Navajo National Monument - Keet Seel

I am most fortunate to work in a spectacular mountain setting, with my office door opening onto a grove of stately aspen and a mountain peak looming just around the corner. One thing however that does occur in winter is my time is no longer my own, at least for most of December.

Because I'm a staff member of a ski area near Flagstaff, when the frozen white stuff comes flying out of the sky it's time to get busy on opening for skiers and snowboarders who will flock to the slopes for some winter recreation. With a large staff to hire, train, and oversee I don't have much free time which is why I've let my blog languish for these last two months.

Now it's January, the resort is open and the holiday crowds are starting to thin, so I'll take a deep breath and resume some trip posts from last fall.

Keet Seel

On a trip in September I made an unplanned detour to visit Navajo National Monument in northeastern Arizona. While there I was able to participate in a ranger led hike to Betatakin, one of three preserved cliff dwellings in the Monument. Accessible via a 5 mile roundtrip walk into the surrounding canyons, I was impressed with the beauty and significance of the ruins and made arrangements to visit again in November for the longer overnight hike to another of the sites - Keet Seel.

This trip is best done as an overnight backpack, as the 8.5 miles each way comes with a steep descent of 1000 foot on the way in and the same climb on the way out. The trail is not especially difficult, but carrying a 50 plus pound pack on sandy and unimproved terrain makes for a long day, especially since you'll want to spend as much time exploring the ruins as conditions permit. Rangers allow up to five persons at a time into the ruin, with a maximum of 20 persons per day. Tours are given regularly during summer months, but spring and fall trips are limited to the second weekend of the month, and no tours are available in winter.

The Hike

The end of fall in northern Arizona can be absolutely beautiful, or as in the case of this trip cold and snowy. Ironically all of October and most of November had been clear and dry, leading me to hope I would get lucky enough to have nice weather for the hike, but two days before departure the skies turned gray and threatening. Cold does not scare me - after all, I work outdoors in winter and have the necessary gear. But anytime you venture outdoors in a wild and rugged environment where potentially life threatening conditions occur you'd better be ready for just about anything.

The beginning of the hike follows the same route as that to Betatakin, using an old road out to Tsegi Point before dropping steeply into the canyon. For a route description and pictures of the first part of this hike read the earlier post HERE. Once you descend about halfway in, the routes split with the trail to Keet Seel heading roughly northwest. Unlike the trail to Betatakin which stays higher, the route to Keet Seel continues down until reaching the canyon bottom.


Upon reaching the canyon floor you'll experience the first of many crossings of the creek. The stream is shallow in most places, but there is lots of sandy mud and some areas where you'll definitely get your footwear wet; I strongly recommend a second pair of dry shoes for camp.

This is also where the trail becomes more challenging to follow. At the Visitor Center hikers are given a photo orientation and written description, and the route is marked at 1/2 mile intervals, but careful attention to landmarks is required to stay on the path. Livestock are grazed in the canyon, and their paths in and out of the streambed have led many hikers astray.


The skies had been threatening all morning, and as I made the turn northward into the canyon where Keet Seel is located the promised inclement weather arrived. There were times when the snow squalls were so fierce I took temporary shelter in side drainages while waiting for the weather to improve.


Fortunately the snow showers were on again/off again, and I made pretty good time heading upstream. When the skies weren't full of snow, the beautiful Navajo sandstone walls were laced with ribbons of white, and occasionally glowed pink and red with infrequent breaks in the clouds.



Along the way several waterfalls break up the streambed, and cascades of water sheet over the slickrock.


Over the last 2 miles the hiker has the option of climbing up onto the bench above the creek or staying down low along the water. The upper route has more ups and downs as it winds along the cliff faces, but in summer during monsoon season the cautious visitor should probably opt for the high road to avoid the possibility of flashflooding and quicksand.


After 6 miles of trudging through water and sand, a sign appears on the right side bank advertising the primitive campground. Nestled in a grove of Gambel oak, the tent sites are little more than flat spots on sandy ground with picnic tables and a composting toilet nearby, although the majestic setting offers plenty of other attractions.



After dropping my pack at a likely site, it was time to continue 1/4 mile upstream to contact the ranger and arrange for a tour. On the day of my visit, only 4 other intrepid hikers made the trip, leaving all of us with ample time to explore the ruin and ask questions of the Navajo guide.

The NPS ranger assigned to the ruins must also hike in and out, and stays for the duration in a modern version of a Navajo hogan. Although rustic, it has many more comforts than my tent, including a woodstove and bed which I found myself wishing I had when temperatures reached a frosty 15 degrees overnight.


The ruins lie just beyond the hogan, and just like Betatakin are recessed into the cliff wall in such a way as to get maximum winter sun and summer shade.


The name Keet Seel is of Navajo origin, and translates as something like "many small broken pieces", referring to the abundance of pottery sherds lying about the area.


The ruins occupy a large ledge under the alcove, and modern day humans must climb a 70 foot ladder to reach them.

