Canyon de Chelly

Leader: Don Keller and Dave Wilson
Dates: September 30 –October 4 (5 days / 4 nights)
Cost: $900 Members / $960 Nonmembers
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Cost includes transportation, meals, and group gear.

The rich canyon bottoms and sculpted sandstone walls of Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto were oases to prehistoric Pueblo culture and home to the Navajo people from early historical times. Navajo guide Dave Wilson and archaeologist Don Keller team up for our exploration of this inner canyon world. We’ll establish a truck camp on the Wilson family’s farm and orchard in the heart of Canyon del Muerto as our base for exploring the deep and extensive canyon system.

Along with the older Ancestral Pueblo sites, which form such a strong presence, the heart of the experience lies with the enduring story of the Navajo people within and around the canyon. Four-wheel-drive day excursions with short side hikes and a longer day hike towards the canyon rim will take us through one of the Southwest’s outstanding concentrations of early Basketmaker rock art panels, Pueblo cliff dwellings, historical Navajo rock art, and trail and defensive sites. Bouncing up the uneven dirt roads, following the old footsteps below the Pueblo cliff dwellings, sharing reflections around the evening campfire, the canyons of de Chelly and del Muerto are an unforgettable experience.

Pre-Trip Information Packet (PDF Downloads)

» Weather Notes [17 KB]
» Equipment List [18 KB]
» Medical/Waiver [31 KB]

Don Keller and Dave Wilson Don Keller strives to help participants understand the landscapes, the resources they contain, and how these resources have been used over time to create human settlement... Read more…

Dave Wilson is a long-time Canyon de Chelly guide and founder of the Tsegi Guide Association. Read more…

“…You can count on me to recommend the MNA programs with enthusiasm!” —M.A

“My annual trips with MNA are one of the highlights of the last 6 years; they are interesting and expose me to places I would never experience without the trips.” —R.P.