Road Scholar : Home
Pueblo Heritage: The Anasazi, Hopi, Navajo and Chaco Canyon

Program Number: 4541RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/22/2013 - 9/28/2013; 9/29/2013 - 10/5/2013; 10/20/2013 - 10/26/2013; 3/23/2014 - 3/29/2014; 4/6/2014 - 4/12/2014; 4/27/2014 - 5/3/2014; 5/11/2014 - 5/17/2014;
Duration: 6 nights
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Price starting at: $957.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Native American Studies; On the Road; Natural History; History & Culture Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 17; 6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 6 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

The Southwest is the keeper of America’s best-preserved and most compelling archaeological treasures. That heritage continues today in the modern Hopi and Navajo culture of northeastern Arizona. Enjoy personal insights as Native American guides share cultural achievements, historic struggles and modern challenges




Highlights

• Visit cliff dwellings in Flagstaff at Walnut Canyon National Monument and on the Hopi reservation explore Old Oraibi, the oldest continually inhabited American settlement.
• On the Navajo reservation enjoy a 4x4 jeep trip into the heart of majestic Canyon De Chelly, native arts demonstrations and a visit to historic Hubble Trading Post.
• Journey to the center of the Anasazi world, Chaco Canyon, and explore the architecture of Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl and the Great Kiva of Casa Rinconada.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to 1.5 miles on pavement or packed dirt and gravel. Exploration of ruins at Chaco Canyon requires agility to maneuver around rocky, uneven trails.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Flagstaff, Ariz., 2 nights; van to Canyon de Chelly, 2 nights; van to Gallup, N.M., 2 nights; van to Flagstaff, Ariz., departure.



Coordinated by Northern Arizona University.




Flagstaff

Nestled at the foot of the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona, Flagstaff is a perfect departure point for trips to the Glen and Grand canyons or Sunset Crater National Monument. At 7,000 feet in elevation, this cool mountain city is one of the highest in the nation.



Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly’s isolation and geology offer a sense of the elemental and serene. Canyon walls rise to 1,000 feet above the flat canyon floor, protecting it from easy discovery and harsh weather, while the preserved ruins of the Puebloan peoples who began building here 900 years ago underscore 20 centuries of near-continuous human habitation.
Accommodations
Centrally located hotels with seasonal swimming pools and exercise rooms.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Bruce Banker
Bruce Banker is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he studied natural sciences and geology. He lives in Flagstaff and has worked for the National Park Service as a naturalist on the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Chaco Canyon National Historic Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Bruce also serves as an outdoor educator for the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Bruce has taken students to many of the far-flung corners of the Southwest and has a few good stories to share.
 
Richard Stephens
Rich has been director of Northern Arizona University’s highly popular Road Scholar programs since 2001. He previously spent many years in the field as a program coordinator and group leader, where he honed his skills and learned the importance of detailed, pre-trip planning. Before making his home in Arizona’s spectacular red-rock country, Rich spent 10 years in Yosemite National Park and the Santa Cruz mountains as an environmental educator.
 
Stewart Lasseter
After completing studies in geo-science, natural history and Spanish at the University of Arizona, Stewart Lasseter studied as the protege of a Native American healer, learning from her practices of wholeness, kinesiology, mind-body medicine and dyslexia correction. He has years of experience bringing groups in touch with the natural world, and is currently pursuing post-graduate studies in health sciences at Prescott College.
 
Jerry Snow
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jerry Snow taught college classes for 25 years in the areas of biology, ecology and environmental health. He moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, with his wife, Juana, over a decade ago and worked part-time for the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Lab in entomology. Jerry has been a docent with the Museum of Northern Arizona since 1994, specializing in Navajo and Hopi Indian history and culture. His hobbies include model railroading and archeoastronomy.
 
Chris Coder
Chris Coder has been a professional archaeologist since 1981, working on the Colorado Plateau, across the intermountain west and the Great Plains. He was a project archaeologist for the Grand Canyon National Park on the Colorado River from 1990-1996, and since then has been the archaeologist for the Yavapai-Apache Nation in Camp Verde. Chris has a bachelor’s in geology from Augustana College and a master’s in anthropology from Northern Arizona University.
 