The preservation level of the cliff house is remarkable. Except for some retaining wall rebuilding and stabilization done in the 1930's the ruins are very much as the inhabitants left them in the late 1200's.






Like Betatakin the ruins at Keet Seel hold many clues to the ancestral puebloan peoples who once thrived in the region. Petroglypghs, potsherds, and other artifacts give archaeologists and paleontologists a look at prehistoric daily life in the canyons of the southwest, where once nomadic folks settled down to become farmers and craftspeople, trading knowledge and goods with other cultures to the south.

These incredibly tiny beads on a necklace fragment speak to the skill of some long ago artisan.


After spending a couple of hours learning about the past of the people who once lived here, it was time to head back to the campground before dark and set up my tent. Not long after sunset I crawled into my sleeping bag for a long, cold, and snowy night. I awoke early the next morning to clear skies, and realizing it would be several hours until the sun climbed over the canyon walls I eagerly set out down the trail looking for warmth.



The hike out was more enjoyable than the semi-blizzard of the day before. As morning progressed the rays of the sun melted much of the snow and gently warmed the air. By the time I reached the climb out I was down to just base layers, and soon even those became too warm as I huffed my way up the steady ascent.




Though the trip was quick, the memories I have will last a lifetime. The insights I gained into how people lived here for centuries before what we call modern life gives me a different perspective on what real difficulty is.

I wonder how many of us could live as the ancients once did, relying on the natural world for all that was needed to survive. Who knows... All it would take is some sort of large scale disaster or unforeseen disruption of what we take for granted to put that theory to the test.

There are far too many pictures of this trip to post here. Anyone who wants to see more can visit the photo album HERE.

Cedar Mesa and the Moki Dugway

Driving into Utah on U.S. Highway 163 in this remote southeastern corner is a journey into the heart of canyon country. Beginning at the border with Arizona the towering rock buttes and mesas of Monument Valley set the tone for the scenery ahead. Broad, arid basins separate ridges and canyon rims across wide expanses, while in the distance dim blue mountains ring the horizon.

To the east lies Colorado and the rugged San Juan Mountains, north leads to the Abajo and LaSal Mountains, and westward over the canyons of the San Juan River are found the Henry Mountains. From the high desert floor to the summits, the elevation change is over 7000 feet, and many different environments exist in this rugged landscape. In between the highs and lows are flat topped expanses of plateaus and mesas, most covered in a blanket of pinyon, juniper, and sagebrush - the ubiquitous southern Utah plant community.

The Colorado Plateau as a whole is a vast region of fairly uniform sedimentary rock uplifted thousands of feet above the surrounding landmass. Within this area are singular and distinct formations created by unique processes outside the uplift, and when the forces of erosion and weathering are applied the result is nothing short of spectacular. Comb Ridge, shown here just east of the town of Mexican Hat is one such example.

Comb Ridge is an anticline, or huge fold in the crust of the planet. It stretches nearly 100 miles along a north/south line, rising over 1500 feet above the San Juan River on the southern end. The scale and magnitude of the forces at work here are truly impressive.

Highway 163 crosses the San Juan River at the small community of Mexican Hat. The town was founded in 1882 after oil was discovered in the basin, and a short lived boom led to a population of 1000, followed by decline. Then in the middle part of the last century the town became the center of uranium mining and processing for the region, but hard times returned for the remaining residents after falling demand for yellowcake ore. Today the primary economic force is tourism and river runners who use Mexican Hat as a staging point for trips.

As the highway continues in a northeasterly direction, the curious formation that gives the town its name appears to east - the Mexican Hat, named for the similarity to an upside down sombrero. Though the rock appears precariously balanced it is in fact stable enough to allow for two climbing routes, and in geologic terms will probably appear much the same 10,000 years from now.
Just past the eponymous rock is the junction for Utah Highway 261 heading west over Cedar Mesa. U.S. 163 continues on 21 miles to Bluff and U.S. Highway 191, and eventually to Canyonlands and Arches National Parks - but that's another story. For this entry we're turning north onto 261 towards the Moki Dugway.


Immediately after making the turn, a large yellow sign warns motorists of hazardous road conditions - "10% Grades, Switchbacks, Narrow Gravel Road, 23 miles ahead." Another warning appears that says "Not Recommended for Trucks over 10,000 lbs., RVs, Buses, Vehicles Towing." Despite the ominous language, only semis and oversize RVs really have cause for concern. In the meantime another junction is coming up - the Goosenecks of the San Juan State Park turnoff is just ahead.

Heading 3.5 miles to the southwest Utah Highway 316 leads to an overlook of the San Juan River. Goosenecks State Park offers no amenities but has outstanding views of a geological feature known as an entrenched meander. The river flowing 1000 feet below loops back on itself several times, and narrow ridges of limestone and shale separate the channel. The picture below is from a NASA satellite image and it shows the twisting course of the river through the canyon.



