A time machine. That’s what it was. Imagine driving for four hours and finding yourself in world of canyons and mesas. Looking down one day and up the next. And, by the end of the two-day adventure feeling like you have been gone a very, very long time. 

We left early on a Friday with our good friends Steve and Julie, and arrived in Flagstaff shortly after sunrise. It was a crisp and clear November day, the kind tourists dream about. After driving for what seemed forever through desolate reservation land, we reached our first destination. Just past the town of Chinle, is Canyon de Chelley, an Arizona National monument and part of the Navajo Nation. The land’s rich history spans close to 5,000 years, from the early Anasazi dwellers to the Navajo families that still live there today.

Ahhh, the benefits of visiting off-season. No crowds. Plus, we got lucky with the weather. That afternoon was spent peering into giant crevasses at ancient ruins, tidy farms, and geological wonders. Deep canyons cut by streams from the headwaters of the Chuska River.

Hiking White House Ruin trail provided us with a chance to look up and experience how it must have felt to live within the steep canyon walls.

That evening, we stayed at Thunderbird Lodge—the only accommodation located within the park’s boundaries. It’s cafeteria is located in the trading post’s original building. We dined on posole, chile verde, and Navajo burgers. That’s where Julie and I discovered how much we really, really liked fry bread. Satiated, we turned in, looking forward to the next day’s adventure in John Wayne (or Buster Scruggs) country.