Shortly after visiting Canyon de Chelly in Chinle, Ariz., we took a swing by the Grand Canyon. We wanted to see the Big One with the Little One still fresh in our minds—we couldn't resist making the comparison. There isn't much to compare; the two are very different, starting first and foremost with size. Several Canyon de Chellys could easily fit inside the Grand Canyon, with plenty of room left over for a few small cities. Does that make the Grand Canyon better?
Canyon de Chelly's nearly vertical walls and flat floor differ substantially from the stepped, notched walls of the Grand Canyon. Because of the vertical walls, the light in Canyon de Chelly is dramatic and striking throughout the day, even though the sunsets of the Grand Canyon are legendary. People still live in Canyon de Chelly and have lived there continuously for 5000 years.
The ruins and petroglyphs set against traditional Navajo hogans and pastures filled with livestock set up a human history with which the Grand Canyon just can't compete. In fact, our guide into the canyon actually lives there on her small ranch. Touring, hiking and horseback riding are completely different experiences in Canyon de Chelly. The White House Ruin trail (Canyon de Chelly) can be hiked round trip in about two hours, including a nice break to view the ruins.
Any trail into the Grand Canyon takes several hours just to reach the bottom, and two days to make the round trip down and up. The accessibility of Canyon de Chelly is particularly appealing.
Finally, one factor of its size makes Canyon de Chelly the clear winner in our opinion. Silence. The Grand Canyon is one of the most visited sites on earth. Even in late fall, when we visited, there were lines to get into the park and crowds at the visitor's center and gift shops. Canyon de Chelly, while not deserted, was almost perfectly quiet. There was almost a reverence for the Canyon and for its history. Visitors lowered their voices as they took in the breathtaking, albeit smaller-scale, grandeur.
In a world where we value the biggest, tallest, fastest, and "grandest," we've discovered that sometimes these value-judgments leave out one important factor—what we actually like.
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