Trail Links:
Fluted Rock Road, Window Rock Navajo Museum, Red Lake
(Not used during Syncro Safari '12)
This is a combination of "3.2" trails strung together with a stop at a Navajo Museum in the middle. This plan takes the Fluted Rock Road along the south rim of Canyon de Chelly, saving the stops at the lookouts for a seperate trip. Take the side spur up to the Fluted Rock Fire Lookout for lunch. Aftet the lookout, on to the museum in Window Rock and then the easy Black Creek and Red Lake trails.
Itinerary:
8:00 AM Leave Camp at Cottonwood Campground
8:00 – 11:30 Fluted Rock Road to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout .
Not including south rim overlook stops.
Including 4-rated spur trail to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout.
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch at Fluted Rock Fire Lookout
12:30 – 1:30 Mostly paved road to Window Rock
1:30 – 2:30 Navajo Museum
2:30 – 4:30 Black Creek Trail, Red Valley Trail & just the NE section of Sawmill Navajo Trail
4:30 – 6:00 Paved roads IR-12 and IR-64 around north rim of Canyon de Chelly back to camp
Here’s some trail information excerpted from a published sources:
(Excerpted from Massey & Wilson "Backcountry Adventures Arizona")
NE Region # 44 - Fluted Rock Road
Total Miles: 31.1
Unpaved Miles: 20.6
Driving Time: 3 hours
Elevation: 5,500 – 8,100 ft
Difficulty Rating: 2
Scenic Rating: 9
Special Attractions: South Rim Drive of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Shady Forest Drive, Optional 4-rated climb up to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is one of the biggest attractions within the Navajo Nation and deservedly so. The paved South Rim Drive takes visitors past many overlooks into the canyon, where they can peer down into the red-walled chasm and see farmland and the vehicle trail far below. It also offers glimpses of some of the famous rock formations and ruins, such as Spider Woman Rock and White House Ruin. The rim drive does not equal the trail along the floor of the canyon for a real feel of the nature and life in the canyon, but it complements it well. For those with limited time, it makes a stunning introduction to Canyon de Chelly.
NE Region #41 - Black Creek Trail
Total Miles: 11.6
Unpaved Miles: 11.2
Driving Time: 45 minutes
Elevation: 7,000 – 7200 ft
Difficulty Rating: 1
Scenic Rating: 8
Special attractions: Easy trail running along a wide, scenic valley
This graded road runs along Black Creek Valley, parallel to paved Indian Road 12. It is a well-used road because it accesses several houses. The valley is wide and shallow, and the meandering, often dry Black Creek is to the east. The Chuska Mountains are to the east of the valley, just across the state line in New Mexico. The trail ends on Indian Road 12 a short distance into New Mexico, at the entrance to Red Lake, a popular fishing and camping place.
NE Region #42 – Red Valley Trail
Total Miles: 7.5
Unpaved Miles: 7.5
Driving Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 7,100 – 7,300 ft
Difficulty Rating: 3
Scenic Rating: 8
Special Attractions: Red Lake
Red Lake is very popular with fishermen. It is one of the best places to catch catfish in the Navajo Nation. The lake, set in a wide valley under the shadow of the Chuska Mountains to the east in New Mexico, has several miles of grassy shoreline interspersed with marshy banks and some rocky outcrops. This trail commences by crossing the rutted track that leads across the top of the dam at the south end of the lake. The deep ruts show that this area is extremely muddy and best avoided in wet weather—a good policy for the entire trail.
NE Region # 43 - Sawmill Navajo Trail (We'll just do about 2 miles of the NE section of this trail.)
Total Miles: 12.3
Unpaved Miles: 12.3
Driving Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 7,200 – 7,800 ft
Difficulty Rating: 2
Scenic Rating: 8
Special Attractions: South Rim Drive of Canyon de Chelly National Monument; Shady forest drive; Excellent photo opportunities from many overlooks into Canyon de Chelly; Optional 4-rated climb up to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout.
