Things to Do
Speaking Rock Tours: Hiking or Jeep Tours
Four-Wheel Drive Tour
A half-day guided tour takes you to the amazing Three Turkey Ruin (see photo, above right), one of the beautifully-preserved Anasazi cliff dwellings in Canyon de Chelly. Other destinations are available; contact the campground for more information.
Nearby Trails, Guided Overnight Hikes, 4-Wheel Drive Tours
Canyon de Chelly provides countless opportunities for enjoying the natural beauty of the area. Donations are accepted for all of the hikes, tours, and trips listed here. Of course, many features of the Canyon may also be viewed from several view points along the Rim Drive (see map for overlook points).
Contact the campground to arrange your custom southwest camping and hiking experience!
Self-Guided Hike
Spider Rock Campground serves as a trailhead for a 3-mile self-guided hike to the rim of Canyon de Chelly, overlooking Anasazi ruins in Wild Cherry Canyon. Maps are available at the campground.
Customized Guided Hike
Try an 8-mile guided hike tour into the Canyon and along the bottom to the picturesque “window” (see picture, above left), returning to the rim by way of Grandmother’s Trail — complete with Anasazi footholds and handholds worn into the sandstone! Any hike can be customized to include other points of interest. Your Navajo guide will share the natural history and cultural traditions of the region, and answer your questions about life in Canyon de Chelly.
Overnight Backcountry Camping Trip
Enjoy the full Canyon experience with an overnight trek to the canyon floor with your Navajo guide. Camp out under the stars, with a moonlit view of the Canyon’s interior.
Moonlight Walk
When the moon is high, take a peaceful nighttime walk to the canyon with a Navajo guide.
What to Bring
When participating in a hike or tour, be sure to come prepared! You’ll want to have plenty of drinking water, a sack lunch, camera/binoculars, candy, comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat or other headcover.
Overnight backcountry campers should bring all the necessary equipment for such a trip, including backpack, tent, sleeping bag, etc.