Martin Link
Martin Link is a historian, author and archaeologist who has been imparting the story of the American Southwest to Road Scholar participants for more than 25 years. He is the former director of the Navajo Museum in Arizona and the former publisher of the Indian Trader Newspaper. Martin helped to train the first Navajo tribal park rangers in the early 1960s. He is the co-author of “The Goat in the Rug,” a children’s book about the weaving of a Navajo rug and cooperation between friends.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Flagstaff La Quinta Inn & Suites
  Flagstaff, AZ 2 nights
   Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
  Chinle, AZ 2 nights
   Comfort Inn Gallup
  Gallup, NM 2 nights
 Flagstaff La Quinta Inn & Suites
Type: Hotel
  Description: Four floors with 2 elevators, 128 rooms. Conveniently close to shopping. One quarter mile to Northern Arizona University. 2 miles to historic downtown Flagstaff. Wide range of cuisine available at nearby restaurants.
  Contact info: 2015 S Beulah Blvd
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 USA
phone: 928-556-8666
web: www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do?ident=LQ939&propId=939
  Room amenities: Free WIFI, dataport phones, premium cable channels, coffee maker, hair dryer, clock.
  Facility amenities: Seasonal outdoor pool and spa, fitness center. Deluxe continental breakfast. Guest coin operated laundry available. Free local calls. Participants requesting a refrigerator for medicine can have access to a locked refrigerator that is located in the hotel lobby area. Lobby microwave available to guests 24 hours. Safety deposit box at front desk available to all guests. Roll away beds for $10.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Seasonal Call local La Quinta for the rates available during your stay (928) 556-8666. NOTE: When they get the pre-recorded information they must hit the "6" option, to connect with group sales, which has the information about Road Scholar groups.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM

 Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Type: Motel
  Description: Located on the high desert of the Colorado Plateau, the Holiday Inn Chinle stands at the entrance to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The canyon is the second largest in the USA. In huge hollows at the base of the canyon's vertical walls, ancient cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people stand well preserved since their construction more than 10 centuries ago. Petroglyphs both in and near the ruins clearly depict events of the canyon's early inhabitants. The remote location deep within the Navajo Nation removes it from the impact of the modern world and retains the canyon's sense of timelessness.
  Contact info: Indian Rt 7
Chinle, AZ 86503 USA
phone: 928-674-5000
web: www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/chinle/chnaz/hoteldetail
  Room amenities: AC, coffee/tea makers, remote control cable TV. Free high speed internet access in rooms; bring your own laptop. Limited cell phone service available in Chinle / Canyon de Chelly. No in-room refrigerators - one refrigerator available at the desk.
  Facility amenities: 108 guest rooms. Full service restaurant featuring authentic American Indian cuisine and traditional American fare. Room service available. Gift shop with authentic Native American art and jewelry. Fax service. Seasonal outdoor swimming pool. Guest laundromat. Limited cell phone service available in Canyon de Chelly / Chinle.
  Smoking allowed: Yes

 Comfort Inn Gallup
Type: Hotel
  Description: Smoke-free facility near the Navajo Nation, convenient to Chaco Culture Historic Park, El Morro National Monument and the Pueblo of Zuni.
  Contact info: 1440 W Maloney Ave
Gallup, NM 87301 USA
phone: 505-726-2700
web: www.comfortinn.com/hotel-gallup-new_mexico-NM180
  Room amenities: Mini fridge, microwave, cable 32 inch flat screen TV, free local, toll-free calls, AM/FM alarm clock radio, coffee/tea maker, hair dryer, iron and board. Roll away beds available for single rooms.
  Facility amenities: Three story hotel with elevator and indoor heated pool and spa, free wi-fi or ethernet, on site coin-operated laundry, free outdoor parking with room for RVs, business center with computer, fax and printer. Buffet breakfast includes breakfast meat selection, scrambled eggs, two flavors of make your own waffles.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after: Seasonal, $99.00 - $130.00 Call hotel for rates in effect during your stay.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
On-site registration from 4:30 - 5:15 PM in hotel meeting room. You will be staying at Flagstaff La Quinta Inn & Suites that night.
  End of Program:
After transport back to Flagstaff from Gallup, program ends at 10:45 AM. Drop offs at starting hotel and Flagstaff Visitor Center / Amtrak Station. You will be staying at Comfort Inn Gallup the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Free at Flagstaff hotel for length of program. NOTE: If you plan to drive to Gallup from Flagstaff in your own vehicle due to future travel plans, inform the leader at registration so that he/she can make group travel arrangements.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Flagstaff, AZ
  Nearest city or town:  Phoenix, AZ, 150 miles S.
  Nearest highway: Interstates 17 & 40 cross in Flagstaff; US 89
  Nearest airport:  Commuter: Flagstaff; International: Phoenix
  From End of Program
  Location:  Departures
Travel Details
 

