Campground Overview:
Tséyi’ Diné Heritage Area – Cottonwood Campground at Canyon De Chelly is the main campground for those looking to explore Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department (NPRD) manages the Cottonwood Campground and collects fees for camping. Campsites are nestled in among the cottonwood trees which provided plenty of shade and is a great access point to explore the surrounding area.
There are about 90 individual campsites available and 2 group tent sites. Each site includes a parking space, picnic table and grill. There are 3 restroom facilities that include sinks and flushable toilets, but no showers. No hookups are available, but a dump station is located in Loop 1. Limited services are available during winter months.
From Holbrook, AZ take State Hwy 77 to Indian Rte 15 in Indian Wells 41 miles. Follow Rte 15 and Indian Rte 15 to US-191 N in Burnside 34 miles. At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto US-191 N 30 miles. Continue on Indian Rte 7 and follow the signs to the campground entrance.
Navajo Nation Camping:
Camping is allowed in designated areas of the Navajo Nation. Permits are required and can be obtained through the Navajo Parks and Recreations Website. You will also be required to abide by the rules when camping and any violation to the rules is considered trespassing on Federal Indian Reservation. Please respect native lands.
Be sure you have a good map of the reservation – one that will show the dirt and gravel roads that lead to the heart of the land. You can use a topographic map or buy a reservation map along the way. Fill up the gas tank… as gas stations are sparse. The Navajo Nation is a large remote area, be prepared and always use common sense. The sale of alcohol on the reservation is prohibited. Dress casually and bring your hiking boots, because trails meander across some of the Navajo and national parks into striking scenery.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Semi-Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Chinle |
Fishing: |
None |
Campground Website: |
Tséyi’ Diné Heritage Area – Cottonwood Campground at Canyon De Chelly / National Park Service |
Campground Map: |
N/A |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basisCall the Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation at (928) 674-2106 for any additional information. |
Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
The Navajo Nation has encompasses over 27,000 square miles, extending into the States of Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah. This area has a long history going back as far as pre-historic times & the subsequent arrival of Spanish & European settlers. This is home to the Navajo people with it’s array of more than a dozen national monuments, tribal parks & historical sites, and peppered with a dozen lakes and ponds – Lake Powell alone has 186 miles of Navajoland shoreline.
From the grand sandstone masterpieces of monument valley to the ancient pueblo ruins of Canyon de Chelly there’s plenty to see, do, and learn from on the Arizona side of the Navajo reservation. Be sure to incorporate some smaller treasures during your visit, such as Navajo Nation Window Rock Monument & Veteran Memorial Park, or Hubbell Trading Post and the many other national historic site.
Populating most of the Four Corners area, the native tribes were largely hunters and gatherers. As settlers overtook the Southwest due to manifest destiny, conflict ensued and adaptation to the new America that was forming was necessary. The Navajo Reservation’s expansive boundaries include a wide array of landscapes, formations, and plants that make this area such a distinctive landmark in the Southwest and the world.
Monument Valley’s rock formations tower over the landscape and command attention. The majestic canyons also hold many stories in every erosive grove, mineral color, and ancient ruin clinging to the rock walls. Whether you’re in the flatlands, high mountain meadows, or dry deserts, the rich Southwestern colors of reds, yellows, oranges, and pale greens always saturate your vision against the crystal blue skies.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument was authorized in 1931 by President Herbert Hoover in large measure to preserve the important archeological resources that span more than 4,000 years of human occupation. The monument encompasses approximately 84,000 acres of lands located entirely on the Navajo Nation with roughly 40 families residing within the park boundaries. The National Park Service and the Navajo Nation share resources and continue to work in partnership to manage this special place.
Millions of years of land uplifts and stream cutting created the colorful sheer cliff walls of Canyon de Chelly. Natural water sources and rich soil provided a variety of resources, including plants and animals that have sustained families for thousands of years. The Ancient Puebloans found the canyons an ideal place to plant crops and raise families. The first settlers built pit houses that were then replaced with more sophisticated homes as more families migrated to the area. More homes were built in alcoves to take advantage of the sunlight and natural protection. People thrived until the mid-1300’s when the Puebloans left the canyons to seek better farmlands.
