March 12th~ After a quick breakfast we headed out to take the 17 mile trip through the valley below the hotel. On this route you can see the mittens, John Ford point, the Three sisters, Elephant Butte, Camel Butte and more. If you just drive this route you can cover it in 1 1/2 hours but plan on spending most of the day if you like to stop and take in the sights. There are locals who offer horseback rides and tours and stands to sell their wares. We stopped at one site below the Three sisters formation. A local family had horses and sheep here and we got there just in time to see the birth of a brand new baby lamb. My daughter Shelly wanted to take a horseback tour but we didnt have time this trip so she had to settle for a picture on a indian pony. It was amazing to see a life brought into this world in such a desolate place. The Navajo people are very resourcefull and tough to survive in such a beautiful but equally harsh environment.
Each turn opened up to a new and amazing scene and the anticipation that drives you on to see what is around the next corner or over the next hill. The scenes change from minute to minute with the movement of the sun. The weather was perfect for this trip. The temperatures were in the upper 50s and was great for hiking. I was told by one of the locals that the best time to visit is spring or fall. I guess it gets pretty busy during the summer as well as 100 degree temps. We spent the whole day sight seeing and then headed back to the town of Kayenta for a bite to eat. One thing to remember if planning a trip here in the off season is there are a lot of restaraunts and businesses that close in the off season so it limits your choices of places to eat. Back to the hotel for some night shots of the valley.
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