Flagstaff, AZ to/from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Arizona Shuttle
phone: 877-226-8060
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approx. $45.00 one way ($41.00 Internet Reservation); $5.00 each way drop off/pickup at La Quinta
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

Approx 3 hours 
 

Distance:

 

150 Miles
   

Call Arizona Shuttle for departure times PRIOR to booking flights. 9 shuttles daily from/to the Phoenix airport. Upon arrival into Phoenix airport, check in required at shuttle desk in baggage claim area of airport,15 minutes before shuttle departure. Flagstaff La Quinta Hotel drop off/pick up by advanced reservation ($5.00 extra charge per reservation BY MENTIONING ROAD SCHOLAR); otherwise the drop off/pick up is at Flagstaff Amtrak (Visitor Center). Advanced reservations required.
 

Flagstaff, AZ to/from Starting Destination

 

To Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Amtrak
phone: 800-872-7245
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Varies with starting / return destination
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

From Flagstaff train station to hotel: 5 minutes taxi ride. 
 

Distance:

 

From Flagstaff train station to hotel 2 miles.
   

Westbound train arrives 8:51 PM and departs at 8:57 PM Eastbound train arrives at 4:36 AM and departs at 4:41 AM.
 
Driving Directions
  Flagstaff La Quinta From I-40 Take I-40 to Flagstaff, exit 195 north for Flagstaff and Grand Canyon. This puts you northbound on Milton Road. At the first stoplight, Forest Meadows, turn left. Left (west) on Forest Meadows for quarter block to next light, Beulah Blvd. Right (north) on Beulah for quarter block to La Quinta on left, 2015 S. Beulah.
  Flagstaff La Quinta from I-17 N on 1-17 until it ends, becoming Milton Rd in Flagstaff. At lst stop light, Forest Meadows, turn left for quarter block to next light, Beulah Blvd. R on Beulah for quarter block to La Quinta on left, 2015 S. Beulah.
Elevation Note: Elevation over 7000 ft; those w heart / lung concerns should consult physician before attending.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Registration/Orientation & Introductions
(Sunday, September 29)
   
 Afternoon: Hotel check-in after 3:00 PM. On site Northern Arizona University Road Scholar program registration between 4:30 - 5:15 PM in hotel lobby.
 Dinner: Dinner at Sizzler Restaurant. Along with a hot entree selection enjoy Sizzler's famous endless Salad Bar with over 50 fresh items including seasonal and specialty salads, just picked vegetables and fresh fruits, soups, hot appetizers and cool desserts.
 Evening: After dinner, your Northern Arizona University coordinator will lead an introduction and orientation session. With your fellow participants, you will review the week's itinerary, travel arrangements, sightseeing tips, etc., and there will be a question and answer session afterward. Everyone will leave knowing what to expect!
   
Accommodations: Flagstaff La Quinta Inn & Suites
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Introduction to the Pre-History of the Colorado Plateau/Sinagua Ruins and Visitor Center at Walnut Canyon National Monument
(Monday, September 30)

Note: The paved, one mile (round trip) Island Trail at Walnut Canyon descends 185 feet by a series of 240 steps into the canyon. This trail affords access to many cliff dwellings and interpretive signs. At an elevation of 6,700 feet, park rangers do urge caution, since climbing the 240 steps back up can tax heart and lungs. The 3/4 mile Rim Trail is a paved and level trail with easy access to great canyon views and to a series of pueblo ruins and interpretive signs.
   
 Breakfast: Deluxe continental breakfast at the hotel to include waffles, hard boiled eggs, fresh fruits, pastries, bagels, cereals, muffins, juices, milk and coffee.
 Morning: To facilitate a better understanding of the "Chaco Phenomenon" and the pre-historic cultural development of the Southwest - enjoy a morning presentation by a local expert. This fascinating presentation will give you the geographic and cultural background to maximize your program experience as well as leave you excited to "hit the road"!
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Field trip to the Sinagua ruins, visitor center and museum at Walnut Canyon National Monument. A hike down into Walnut Canyon (with its 220 steps) will bring you face to face with ancient cliff dwellings. Walnut Canyon is a spectacular scenic attraction in its own right and contains diverse plant and animal communities to be enjoyed from all vantage points. For those that choose not to go into the canyon a lovely rim walk with excellent views and accessible Sinagua Ruins will be offered.
 Dinner: Dinner at a festive local Greek restaurant with a variety of entree choices for all palates.
 Evening: After dinner the NAU Road Scholar coordinator will conduct a meeting discussing the logistics of tomorrow's travel day. An introduction to the Hopi Reservation and Canyon de Chelly will be offered. NOTE: If you plan to drive to Gallup from Flagstaff in your own vehicle due to future travel plans, inform the leader at registration so that he/she can make group travel arrangements.
   
