Guided Tours of the Canyon and the Area

• Thunderbird Lodge Canyon Tours
  Ride through the floor of the canyon. Half-day and full day tours are available, depending upon demand. Typically full and half-day tours may be available during the Summer, while half-day tours are run in the Fall, Winter and Spring when the Canyon is open. (The Superintendent may choose to close the Canyon after times of heavy rains. Since the wash beds are the highways into the Monument, high water hinders travel.) There has been little consistancy to closures due to eratic weather patterns. For more information call 1 800-679-2473, Current Contractor: Mary Jones.

The following guide services offer more personalized service and work with those who may require more individual attention. They both accomodate individual, small, and large group needs. Both have websites with detailed information. Both are local companies.

• Canyon de Chelly Tours
  Certified Navajo Guides. Individual, small & large group tours, accompanied rim tours and out of area tours. Their vehicles with up to 12 person capacity Mercedes-Benz, or their or your jeeps. Leon Skyhorse Thomas, proprieter

• DeChelly Tours
  Certified Navajo Guides. Private jeep tours and hikes. They provide the four-wheel drive, or accompany you in yours. Varing schedules based on your needs and wants from three hours to all day. Overnight camping possible. Dan Staley, proprietor.
   
• Tseyi Jeep Tours
  Bobby Van Winkle's top notch service using his vehicles or yours. Will pick up and return to your hotel. In canyon hikes as well as overnight outtings can be arranged.

• Tsegi Guide Association
  Available at the Canyon DeChelly Visitor's Center. These Park Service Certified guides are available from a minimum of three hours for private tours. Visitors must supply and drive their own vehicles. Off the road four-wheelers only. No all-wheel-drive minivans:they lack required clearance.

  Horseback Tours

• Justin's Horse Rental
  Located at the Canyon's mouth, rides are a minimum of two hours to multi-night expeditions. Contact Justin Tso,Sr. at (928) 674-5678 for prices and reservations. He operates all the year.

• Twin Trails Tours
  Located on the rim above Canyon Del Muerto, eight miles north of the Visitor Center on the North Rim Drive. Two hour minimum to multi-night journeys. Contact Lorraine Izzo for reservations, questions and prices. All equipment and stock supplied.

• Totsonii Ranch
  Located one and one-half miles past the Spider Rock viewpoint turnoff on the South Rim drive, four hour horseback tours take visitors to the base of Spider Rock, one thousand feet below the canyon's rim. Contact Lee Bigwater at (928) 755-6209 for prices, reservations and questions.

Area Restaurants and Accommodations

All Telephones are in the 928 area code

Accommodations

Hotels, Campgrounds, Bed & Breakfasts, and RV Spaces

Hotels

Other

• Canyon DeChelly Cottonwood Campground (928) 674-5500

National Park Service no fee facility. Ninety-six sites for tents, camp trailers and motor homes. Water and bathrooms, but no RV hookups. In a shady grove of tall cottonwood trees near the visitor center and canyon mouth. No reservations required or taken for groups of less than fifteen. Group sites accomodate up to fifty people.

• Spider Rock RV Campground (928) 674-8261

A privately owned campground eight miles east of the visitor center on the south rim drive. It is on the rim of of Canyon DeChelly on the way to Spider Rock.

• Rainbow Inn at Tsaile

Located on the Diné College campus in Tsailé, it is economical and practical. Singles and four bedroom suites with a common bath are available. It is amid pines and juniper trees near Tsaile Lake at the upper reaches of Canyon DeChelly National Monument. Phone (928) 724-6830.

• Many Farms Inn

  In Many Farms, Arizona, seventeen miles easy driving north of Chinle and Canyon DeChelly on U.S.191, this is a training site for students in Hotel/Tourist Services at Many Farms Boarding School. A dormitory has been converted to guest quarters. Facilities are Spartan, clean and adequate. Each room has two single beds. Bathrooms are shared. At thirty dollars ($30) per room, these accomodations will save tourists the hour drive to Window Rock, or beyond. Classic dorm living, there is a television in the lounge, and pay phones in the lobby, as well as vending machines. Fast Food is available from mini-markets/gas stations along US 191. For reservations call 928-781-6363.

