Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [7]
Nine miles off Hwy 160, Navajo National Monument is one of the lesser-visited cliff dwellings in the region. Hike to the sublimely well preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings of Betatkin and Keet Seel. Accessible only by foot, there’s something truly magical about approaching these ancient stone villages in relative solitude. You can also walk a half-mile from the visitor center to catch a glimpse of Betatkin.
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DETOUR
An alternative way to reach Las Vegas from the Moab area takes you along Utah’s most scenically orgasmic byway, Hwy 12, stopping along along the way to gawk at magnificent Bryce Canyon National Park. The road eventually merges with Hwy 15 south to Las Vegas. Make sure to take advantage of the byway’s pull-offs to watch this amazing hued landscape slide from slickrock desert to red rock canyon to wooded high plateau.
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The nearby Hopi Reservation is also worth exploring. Don’t miss the village of Walapi on First Hopi Mesa – the reservation stretches across three mesa tops. The most dramatic of the Hopi enclaves, Walapi dates back to AD 1200 and clings like an aerie onto the mesa’s narrow end – the mostly empty old sandstone-colored stone houses seem to organically sprout from the cliffs. The Hopi are best known for their ceremonial dances, although many, especially the super sacred Kachina Dances, are Hopi-only affairs. These are serious, holy ceremonies not meant for photo-snapping or gawking tourists. Each village decides which dances it allows the public to attend, but your best shot is between late August and November, when the Social and Butterfly Dances take place.
It’s a grueling 370-mile drive northeast (take Hwy 264 east from the Hopi Reservation) to Canyon de Chelly National Monument on the outskirts of Ganado, but the remote and beautiful park is worth the nearly eight hour drive. A National Park Service–maintained site on private Navajo land, multipronged Canyon de Chelly (pronounced ‘d-SHAY’) is far removed from time and space and modern civilization. It shelters prehistoric rock art and 1000-year-old Ancestral Puebloan dwellings built into water resistant alcoves.
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NAVAJO CRAFTS
The Navajo rely on the tourist economy to survive; help keep their heritage alive by purchasing their renowned crafts – you’ll see stalls and gift shops throughout the Navajo Nation, the reservation that is also home to Monument Valley’s legendary scenery. The Navajo are best known for their intricately carved animal fetishes like turquoise bears, coyotes, bison and other animal talismans.
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Follow Hwy 191 south across the psychedelic painted desert – this is another magnificent bit of pavement – until it links up with I-40 in Chambers. From here retrace your footsteps west to Las Vegas. Plan a few celebratory nights in Vegas at the end of your trip. You will have completed nearly 3000 miles around the most iconic attractions in the West, so treat yourself to some bubbly, a massage and room service at a dazzling hotel in the country and century of your choice.
Becca Blond
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TRIP INFORMATION
GETTING THERE
Las Vegas is 573 miles west of Albuquerque and 300 miles northwest of Phoenix on Hwy 15.
DO
Arches National Park
5 miles north of Moab, it features the world’s largest concentration of sandstone arches. 435-719-2299; www.nps.gov/arch; Hwy 191, UT; per vehicle $20; visitors center 7:30am-6:30pm Apr-Oct, 8am-4:30pm Nov-Mar
Bellagio
The original opulent Las Vegas pleasure palazzo. Casino guests are first dazzled by the choreographed dancing fountain show every 15 to 30 minutes during the afternoon and evening. 702-693-7111; www.bellagio.com; 3600 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV; 24 hr
Canyonlands National Park
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