Accommodations: Flagstaff La Quinta Inn & Suites
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Hopi Cultural Center / Hopi Village / Arrive Chinle and Canyon de Chelly National Monument
(Tuesday, October 1)
   
 Breakfast: Deluxe continental breakfast at the hotel to include waffles, hard boiled eggs, fresh fruits, pastries, bagels, cereals, muffins, juices, milk and coffee.
 Morning: Depart Flagstaff for the Hopi mesas and the Cultural Center (2 hours). The Hopi trace their history in the Southwest to long before the Spanish arrived in 1540 and many villages have been occupied since the 1100s A.D. Enjoy a fascinating native arts demonstration (pottery making or katchina carving or other) presented by a Hopi tribal member and artisan upon arrival. Time to explore the exhibits and photographs in the Hopi Tribal Museum and time to check out the native arts and jewelry shops will be offered.
 Lunch: A soup, salad and sandwich lunch buffet at the Hopi Cultural Center Restaurant will be offered.
 Afternoon: In the afternoon, we will tour the ancient Hopi village of Old Oraibi. A Hopi guide will provide the group with insights into the rich cultural history and practices that connects the modern day Hopi people to their ancient puebloan ancestors. Mid-afternoon, drive through the Hopi and Navajo Nations to Chinle, the gateway to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Check into Chinle Holiday Inn.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. Dinner will include a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.
 Evening: Free Evening.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Canyon de Chelly Rim Tour and Jeep Tour
(Wednesday, October 2)

Note: The optional White House Ruin Trail hike follows a well established trail. The trail is generally wide with no major drop-offs but does have some uneven terrain. The upper part of the trail is built on a sandstone surface so caution must be taken but footing is good overall. The lower part of the trail becomes more sandy as the grade decreases. The trail ends at the White House Ruin canyon viewpoint. NOTE: The entire group will return to this point on the afternoon jeep ride.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.
 Morning: Depart after breakfast for explorations in the national monument. Options will include a van tour along Canyon de Chelly's South Rim; viewpoints include White House Ruin Overlook and Spider Rock Overlook or a 2.5 mile (600 foot elevation loss/gain) hike on the White House Ruin Trail. A visit to the Canyon de Chelly National Monument Visitor Center will give additional valuable information to this national treasure and Navajo people.
 Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Navajo lunch buffet at the hotel restaurant. Navajo Tacos, Posole (hominy) soup, steamed vegetables, blue corn mush, and vegetable soup and more will be offered.
 Afternoon: After lunch, participants will travel to the Thunderbird Lodge and the start of the canyon tour. Board 4-wheel drive tour trucks for a "jeep" trip into Canyon de Chelly with certified Navajo guides. The afternoon tour will include two canyons - Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto. During the tour there will be stops at cliff dwellings, homesteads and petroglyph sites for pictures and shared stories of the "Ancient Ones" by knowledgeable Navajo guides. There will be Native American craft and jewelry vendors at two rest stops during the tour.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. Dinner will include a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.
 Evening: Evening program related to Navajo culture will be offered.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Hubble Trading Post / Window Rock and Gallup Arrival
(Thursday, October 3)
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.
 Morning: Following breakfast at the hotel, load vans and travel to Gallup, New Mexico. Our first stop will be at the Hubble Trading Post National Historic Site. We will step back in time to recount the important and influential trading post era on the Navajo reservation. Enjoy an informative guided tour of the Lorenzo Hubble house and time to explore the still active historic trading post. Continue to Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation and the Window Rock Veterans Memorial Park. Highlights include the "Window Rock" geologic formation and the touching memorial tribute to the World War II Navajo Code Talkers. For fans of Tony Hillerman mystery novels, Window Rock is the heart of "Hillerman Country".
 Lunch: Enjoy a buffet lunch at the Window Rock Quality Inn - a favorite meeting place of the local population.
 Afternoon: Early afternoon check in at our Gallup hotel. Enjoy free time relaxing at hotel or take advantage of an optional shuttle to downtown Gallup to explore museums, the Gallup Cultural Center, famous pawn shops and Route 66 sites.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
 Evening: An evening presentation on Chaco Canyon will supply you with information in preparation for your next day's trip to Chaco Canyon.
   
