Friday, July 29, 2022
We were supposed to take a jeep tour of Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “shay” or tsegi in Navajo), but Bobby VanWinkle came to our campsite, and said the Navajo park chief closed the park to visitors. It is monsoon season and Chinle Wash has been a raging river. A truck sinks gradually in the middle of the river. One native said she had never seen it this high. Bobby knew we could cross safely, but the man in charge wanted to err on the side of safety. I was disappointed, as Bobby is known for his excellent tours, and it is the only way to really see this incredible canyon. I hope we can come back.
Why would it take so long to drive 95 miles to Chaco Canyon? Of course I didn’t want to drive the same road we drove yesterday, so we took the alternate route. We started on Rt. 64 north, a major route. A line of cars and trucks all blinked their lights at us. We are in monsoon season. Was the road washed out? Are there cows or horses on the road? This is open range on the Navajo Reservation, so there are often animals on the road, although I am pretty amazed how they seem to be road-smart. I slowed down, but never did see the problem. I think there were animals on the road.
At Alon we turned south on 12, then turned east on 13 and headed toward some big mountains. Martha said we were on a Scenic Highway. As we started up the mountain, we were surrounded by huge, red rock cliffs, and the road wound tightly through them. A car wisely passed us on a double line. We wound up the big mountain around very tight, twisty turns. I was going 10 miles/hr asking Martha if anything was coming down the mountain as I had to swing wide to get around turns. There are times I think this big, diesel truck is more than needed. Then we come to a steep mountain like this, and I am grateful to have such a powerful truck!
It is certainly a beautiful drive. Cows grazed on both sides of the road, and all the land was in use, divided amongst the Navajo in what manner I don’t know, but it’s pretty cool. Crossing the top of Buffalo Pass at almost 9,000’ and in the clouds, I feared going down would be just as difficult as coming up, but it was easier. At the top it was 62 degrees! At the bottom, we were back into arid desert.
We passed through Farmington, New Mexico and made a daring turn to get into a Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. A trucker had parked out front on the side of the road, and we pulled in behind him, barely leaving room for people to get in and out of the restaurant. As we passed he said with a smile, “I didn’t know where else to park! Oh well, I was hungry. Have a good day.”
As we drove a very remote road, Martha read the instructions for entering the park. “A four-wheel drive is recommended. If you get stuck on the 16.5 mile, rutted gravel road, you may have to wait a long time for a tow vehicle. If you leave your car, they will not tow it.” Martha called the Visitor’s Center. The lady said, “It is monsoon season, and the road can get washed out. Heavy rains are predicted for the next four days, and you may not be able to get out.” I stopped to fill up with gas and considered the options. I mean it’s a national Park! Can it be that bad?
Before leaving Martha had called to ask if it was OK to come in from the south. They said it is a VERY rough 20-mile road. Four wheel drive with high clearance is needed, and then came the towing warning. We opted for the north.
At the turn toward the park, we stopped at a food truck and asked if we would be OK pulling the trailer to the park. “Oh yes, it is a good road.” three miles of paved road turned to gravel, but a very nicely groomed gravel road. I breathed a sigh of relief.
After 11 miles on the gravel road, a sign said it was the end of county maintenance, and the road turned very rough for the last 5 miles, so rough we were going 5 mph most of the time, crossing sides to find a smoother track. Regular sedans passed coming out. Everyone waved – a sort of camaraderie of the road less traveled. Martha was mad. “How could a national park have a road like this?”
When we FINALLY entered the park, the road became paved. We turned into the small campground and parked in site 20 right in front of some ancient ruins and a petroglyph of a horse. After setting up, we drove to the Visitor’s Center. I showed my Senior Pass and got a 7-day pass to put on the mirror.
I asked who owned the park. “The United States Government” was the reply. “Why is that road so bad?” I asked. If I interpreted the answer correctly, that strip is not owned by the park and not by the county, but by the Navajo Nation. I asked why the government wouldn’t pay to at least gravel that road. “I guess they have other priorities.” There is a story here I hope to explore, but right now I have one bar of cell phone service.
We read some of the signs around the center, learning this is also a UNESCO site. We watched a 30-minute movie about how the Chaco Indians developed this area into a huge city with very large, well-built buildings from the middle 800’s to the 1100’s. It became a hub of travel and trade with well-engineered roads in all directions. A map showed the many Chaco settlements and buildings throughout New Mexico.
We might have taken the Scenic Loop Drive, but I was tired, so we opted for a drink and dinner. We sat outside, looking at the huge, black cloud approaching. With binoculars, we explored the cliffs and walls, noticing a lot of bird poop. Were they owls, bats or cliff swallows. There were multiple holes where birds could live.
As the storm approached and the winds picked up, we put the awning up and lowered most of the windows. There was a little thunder, but it turned out to be just a good, steady rain. Temperatures dropped to the mid 60’s, which made for great sleeping.