Navajo National Monument
| Navajo National Monument | |||
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| Location: | Arizona , United States | ||
| Next city: | Flagstaff | ||
| Surface: | 1.5 km² | ||
| Founding: | March 20, 1909 | ||
| Visitors: | 61,637 (2004) | ||
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The Navajo National Monument is a memorial and an archaeological reserve type of national monuments that within the Indian reservation Nation Reservation Navajo in Arizona is.
The facility consists of three sub-areas, in each of which a ruin of a pueblo is protected in a rock niche. The three pueblos are among the best-preserved buildings of the Anasazi and date from the 13th century. The buildings are located near the Shonto Plateau with a wide view over the Tsegi Canyon system. The National Monument has a visitor center , two campsites, and two self-explanatory hiking trails. Ranger- led hikes are also offered from the visitor center .
The Sandal Trail is a self-explanatory hiking trail that offers viewpoints over the canyons and the rugged canyon landscape. Signs on the wayside provide information about flora and fauna. The 1.6 km loop ends at the Betatakin Ruins across from Betatakin Canyon . The two pueblos Betatakin and Keet Seel can be visited as part of a guided tour, the third Pueblo Inscription House has been closed to tourists since 1968 because its state of preservation does not allow visits. The National Monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966 .
History of the monument
It was designated by President William Howard Taft by a Presidential Proclamation on March 20, 1909, with an area of 3715 acres . On March 14, 1912, President Taft reduced the area by 90% to 360 acres as a much larger area was designated as a National Monument than was necessary to protect the ruins.
See also
Web links
- National Park Service: Navajo National Monument (official site; English)
- Betatakin (Photo Gallery)