Navajo National Monument

I enjoyed touring a simple viewing outside with great view down to Colorado river where several rafters on the bottom and great view of Vermillion cliff dwellings There are several authentic Navajo Indians selling their artworks and jewelries at reasonable and fair price for good quality of details. Worth your trip for an hour of visit !

The trail to view the dwelling was nice but the dwelling is a bit underwhelming. Because of how far the viewing platform is, you don't see much. There were some people that mentioned viewable petroglyphs from the platform but they've likely been worn out by rain and time. I recommend bringing binoculars or a telephoto lens to get a better view of the dwellings. At the time of visit, the other trails were snowed, so I didn't check them.

WOW, I honestly can't get over this place. It is so well-maintained and deserves way more traffic.

We stayed at Sunset View campground the night before. There is no need for registration or reservation, and it is F R E E. There are no open fires allowed -- probably due to the fact that it is so remote, and there is no authority watching over 24/7. There are flushable toilets, SOAP in the bathrooms, a larger sink outside for dishes, and recycling!! This place has it all, and it's pretty amazing that it's free of charge. Take advantage of it if you're in the area and need a place to stay. There were plenty of spots when we arrived in the evening probably since so few people know about it.

We joined the 10:00 tour the next day. Unfortunately, the 8:15 one has been canceled due to lack of interest but perhaps we can change that!! We went with a group of about eight which was apparently on the "larger" end, with group numbers averaging at about four. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and able to blend oral history and science very well. The trail is beautiful and very well-maintained. You're able to go into the gigantic alcove which is far more impressive in person since pictures do not do it justice. It seems to be rare to be able to get so close to the cliff dwellings/villages, so it's really a treat to do so at Betatakin.

The hike itself is a little hard but not terrible. I do wish the 8:15 tour was still available since it'd make the hike back up the canyon much more bearable. Just go your own pace, and bring water!!

This place is a TREASURE and if you're in the area, try to go!! If you like history or hiking, then you won't be disappointed.

This was amazing . It's a really well kept secret . We went because of the yelp reviews. We were the first ones today and the trail to the overlook where you can see the prehistoric dwellings was covered with snow and we had a blast walking there. The dwellings themselves give you all the feels -The visitor center lady and man were so kind and gave us a free T shirt and 2 posters
You MUST go.

Outstanding! A real gem hidden just a few miles from the main highway. Well worth taking a little detour to check this place out. My daughter and I hiked down the paved walkway to the observation point where we saw ancient native American cliff dwellings across the canyon. Visitor center staff were very nice and helpful. Nice selection of books and other items for sale too. I had never heard of this place before and I wasn't sure what to expect, but we were both very happily surprised.

An unexpected corner of America.

As you hike, climb, and shimmy, down the cliffside, you almost forget that you are on your way to see ruins. These millennia old rocks drag you into a time warp, bringing you closer to a time you were only vaguely aware existed as you journey further and further away from your parked car on the upper surface.

It gets hotter as you get deeper into the gorge.

Navigating across ancient formations, sun beating you into submission, and at just about the same time you realize that you've reached the bottom of this deep chasm across Arizona's face, you round a bend and there she is. A mini city carved into sheer stone.

Covered in shade from the unrelenting desert sun, the empty city is an other-worldly sight. A privilege for anyone to behold.

Our guide, a park ranger and part Navajo, was awe-inspiring. Along the entire journey, she would point out various plants and explain their medicinal uses or recount myths associated with them. She would also point out ancient footholds pressed into the vertical cliffs. Ancient footprints of a people who learned to tame the desert. She was a wealth of knowledge with no shortage of fascinating facts and stories.

One of the best days of my life. Ever.

I was not going to write a review of Navajo National Monument because it is best kept a secret as a National Treasure. Yet, seeing that others have already disclosed the intense magic of the place, and it is still protected by its remoteness and the need to hire a local guide to take you DOWN into the narrow canyon where the ruins are hidden, I realized that only the most hardscrabble searchers will make the effort to descend into American prehistory, and are in good enough shape to go in, and more arduously, climb out.

There is actually more than one NNM, but all were created to protect an Anasazi Ruin that might otherwise be disturbed and even looted by artifact hunters, the same way so many Egyptian tombs were by grave robbers through the ages. Too, the Navajo actually had nothing to do with these cliff dwellings, having arrived in the area only 400 years ago, while the alcove villages are often 1,000 years old. Anasazi is the Navajo word for, " ancient ones," a term expressing the reality that these people were gone before the Navajo arrived in the Four Corners region, leaving behind the ruins we see today.

If you plan to be on the Rez and want to explore Monument Valley, be sure to give yourself several days, as the distances between things are immense, and the difficulty finding some places requires preparation, time, and a good guide. Be sure to also visit Chinle and Canyon de Chelly a little farther east and south. Immersing yourself in our ancient history will be a once in a lifetime experience. It is plainly the oldest evidence of civilization in North America that did not come over on a ship from Europe or China.

And beware the Kokopelli. Their mystical flute will seduce you into staying forever.

Oh man. This part of the country is as everyone is saying, a best kept secret. I took the walk all by myself and the view of the Anasazi dwellings took my breath away. I was giddy as I looked through the binoculars provided--as others have mentioned, seeing this pre-European history of the continent is highly important and there is so much of it here. Incredible.

Beautiful.
Amazing views, very clean trails and facilities. The entire place is run wonderfully run, the views are breathtaking. The land is very well cared for and you get some amazing canyon views with a much better experience than other places.

Off season camping is free and the site was very well kept up! I really like that the blue tassel corn people decided to live there for a spell. Unfortunately, being off season, you can't hike to the base of the village or get the ranger led tour.
The piñon pine nuts were ready to harvest so there was a flurry of activity outside the park with people collecting pin nuts.
Watch out for the wild burros on the road.