the reservation, purchasing their crafts and trying their foods, such as the ubiquitous Navajo taco.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Navajo Reservation.
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Great views can be had from along Hwy 163, but to really get up close and personal you'll need to visit the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. From the visitor center, a rough and unpaved scenic driving loop covers 15 miles of stunning valley views. Authorized guides take tours into otherwise inaccessible areas.
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The silence here is strangely invigorating as you watch birds soaring between you and Spider Rock, a 800ft bifurcated sandstone spire guarding the place where Canyon de Chelly meets Monument Canyon. It's easy to see why this is a sacred spot for the Navajo. Allow about two hours for a round-trip with stops, and start early so that you have Spider Rock all to yourself.
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The Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings of Navajo National Monument make for a serene and highly recommended detour on the road from Glen Canyon to Monument Valley. There's a well-staffed visitor center, walking trails and two free campgrounds. Some trails and one campground are closed during winter.
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Widely respected merchant John Lorenzo Hubbell established this trading post in 1878 to supply Navajos returning from Fort Sumner with dry goods and groceries. Now run by the NPS, it still sells food, souvenirs and local crafts (including kachina dolls, blankets and stunning ceramics), and retains its original fittings right down to the squeaky floorboards. Navajo women often give weaving demonstrations inside the visitor center, which also has informative displays, a play 'store' and period dress-ups for the kids.
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The sleek and modern Navajo Nation Museum, dedicated exclusively to the history and culture of the Nation, punches well above its weight. Exhibits range from textiles, silverwork and ceramics to the remains of an ephemeral piece constructed with Ai Weiwei. It's a real hub of the community, run with passion and deep knowledge.
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A perfect precursor to exploring the Navajo Reservation, this museum will deepen your understanding of the land, its people and their traditions. You'll learn why the Navajo call themselves the 'People of the Fourth World,' details about the Long Walk and aspects of contemporary life. Included in your entry fee is next door's small exhibition about the Navajo Code Talkers (open 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday, to 3pm Saturday and Sunday), with a display explaining how the famously uncrackable code was designed.
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Below the eponymous Window Rock you'll find the Navajo Veterans Memorial Park, whose circular layout is a metaphor for the rising and setting of the sun. A statue memorializes the Navajo Code Talkers, and 16 steel bayonets honor soldiers killed in action.