Accommodations: Comfort Inn Gallup
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Chaco Canyon/Chetro Ketl & Casa Rinconada
(Friday, October 4)

Note: Access to the Great House ruins at Chaco Canyon is by gravel paths with only minor elevation changes. Prepare to be out in the elements and on your feet for one to two hours at a time as the group explores the myriad features and highlights of the Chaco Great Houses.
   
 Breakfast: Continental breakfast at the hotel.
 Morning: After an early breakfast, embark on a full day field trip to Chaco Canyon. Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves one of America's most significant and fascinating cultural and historic areas. Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1150. It was a hub of ceremony, trade, and administration for the prehistoric Four Corners area - unlike anything before or since. Please note that this will be a very full day with an early departure and late return. At Chaco Canyon your knowledgeable field guide will conduct a walking tour of Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl, two of the parks "Great Houses". Pueblo Bonito represents the zenith of "Anasazi" culture and is the largest and most famous ruin in Chaco Canyon. Pueblo Bonito reached five stories in height along its back wall and may have contained as many as 800 rooms. Pueblo Bonito stood as the largest structure in North America until the 1800's. There will also be the opportunity to explore the Petroglyph Trail with its many fascinating and often whimsical rock art images. IMPORTANT NOTE: Access to Chaco Canyon is by a 21 mile dirt road and weather permitted. In the event of heavy rains the road will become completely impassable. In this rare instance we will substitute Chaco Canyon with another interesting destination.
 Lunch: Enjoy a sack lunch on the grounds of the Visitor Center. Bathrooms and drinking water are available.
 Afternoon: After lunch we will visit the ruins of Chetro Ketl - one of the largest pueblos in Chaco Canyon. This pueblo contained over 500 rooms and 12 kivas including a Great Kiva within the central plaza.The walls of Chetro Ketl are embedded with ancient wooden vigas, or beams - which had to be carried from distant forests by hand and prepared with stone tools. It is estimated that over 5,000 trees were cut for Chetro Ketl alone. Chacoan "banded masonry", the meso-american influenced "colonnade", painted room plaster and "key hole" kivas are just a few of the architectural gems contained in Chetro Ketl. The afternoon tour continues with a stop at Casa Rinconada, which stands as the largest "Great Kiva" in the southwest! Casa Rinconada is believed to be the impressive venue for ceremonial activities of old. A visit to the park visitor center museum, bookstore and exhibits will be planned.
 Dinner: After returning to motel around 5:30 pm, we will have a later dinner at a popular, local Mexican restaurant. Enjoy time to relax and reflect on the weeks events with your new found friends.
 Evening: After dinner we will gather for a program wrap-up, impressions from the week and final reflections.
   
Accommodations: Comfort Inn Gallup
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Travel to Flagstaff/Departure
(Saturday, October 5)
   
 Breakfast: Continental breakfast at the hotel.
 Morning: Check out of hotel. Load vans, depart Gallup for return trip to Flagstaff (185 miles and approximately 3.5 hours). Drop offs in Flagstaff will be made at the starting hotel, the Flagstaff Amtrak / Visitor Center and the Flagstaff Airport (Pulliam Field). The program ends in Flagstaff. IMPORTANT NOTE: Vans will arrive Flagstaff by 10:45 AM in time to connect with the Arizona Shuttle to Phoenix.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Chinle, AZ Hiking in Canyon de Chelly: The White House Ruins Trail
This unforgettable hiking opportunity is not to be missed for those active people who want to see the canyon from top to bottom. The hike provides breathtaking views of the massive red cliffs with their caves and hollows and an amazing tree tunnel at the bottom near the ruin. The trail (1.5-miles each way) drops some 600 feet from the trailhead to the ruin. This is a well maintained and "manicured" trail. The trip down is more of an easy walk. The return is strenuous but there are adequate rest stops, with benches.
  Horseback Riding
Ride horseback accompanied by a Native America Guide onto the floor of Canyon de Chelly. Approximate cost is $20 per hour per person plus $20 per guide per group; cost will depend on number of participants. 2 hour minimum. Justin’s Horse Rental (928) 674-5678. For additional information, visit www.totsoniiranch.com
  Flagstaff, AZ General Overview
Points of Interest w/in 2 hours of Flagstaff: Walnut Canyon NM, Wupatki NM, Sunset Crater NM, Museum of Northern Arizona, Downtown Flagstaff & old Route 66, Lowell Observatory, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona Red Rocks and the Secret Mountain Wilderness, Montezuma’s Castle NM, Tuzigoot NM, Jerome, AZ Ghost Town, San Francisco Peaks and the Kachina Wilderness, Hopi & Navajo Reservations, La Posada Hotel / Restaurant at Winslow, AZ, Grand Canyon Railroad @ Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon National Park.
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Native Roads : The Complete Motoring Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Nations