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Places to Eat

Restaurants

• Holiday Inn Restaurant- Full Service w/ Salad Bar
  
• Junction Restaurant - Full Menu, Full Service, All Meals
• Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria- Good Food, Excellent Atmosphere
• Pizza Edge In Tseyí Shopping Center By Bashas- Pizza, Salads and Sandwiches

Fast Food

• A&W Root Beer
• Basha's Deli & Bakery (928) 674-3464
  Take-out Only
• Burger King (928) 674-3700
• Chevron (928) 674-3241
• Church's Chicken (928) 674-3450
• Pizza Edge (928) 674-3366
• Taco Bell (928) 674-5376
• Thriftway (2) (928) 674-5401/8243

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Groceries

• Baldwin's Minimart (928) 674-3383
• Basha's Supermarket (928) 674-3465
• Chevron (928) 674-3241
• Thriftway (2) (928) 674-5401/8243
• Smith's Fruit Stand & Cafe

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Books, Jewelry and Souvenir

• Navajo Arts and Crafts - Tribal Sponsored Outlet for Local Jewelers and Artists at traffic light. (928) 674-5338
• Best Western, Canyon DeChelly Inn Gift Shop - A Growing Collection. (928) 674-5288
• Canyon De Chelly Monument Headquarters - Excellent Supply of Books (928) 674-5500
• Larry Pinto Navajo Silver jewelry. Woman's accessory wear in silver, turquoise, lapis, mother of pearl and coral. Traditional and Custom Jewelery Design, Manufacture and Repair.Write Him
• Fredrick Ted Henry. Navajo Jeweler 928-674-1148 Ted frequently works on display at the Canyon De Chelly Visitor Center. He does custom orders. PO Box 1163, Chinle, Arizona 86503
• Thunderbird Lodge - Most Extensive Gift Shop in Area (928) 674-5831
• Holiday Inn Gift Shop - Growing Selection of Jewelry, Crafts and Books (928) 674-5000

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Money Matters

• Wells Fargo Bank, Chinle (928) 674-3423

24 hour Banking Machine in Lobby

• Western Union Money Transfers (at Bashas) (928) 674-3465
• Thriftway (2) (928) 674-5401/8243

Money Orders

Auto Supplies, Gasoline and Tires

• Chevron Gas Station (928) 674-3241
• Chinle Auto Service Center (Towing) (928) 674-3312
• Speedy Towing Service (928) 674-5405
• High Tech Window Glass Repair and Replacement
  Serving The Chinle Valley from Ganado to Red Mesa. He does quality work and is less expensive than a trip to town.
  He comes to you. Call Johnny at 928 659-4249
• Union Seventy-Six (928) 674-3465
• Many Farms Exxon
• Chinle Thriftway (2) Open 24 Hours
• Rental Cars -Available From Gallup Airport
• Automobile Parts
  • General Store Automotive Dept -
    Oil, Filters & Batteries and more (928) 674-5486

Creature Comforts

• General Store - Clothing, Camping and Auto Supplies
• Tseyi Shopping Center Laundry and Laundromat
• Silver Coin Laundromat
• Thriftway Chinle Laundromat -Open 24 Hours

Law Enforcement/ Public Safety

• Emergency 911
• Indian Health Services Hospital Emergency Room (928) 674-7090
• Ambulance Services (928) 674-7097
• Navajo Police Department (928) 674-2111
• Apache County Sheriff 911, (928) 674-3820
• Vandal Hot Line 1-800-826-3257
• National Park Service Rangers (928) 674-5513/5523
• Fire Department (928) 674-5222
• Game & Fish Violations 1-800-352-0700

Churches and
Religious Organizations

• Pentecostal, Potter's House, North of Chinle
• Baptist, West US 191
• Canyon Family Church (Opposite Church's)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, West US 191
• Presbyterian, East of Town
• Catholic. Navajo Route 7 on hill
• Seventh-Day-Adventist, In the cottonwood grove
• Native American Church (NAC)
• Ba'hai'Community

Health Care

• Chinle Indian Health Service Hospital

This 90 bed facility has a full Emergency Room and provides ambulance service to the surrounding region.