Returning to Highway 261, the road makes steady progress towards the base of Cedar Mesa. To ascend the plateau, a unique trail has been chiseled out of the face of the cliff, using long traverses and tight switchbacks to reach the top. Built in 1958 to access uranium mines on the mesa, the Moki (also sometimes spelled Moqui) Dugway offers spectacular views of the surrounding area.


The term Moki Dugway refers to handholds and steps carved into cliff ledges by ancestral puebloan people whose culture once thrived in the region.. In similar fashion Mormon pioneers who subsequently settled this rugged land improved these ancient paths to create passages, enabling wagons and livestock to reach remote areas.

At the top of the dugway, the views are breathtaking. To the east, Comb Ridge and Valley of the Gods lie below. Even farther out the dark silhouettes of the Rocky Mountains appear on the horizon. The southern view reveals the monoliths of Monument Valley, and even further southeast to Shiprock in New Mexico.


The road becomes paved at the summit, and leads north to Utah Highway 95 and the outstanding Grand Gulch Primitive Area. This BLM managed recreation site contain hundreds of ruins and cliff dwellings located in canyons cut into Cedar Mesa. Access is managed and permits are required for overnight visits as the area is popular with backpackers, especially in spring and fall.

Where the pavement returns a dirt road leads approximately 5 miles southwest across the mesa to Muley Point. This high and lonely outlook provides an outstanding panorama of Monument Valley and the San Juan River canyons. The road is usually kept in reasonable condition, but as with all unimproved routes in canyon country wet weather can quickly render them impassable.




Another worthwhile destination on Cedar Mesa is John's Canyon. This tributary of the San Juan cuts northward through the mesa, and several spur roads head west off Highway 261 or Muley Point road that lead to the edge of the gorge. This extensive canyon system offers ample opportunity for exploration and solitude for the visitor who is prepared.

On Foot Part IV - Slate Mountain

The arrival of fall in the high country brings shorter, cooler days that are perfect for a day hike. Given that I'm fortunate enough to live in an area that boasts nearly unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities you can be sure I take advantage of it whenever possible.

On this day I'm traveling a little farther than usual - although the excellent Dry Lake Hills trails are just a couple of miles away, they are but a few of the options available. Instead I follow U.S. Highway 180 north towards Grand Canyon, where several other rewarding hikes can be found. In this case I'm heading for Slate Mountain, one of many hills that dot the region around the San Francisco Peaks.

Located approximately 23 miles northwest of Flagstaff, Slate Mountain lies near the limit of the San Francisco volcanic field, a collection of nearly 600 cones, craters, and extrusions that tell the story of 600 million years of vulcanism. Some of these features rise a few hundred feet above the surrounding area, while others such as Kendrick Mountain tower nearly 3000 feet over the land.

Slate Mountain is fairly modest with a 1000 foot rise, and the trail to the summit takes a leisurely 2.4 miles to reach the top. Because it is far from town the hike is not well known or frequently visited making it a great place to find peace and solitude.

The turnoff is well signed, and from the highway it's two miles to the trailhead on a rocky dirt road that is best suited to high clearance vehicles.

Like a number of other trails on the National Forest the route up Slate Mountain follows an old road grade that used to serve a fire lookout at the summit. The lookout is long gone, and the obvious road bed is slowly being reclaimed by cliffrose and rabbitbrush.



Initially the trail follows a shallow drainage where in the late 1990's a fire burned through, and the skeletons of juniper and pinon pine stand sentinel over the landscape. Soon leaving the worst of the burned area behind, the trail begins the first of several long traverses through a pinon/juniper woodland.


By this time the hiker will have noticed Forest Service interpretive signage located at seemingly random intervals along the way, with each noting a particular tree or species of plant. These curious artifacts are a good example of man's best intentions thwarted by Nature - when the signs were placed in the early 1990's, there were actual trees and plants associated with them, but the subsequent fire and other natural changes destroyed or eliminated the subjects. Even though in most cases the examples no longer exist, the placards are nonetheless informative.

As the trail climbs higher, views east towards the San Francisco Peaks and Kendrick Mountain improve. Ponderosa pine begins to dominate the forest as slightly cooler and wetter environmental conditions exist at the higher elevations.


The trail grade is moderate over the entire length, and few switchbacks are required to negotiate the hill. As it nears the summit, the trail winds its way around the mountain like stripes on an old barber pole , and 360 degree views of the surrounding area are provided as you make steady progress to the top.




Slate Mountain was so named by early settlers for the gray rock found on the upper slopes. The material does resemble slate in color and in the way it fractures along angular lines, but like all other features in this part of northern Arizona is volcanic in origin, and is actually called rhyolite.


The summit is an unremarkable rocky knob that offers outstanding views in all directions. On clear days the cleft of the Grand Canyon is visible to the north, with the San Francisco Peaks on the eastern horizon, and Kendrick Mountain looming to the south. This is a good place to pause for lunch, or to simply enjoy the peace and quiet of a high, lonely outpost in the great outdoors.