Spider Rock Overlook

Spider Rock Overlook sits at the end of the South Rim Drive in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, 6,871 feet above sea level. It looks down on Spider Rock, a pair of sandstone spires at the junction of Canyon de Chelly and Monument Canyon. Wikipedia says the spire rises 750 feet from the canyon floor. The US Geological Survey puts the canyon's depth here at about 800 feet. On a clear day, the low ridge on the western horizon is Black Mesa.

Spider Rock matters in Navajo tradition. The Park Service writes that Spider Woman, from her home on top of Spider Rock, taught the Navajo people how to weave. Wikipedia adds that the taller of the two spires is said to be the home of Spider Grandmother. This is a sacred landscape, and the Navajo Nation bans climbing on its sacred sites and buttes. The canyon floor below is home to Navajo families who farm and raise livestock, and you may see their fields from the rim.

Getting here is easy. The South Rim Drive is paved, and you don't need four-wheel drive, a guide or a permit. The rim drives are free and open all year. The South Rim Drive has seven overlooks. The Park Service suggests allowing about two hours to visit them all and says the light is best in the afternoon. The Park Service map marks Spider Rock Overlook as wheelchair accessible. Leashed pets are welcome at the overlooks.

Plan the drive with care. The Park Service tells visitors to arrive from the west, from Chinle. Do not continue east on Route 7 past the Spider Rock turnoff. That road is unpaved and unmaintained toward Sawmill, and it could leave you lost without phone signal. GPS and cell service are unreliable across the Navajo Nation. In bad weather the Park Service asks visitors to stay on paved roads, because rain can bring rockfall and flash floods.

The usual Navajo Nation and monument rules apply. Drones are not permitted in the monument. Off-road driving is not allowed. If you want to see Spider Rock from below, you must hire an authorized Navajo guide and buy a backcountry permit. The Welcome Center, about 3 miles east of US 191 in Chinle, is the place to pick up a map. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Navajo time.