• Sage Memorial Hospital Clinic in Ganado

  Open 8am-4pm most days. Walk-ins Accepted

• Cibolla Clinic - Gallup. Call for Appointment
• Valley Health Center Farmington - Emergency Room
• Flagstaff Medical Center & Emergency Room in Flagstaff

• Note: Because of the distance between medical facilities, if travel would be dangerous because of your medical condition You may declare your need for emergency care and be seen at the Chinle hospital Emergency Room. Fair warning, service is not always prompt, especially if greater emergencies are pressing, however if you feel your need is crucial, they will not refuse you service.

Fishing and Camping

Note: In the summer of 2000, both lakes are extremely low after four years of drought and almost no snow. Both lakes are well below "normal" capacity.

• Tsaile' Lake

Behind Dine' College at the intersection of Navajo Route Seven and the Lukachukai-Window Rock road, it was constructed as a flood control dam at the head of Canyon Del Muerto. Ask at the gas station, where you can get your license, for directions. Approximately 270 Acres in surface, camping is allowed by permit along the shore. No facilities or improved campsites. Remember to bring your own firewood. Quality of fishing varies from fair to outstanding. Fishing from shore is impeded by heavy weeds. Fly fishing with nymphs, small spoons, and lead bodied, sonic spinners (1/4 oz black and red Panther Martins) work well if you are not into fishing with Powerbait or corn. Mostly Cut-throat, Rainbow and Brook trout with a few catfish. Both lakes have abundant forage in the form of snails and crawdads, which most fish gorge on.

• Wheatfields Lake

Approximately 275 acre lake near the New Mexico-Arizona border. Camping in improved campsites in the Douglas Fir forest. Boat launch ramp; electric motors only. Picnic tables and fireboxes along west shore. Same fish types as Tsaile lake, plus an abundance of crawfish. Great place to watch the osprey fish. Surrounded by high mesas. Small general store on north side of dam. Lake usually supports ice fishing during the winter months. The same baits that work at Tsailé, work here too. The fish seem to like diversity, so I do carry a variety. Southbend's Super Dupers and the Z-ray are alternatives worth having.

• High Mountain Lakes in Narbona Pass

This group of lakes is reached by taking the Crystal road to US 666. They are remote and not heavily fished. The scenery is so great that it is hard to mind if the fish don't bite!

Warning: Do not wade without shoes in any of the preceding lakes. Most have broken glass bottles imbedded in silt of their bottoms in unexpected places.The sharp edges can, and will, if given the opportunity, slice open an unprotected foot. The frigid water can so numb the feet that the injury can go un-noticed until you leave the water!

• Lee's Ferry of the Colorado and
  
   
• Quality Waters below Navajo Dam in New Mexico

Fed year around by the cold clear outlet waters from large dams, both sites have a deserved respect as premium trout waters. Guides are available and suggested until you learn the lay of the land. Both states have unique rules on boat size, fish lengths and limits.

• Lake Powell

Big trout, striped bass, catfish and great scenery. Three hours to the north at Page. Several Marinas with boat and houseboat rentals. Off-season discounts are common. Tour the dam and view the interior turbine galleries.

Warm Water Fishing

• Red Lake North of Fort Defiance, Inquire locally.Shallow with heavy weeds

• Many Farms Lake

Irrigation supply for the Many Farms area. Thirteen feet deep at best. Wind keeps it churned up, so there is limited visibility. Cats take stink baits and bass can be had with surface lures under the trees that overhang the shore. Boat ramp. Not limit on motors.

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