Author: Kosik, Frank


Description: Using the mile markers of the US, Arizona, and Navajo highways and routes running through the Navajo and Hopi nations as her organizing principle, the author offers a travel guide to the sites found in the area. Natural, historical, and cultural points of interest are covered, along with some information on lodging and services. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR 304pp



Me and Mine: The Life Story of Helen Sekaquaptewa


Author: Udall, Louise


Description: An energetic Hopi woman emerges from a traditional family background to embrace the more conventional way of life in American today. Enchanting and enlightening—a rare piece of primary source anthropology. 262 pp



Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers


Author: Kawano, Kenji


Description: The American offensive in the Pacific during World War II [was] hampered by the Japanese ability to crack the most secret U.S. Codes. Navajo was virtually unknown outside the reservations, ... and [their] code proved uncrackable. Kenji Kawano's striking photographs capture the quiet dignity of the surviving veterans as they recall their actions --Los Angeles Times 128 pp



Diné: A History of the Navajos


Author: Iverson, Peter; Roessel, Monty


Description: This comprehensive narrative traces the history of the Navajos from their origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on extensive archival research, traditional accounts, interviews, historic and contemporary photographs, and firsthand observation, it provides a detailed, up-to-date portrait of the Diné past and present that will be essential for scholars, students, and interested general readers, both Navajo and non-Navajo.



Chaco Meridian


Author: Lekson, Stephen H


Description: Southwestern archaeologists have long pondered the meaning and importance of the monumental 11th century structures in Chaco Canyon. Now, Stephen H. Lekson offers a lively, provocative thesis which attempts to reconceptualize the meaning of Chaco and its importance to the understanding of the entire Southwest.. "Lekson's ground-breaking synthesis of 500 years of Southwestern prehistory - with its explanation of phenomena as diverse as the Great North Road, macaw feathers, Pueblo mythology, and the rise of kachina ceremonies - will be of great interest to all those concerned with the prehistory and history of the American Southwest.



In Search of Chaco


Author: Noble, David Grant


Description: Startling discoveries and impassioned debates have emerged from the "Chaco Phenomenon" since the publication of New Light on Chaco Canyon twenty years ago. This completely updated edition features seventeen original essays, scores of photographs, maps, and site plans, and the perspectives of archaeologists, historians, and Native American thinkers. For more than a century archaeologists and others have pursued Chaco Canyon's many and elusive meanings. In Search of Chaco brings these explorations to a new generation of enthusiasts.



People of Chaco: A Canyon and Its Culture


Author: Frazier, Kendrick


Description: Chaco Wash has cut a broad canyon through northwestern New Mexico. Its natural beauty is surpassed only by the many prehistoric ruins it contains, which were built by the Chacoan Anasazi, the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians. About 1000 years ago, the Chacoans constructed multistory residences, established an extensive road system, exercised cultural hegemony over a large region in the southwestern United States, and then suddenly left. Frazier skillfully recounts the fascinating story of Chaco Canyon. He describes its discovery and exploration, its role in the development of American archaeology, and the clues it contains about a unique cultural system. Gordon C. Tucker, Jr., Nickens and Assocs., Montrose, Col. 261pp



Traveling Indian Arizona


Author: O'Brien, Anne


Description: This empowering guide introduces readers to the Native American communities of Arizona. Traveling Indian Arizona covers the etiquette, present-day culture, traditions, cuisine, and arts of contemporary Arizona Native Americans. With this attractive illustrated book in hand, tourists will be prepared to explore the state's 21 tribal communities. 320pp



The Fourth World of the Hopis: The Epic Story of the Hopi Indians As Preserved in Their Legends and Traditions


Author: Courlander, Harold


Description: Folklorist Courlander traces Hopi legends from the tribe’s search through the wilderness for its home location to its settling on the Hopi Mesas and development thereafter. 239pp





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