Antelope House as seen from the Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

NORTH RIM DRIVE

STOP 1: ANTELOPE HOUSE OVERLOOK

The first stop on North Rim Drive when departing from the Canyon de Chelly National Monument (pronounced de Shay) Visitor Center is the Antelope House Overlook. A half-mile loop trail of moderate difficulty leads from the parking lot to an overlook of the Antelope House archeological site and to a second overlook with a view of Fortress Rock. This is one of the few overlooks in the park that is not wheelchair accessible.

Trail leading to Antelope House and Fortress Rock at the Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Located at the parking lot is a fancy outhouse—what Jed Clampett would call a portable toilet in a permanent building. The parking lot also has a few spots large enough for RVs and vehicles with trailers.

Restrooms at the Antelope House Overlook parking lot on the North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

All of the overlooks within Canyon de Chelly National Monument are situated along cliffs. Warnings to stay away from the edges and off the tops of the overlook walls are posted at most stops. If you have children, please watch them carefully and do not allow them to run around freely.

Antelope House Overlook on the North Rim Drive at Canyon de Chelly National Monument

The trail to Antelope House Overlook is lined with stones, and yellow-painted footprints embedded into the trail’s rock surface serve as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs for hikers to follow. There are a couple of short-but-steep sections with uneven rock steps along the trail, so be careful hiking up and down them. Total distance to the overlook is a quarter mile.

Rock-lined path with painted footprints on the way to Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Section of steps on the trail leading to Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive at Canyon de Chelly National Monument

People lived on the grounds now occupied by Antelope House from at least 690 AD based on an ancient Puebloan pit house found at the site. Over the years, the people built a very large housing complex with 80 plus rooms and at least seven kivas (circular, underground room used for ceremonies). It even had a central plaza. Like most of the housing sites within Canyon de Chelly National Monument, it was occupied until around 1300 AD, at which time the people began leaving the area. Reasons for why this happened vary, from drought to frequent flooding.

View of the Antelope House ruins from Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Built on the bank of Chinle Creek, Antelope House has been severely eroded by flooding over the years. Spring run-off from winter snowstorms in the Chuska Mountains to the east supplies the creek’s water. Fields are still planted today near the ruins by the Navajo who live in the area. Beans, corn, and squash (known as the “Three Sisters”) are the major crops, plus alfalfa has been an important recent addition.

Green fields surround the Antelope House archeological site at Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Antelope House is named for the antelope paintings on the canyon wall to the left of the ruins. Highly respected Navajo artist Dibe Yazhi (Little Sheep), who lived in the area during the 1830s, is credited with the paintings.

Antelope paintings on the canyon wall to the left of Antelope House, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

After stopping at the Antelope House Overlook, you can hike back to your car the same way you came or continue around the loop trail atop the canyon plateau for just over a tenth of a mile to the viewpoint at Fortress Rock (it is a half mile’s worth of walking either way). A few sections of steps are along the trail as it crosses over broken slickrock. The area around the trail near the canyon rim is very similar to Sliding House Overlook on Canyon de Chelly National Monument’s South Rim Drive. There is plenty of space to walk around and take in views of the canyon. Just be careful not to get too close to the edge.

Rock-lined path atop the canyon plateau on the way to Fortress Rock at Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Canyon plateau on the way to Fortress Rock at Antelope House Overlook on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Path leading to the overlook of Fortress Rock at Antelope House Overlook on the North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

The canyon within Canyon de Chelly National Monument is shaped like a sideways Y with the mouth of the Y facing east. Canyon de Chelly, which South Rim Drive follows, is the southeastern fork of the Y, and Canyon del Muerto, which North Rim Drive follows, is the northeastern fork. Numerous smaller canyons branch off of these two main canyons. Fortress Rock, also known as Navajo Fortress, is a rocky butte at the junction of Canyon del Muerto (to the left) and the smaller Black Rock Canyon (to the right).

Fortress Rock from the viewpoint along the trail at Antelope House Overlook on the North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Fortress Rock holds great significance for the Navajo. During the Battle of Canyon de Chelly in 1864, the final major military engagement of the Navajo Wars, Navajo leaders Barboncito and Manuelito led somewhere between 300 and 1000 people to the top of Fortress Rock. They had been stockpiling food at the butte and were therefore able to hold out while U. S. soldiers waited for them in the canyon below. Eventually, running short of supplies itself, the army left.

Though the people at Fortress Rock were able to avoid capture, by 1866 most all of the Navajo had grown weary of war and had surrendered. They were forced onto the Bosque Redondo Reservation 400 miles away at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Due to deplorable conditions and the United States’ inability to adequately supply the needs of the reservation, in 1868 it was closed, and the Navajo were allowed to return back to their native lands, part of which were at Canyon de Chelly.

After the viewpoint at Fortress Rock, the path loops back around to the parking lot in a quarter mile. There are more steps along the trail, and some short segments are quite steep.

Steps near Fortress Rock on the trail back to the Antelope House Overlook parking lot on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Path from Fortress Rock to the Antelope House Overlook parking lot on North Rim Drive, Canyon de Chelly National Monument

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