Canyon De Chelly National Monument

There are a few places that seem to reside freeze-frame fixed in time. Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "shay") National Monument with its Spider Rock campground is one of those rare places. Stay in one of the historic Hogans, and it isn't hard to imagine pre-electricity days of roaming buffalo and the "Dineh" people outnumbering tourists. The Hogans here are authentic (sometimes vexingly so) and admittedly, not for everyone. Getting up every few hours to re-stoke the wood fire in the center of the Hogan, beyond-rustic bathrooms, and a wandering dog named Yodi are all part of the experience.

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The canyon walls loom high; fortresses of red rock enclosing a mystical place. Our Jeep wallows through the deep sand inside this branching canyon, taking us to many ancient Navajo ruins built into the rock cliffs. Our guide leads us through history, showing petroglyphs and the settlements of her ancestors; more modern settlements too; the canyon is still actively farmed in the native tradition. Patches of corn and vegetables grow in the shade of sparse cottonwoods. You can't enter the canyon alone—you must hire a guide at the Visitor's Center—but your Navajo companion adds a human touch and understanding to an awe-inspiring experience.

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Our Navajo guide was an inquisitive fellow. It seems he was as interested in us as we were in him. Maybe that's because most visitors to Canyon De Chelly only peer into the multi-hued crack from a paved distance. Those who choose to envelop themselves by the canyon are quickly embraced by a humble people who are descendants of a mysterious tribe that vanished from sight in the 14th century, leaving behind a labyrinth of sandy corridors dotted with well-preserved village ruins and petroglyphs depicting scenes of carnage, ritual, and celebration. As the overhead mist turned to a cool stream, our steeds were enticed to full gallop in an exhilarating dash toward the corral. I felt the words of Clay Stone apply to me... "You come out here City Slickers. You gonna go home Cowboys!"

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