This trail travels through some of the forest areas of the Navajo Nation. The well-used, single-track trail crests a rise and then runs across open Red Valley before entering the forest. Much of the trail travels along a ridge top, giving views east over red rock buttes and the Chuska Mountains. The surface is very rutted and eroded and only suitable for travel in dry weather. The final section of the trail follows a graded dirt road as it emerges from the forest at the settlement of Sawmill.
This is a combination of "3.2" trails strung together with a stop at a Navajo Museum in the middle. This plan takes the Fluted Rock Road along the south rim of Canyon de Chelly, saving the stops at the lookouts for a seperate trip. Take the side spur up to the Fluted Rock Fire Lookout for lunch. Aftet the lookout, on to the museum in Window Rock and then the easy Black Creek and Red Lake trails.
Itinerary:
8:00 AM Leave Camp at Cottonwood Campground
8:00 – 11:30 Fluted Rock Road to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout .
Not including south rim overlook stops.
Including 4-rated spur trail to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout.
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch at Fluted Rock Fire Lookout
12:30 – 1:30 Mostly paved road to Window Rock
1:30 – 2:30 Navajo Museum
2:30 – 4:30 Black Creek Trail, Red Valley Trail & just the NE section of Sawmill Navajo Trail
4:30 – 6:00 Paved roads IR-12 and IR-64 around north rim of Canyon de Chelly back to camp
Here’s some trail information excerpted from a published sources:
(Excerpted from Massey & Wilson "Backcountry Adventures Arizona")
NE Region # 44 - Fluted Rock Road
Total Miles: 31.1
Unpaved Miles: 20.6
Driving Time: 3 hours
Elevation: 5,500 – 8,100 ft
Difficulty Rating: 2
Scenic Rating: 9
Special Attractions: South Rim Drive of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Shady Forest Drive, Optional 4-rated climb up to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is one of the biggest attractions within the Navajo Nation and deservedly so. The paved South Rim Drive takes visitors past many overlooks into the canyon, where they can peer down into the red-walled chasm and see farmland and the vehicle trail far below. It also offers glimpses of some of the famous rock formations and ruins, such as Spider Woman Rock and White House Ruin. The rim drive does not equal the trail along the floor of the canyon for a real feel of the nature and life in the canyon, but it complements it well. For those with limited time, it makes a stunning introduction to Canyon de Chelly.
NE Region #41 - Black Creek Trail
Total Miles: 11.6
Unpaved Miles: 11.2
Driving Time: 45 minutes
Elevation: 7,000 – 7200 ft
Difficulty Rating: 1
Scenic Rating: 8
Special attractions: Easy trail running along a wide, scenic valley
This graded road runs along Black Creek Valley, parallel to paved Indian Road 12. It is a well-used road because it accesses several houses. The valley is wide and shallow, and the meandering, often dry Black Creek is to the east. The Chuska Mountains are to the east of the valley, just across the state line in New Mexico. The trail ends on Indian Road 12 a short distance into New Mexico, at the entrance to Red Lake, a popular fishing and camping place.
NE Region #42 – Red Valley Trail
Total Miles: 7.5
Unpaved Miles: 7.5
Driving Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 7,100 – 7,300 ft
Difficulty Rating: 3
Scenic Rating: 8
Special Attractions: Red Lake
Red Lake is very popular with fishermen. It is one of the best places to catch catfish in the Navajo Nation. The lake, set in a wide valley under the shadow of the Chuska Mountains to the east in New Mexico, has several miles of grassy shoreline interspersed with marshy banks and some rocky outcrops. This trail commences by crossing the rutted track that leads across the top of the dam at the south end of the lake. The deep ruts show that this area is extremely muddy and best avoided in wet weather—a good policy for the entire trail.
NE Region # 43 - Sawmill Navajo Trail (We'll just do about 2 miles of the NE section of this trail.)
