Fine art photography gallery of Canyon De Chelly. Choose your favorite image of the Canyon De Chelly photographs.
Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "deh shay") is a remarkable and culturally significant natural landmark located in northeastern Arizona, USA. It is administered by the National Park Service and serves as both a national monument and a home to the Navajo people, who have inhabited the area for centuries.
Canyon de Chelly is known for its stunning sandstone cliffs, deep canyons, and rich cultural history. It consists of two main canyons: the North Rim Canyon and the South Rim Canyon, which are both carved by the Chinle Wash, a tributary of the larger Colorado River system.
The canyons are renowned for their dramatic beauty, with towering cliffs that reach up to 1,000 feet (305 meters) in height. The erosion of the sandstone over millions of years has created intricate rock formations, including spires, buttes, and alcoves that add to the allure of the landscape. The vibrant colors of the rock, ranging from red and orange to pink and purple, create a visual feast for visitors.
One of the unique aspects of Canyon de Chelly is its cultural significance. The canyon has been continuously inhabited for nearly 5,000 years, making it one of the longest continuously occupied areas in North America. The Navajo people have a deep connection to the canyon and consider it a sacred place. The canyon walls are adorned with ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and pictographs, providing a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the Navajo and the Ancestral Puebloans who once called this area home.