March 2007 & May 2011.............

Canyon de Chelly: To get there from Gallup, head north on H-491 for 5 miles to Yah-Tah-Hey. Turn west on H-264 for 19 miles. Turn north on US191 and go 40 miles. The floor of the canyon remains green year around, which is why is one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America. The canyon is 26 miles long and the cliffs that range from 30 to 1000 feet high. There are hundreds of Anasazi ruins, some world famous. We visited the canyon on the end of a 350 mile day trip and didn't have time to fully explore it. It's another place on our "go back to" list.
It took several years but we followed up on the "go back to" and spent time in the canyon. We did the South rim drive that is thirty seven miles with many overlooks. At most stops there was native american art for sale. Mostly jewelyr and scenes painted on rocks, some really beautiful paintings.

May 2011..........

Pipe Spring National Monument: When you leave Zion on UT-89 and cross the AZ border the highway becomes AZ-389. Pipe Spring is on this highway as you head toward Fredonia. We wouldn't have stopped except our friends in St George told us it was a worthwhile place to visit.
The ranch at Pipe Spring was part of Brigham Young's vision for the growing Mormon population. Morman's often tithed to the church in the form of cattle and he needed a place to put them. He also needed a source of beef and dairy to feed hundreds of laborers working on the Mormon temple at St. George, Utah. The ranch was formed in 1870 and he built "Winsor Castle" to safeguard the ranch manager. It had two sandstone buildings facing a courtyard enclosed by gates and the main spring was covered by the structure. A relay system for Desert Telegraph system was installed connecting this remote outpost on the Arizona Strip to other Mormon settlements and Salt Lake City. In the 1880's the fort became a refuge for wives hiding from federal marshals enforcing anti-pologamy laws. They hid there to save their husbands from prosecution. The property was sold in 1895 and became a National Monument in 1923. It only takes a short while to tour and there is a place to park your coach without unhooking the tow car. The only way to get into the castle is on a guided tour. The rest of the site is self guided. Our friend was correct, it was a very interesting place to visit.

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