Total Miles: 12.3
Unpaved Miles: 12.3
Driving Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 7,200 – 7,800 ft
Difficulty Rating: 2
Scenic Rating: 8
Special Attractions: South Rim Drive of Canyon de Chelly National Monument; Shady forest drive; Excellent photo opportunities from many overlooks into Canyon de Chelly; Optional 4-rated climb up to Fluted Rock Fire Lookout.
This trail travels through some of the forest areas of the Navajo Nation. The well-used, single-track trail crests a rise and then runs across open Red Valley before entering the forest. Much of the trail travels along a ridge top, giving views east over red rock buttes and the Chuska Mountains. The surface is very rutted and eroded and only suitable for travel in dry weather. The final section of the trail follows a graded dirt road as it emerges from the forest at the settlement of Sawmill.
DIFFICULTY RATINGS
[The information below is mostly excerpted from Massey & Wilson's "Backcountry Adventures" book series difficulty ratings so you'll know how to interpret the ratings above. Ratings or 4-5 seem best suited for what might be called "mild to moderate, family friendly 4-wheeling" in a Syncro.]
1 [Graded dirt]
2 High-clearance 4WD preferred, not necessary. These trails are dirt roads, but may have rocks, grades, water crossings, or ruts that make clearance a concern in a normal passenger vehicle.
3 High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable. You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads, though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.
4 High-clearance 4WDs are recommended, though most stock SUVs are acceptable. Expect a rough road surface with rocks larger than 6 inches, but there will be a reasonable driving line Patches of mud are possible but can be readily negotiated; sand may be deep and require lower tire pressures. There may be stream crossings up to 12 inches deep, substantial sections of single-lane shelf road, moderate grades, and sections of moderately loose road surface.
5 High-clearance 4WDs are required. These trails have either a rough, rutted surface, rocks up to 9 inches, mud and deep sand that may be impassable for inexperienced drivers, or stream crossings up to 18 inches deep. Certain sections may be steep enough to cause traction problems, and you may encounter very narrow shelf roads with steep drop-offs and tight clearance between rocks or trees.
6 These trails are for experienced four-wheel drivers only. They are potentially dangerous, with large rocks, ruts, or terraces that may need to be negotiated. They may also have stream crossings at least 18 inches deep, involve rapid currents, unstable stream bottoms, or difficult access; steep slopes, loose surfaces, and narrow clearances; or very narrow sections of shelf road with steep drop-offs and potentially challenging road surfaces.
7 through 10 [Not considered for Syncro Safari routes so their descriptions are not depicted here.]
END EXCERPT
1 [Graded dirt]
2 High-clearance 4WD preferred, not necessary. These trails are dirt roads, but may have rocks, grades, water crossings, or ruts that make clearance a concern in a normal passenger vehicle.
3 High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable. You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads, though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.
4 High-clearance 4WDs are recommended, though most stock SUVs are acceptable. Expect a rough road surface with rocks larger than 6 inches, but there will be a reasonable driving line Patches of mud are possible but can be readily negotiated; sand may be deep and require lower tire pressures. There may be stream crossings up to 12 inches deep, substantial sections of single-lane shelf road, moderate grades, and sections of moderately loose road surface.
5 High-clearance 4WDs are required. These trails have either a rough, rutted surface, rocks up to 9 inches, mud and deep sand that may be impassable for inexperienced drivers, or stream crossings up to 18 inches deep. Certain sections may be steep enough to cause traction problems, and you may encounter very narrow shelf roads with steep drop-offs and tight clearance between rocks or trees.
6 These trails are for experienced four-wheel drivers only. They are potentially dangerous, with large rocks, ruts, or terraces that may need to be negotiated. They may also have stream crossings at least 18 inches deep, involve rapid currents, unstable stream bottoms, or difficult access; steep slopes, loose surfaces, and narrow clearances; or very narrow sections of shelf road with steep drop-offs and potentially challenging road surfaces.
7 through 10 [Not considered for Syncro Safari routes so their descriptions are not depicted here.]
END EXCERPT