Canyon de Chelly is a free national monument, but if you wish to explore the canyon wash, you must hire a native guide for a hike, horse ride, or 4-wheel tour. The monument offers only one unguided hike, albeit a spectacular one, down into the canyon wash to the base of White House Ruins. Before the hike we drove along the south rim road, stopping at vista pull-outs, the last of which is Spider Rock, named for the Spider Woman of Dineh mythology.
Spider Rock
White House Ruins
The hike is only 1.5 miles down but five miles back up. Not really, but it seems that way, as the elevation change is about 600 feet, creating an ascent that will elevate your cardio-vascular rate.
Even if you aren't conditioned for such a hike, though, it is do-able if you take it slowly. Also, remember to wear sturdy shoes (not flip-flops) and carry water. We hiked the trail in the afternoon and were thus in shade most of the way, but sun-screen is always a good idea. A walking stick might not be a bad idea, either. By the way, about three dozen families live in the canyon wash and they request that visitors shoot no photos of them or their houses.
White House Ruins
To provide scale and perspective, here is a shot of the ruins from an overview (about 2/3 of the way down the image).
White House Ruins overview
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