Four Corners Tribal Park is the only unique landmark in the United States where four states intersect at one point. Where the corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet a granite and brass monument sets marking the location. Stand in one spot and have one hand in Colorado, the other in Utah, one foot in New Mexico and the other in Arizona! A must stop photo spot for visitors to the South West! Activities include photography, shopping and sightseeing. Native American artisans are onsite with handmade jewelry, crafts and traditional Navajo foods. Four Corners Monument is 60 miles northwest of Farmington on Hwy. 160. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. September – May, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. May – September. Cost: $3.00/person
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park You are experiencing one of the most majestic – and most photographed – points on earth. This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet, framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.
From the visitor center, you see the world-famous panorama of the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. You can also purchase guided tours from Navajo tour operators, who take you down into the valley in Jeeps for a narrated cruise through these mythical formations. Places such as Ear of the Wind and other landmarks can only be accessed via guided tours. During the summer months, the visitor center also features Haskenneini Restaurant, which specializes in both native Navajo and American cuisines, and a film/snack/souvenir shop. There are year-round restroom facilities. One mile before the center, numerous Navajo vendors sell arts, crafts, native food, and souvenirs at roadside stands.
Lake Powell Tribal Park- Antelope Canyon located near Page, Arizona is home to one of nature’s most wondrous creations – the slot canyon. Carved from the red sandstone for millennia by rain and wind, the canyons are narrow passageways that lead several hundred feet away from the mouth. The gorgeous sloping angles of the rocks – coupled with the shifts of light that make their way down from the rim of the canyon – combine for a scene that cannot be fully explained with words. Only 8 to 12 feet wide along the sandy floor, the slot canyons have been featured in Hollywood films and magazine publications around the world. But none of those images can match the one you’ll experience when you step into the canyons and see this wonder for yourself.
Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní, ‘the place where water runs through rocks’ by the Navajo. It is the most frequently visited by tourists for two reasons. First, its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing. Second, beams or shafts of direct sunlight radiating down from openings at the top of the canyon are much more common in Upper than in Lower. Beams occur most often in the summer months, as they require the sun to be high in the sky. Winter colors are more muted. Summer months provide two types of lighting. Light beams start to peek into the canyon March 20 and disappear October 7 each year.
Lower Antelope Canyon, is called Hazdistazí, or ‘spiral rock arches’ by the Navajo, is located several miles from Upper Antelope Canyon. Prior to the installation of metal stairways, visiting the canyon required climbing along pre-installed ladders in certain areas. Even following the installation of stairways, it is a more difficult hike than Upper Antelope. It is longer, narrower in spots, and even footing is not available in all areas. Five flights of stairs of varying step widths are currently available to aid in descent and ascent. At the end, the climb out requires flights of stairs. Additionally, visitors should be aware of sand which consistently falls from the above crack as it can make the stairs particularly slippery.
Navajo National Monument is located within the northwest portion of the Navajo Nation territory in Northern Arizona, which was established to preserve three well-preserved cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan People: Broken Pottery (Kitsʼiil), Ledge House (Bitátʼahkin), and Inscription House (Tsʼah Biiʼ Kin). The monument is high on the Shonto plateau, overlooking the Tsegi Canyon system, west of Kayenta, Arizona. It features a visitor center with a museum, two short self-guided mesa top trails, two small campgrounds, and a picnic area. Rangers guide visitors on free tours of the Keet Seel and Betatakin cliff dwellings. The Inscription House site, further west, is currently closed to public access.
The Puebloan Ancestors built Tsegi Phase villages within the natural sandstone alcoves of our canyons. Betatakin, Keet Seel, and Inscription House are the three cliff dwelling sites that are tucked away in the alcoves. These villages, which date from AD 1250 to 1300, thrill all who visit with original architectural elements such as masonry walls, roof beams, and pictographs. The Sandal Trail is an accessible self-guided walk that provides views of the spectacular canyonlands and rugged topography near the visitor center. Interpretive signs provide information on local flora and other topics. The 1-mile round-trip trail ends at an overlook of the Betatakin ruins across the 560-foot-deep Betatakin Canyon. The National Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
