Places to see in Indian Country
We are thinking about a driving trip from Baton Rouge through Austin to Santa Fe and perhaps the Grand Canyon. The goal will be to see what we can of the historic Indian sites and perhaps go up to Shiprock. I last went through this area as a kid, and that was 50 years ago. Flagstaff was barely a wide spot in the road and Grand Canyon was not very crowded. I have some Kodachromes I shot on that trip, but little memory of anything. I would like to do some photography on the way, subject to my wife's patience. What would folks familiar with the area recommend putting on our destination list? Canyon de Chelly is a must see. This will be in mid-May - is that the best time?
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
You're looking for ancient sites, or contemporary?
Walnut Canyon is just East of Flagstaff, but it's a steep hike uphill to get back to the parking lot.
Chaco Canyon would have to be on the "A" list of any sites---I understand the car camping is primative and I don't know how accessible it would be during monsoon season.
Not the time of year you're after, but the Christmas Eve festivals in the Pueblos near Santa Fe are incredible feasts for all the senses.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Monument Valley.
Mesa Verde.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Kasaian
You're looking for ancient sites, or contemporary?
Walnut Canyon is just East of Flagstaff, but it's a steep hike uphill to get back to the parking lot.
Chaco Canyon would have to be on the "A" list of any sites---I understand the car camping is primative and I don't know how accessible it would be during monsoon season.
Not the time of year you're after, but the Christmas Eve festivals in the Pueblos near Santa Fe are incredible feasts for all the senses.
+1 on Chaco.
The monsoons don't normally come until July, sometimes even August.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
The politically correct term is "Injun Country" and you better be packing.
Bandelier National Monument and nearby Los Alamos combine a lot of history, intersections of cultures, scenic beauty, ironic juxtapostions and nuclear waste... the thinking man's Roswell.
Chaco was a lot of fun to climb around and felt the most like a real living settlement still.
Canyon De Chelly!
I like the land North and East of Taos.
Las Vegas, New Mexico still feels like a real 1950s town and isn't all touristy.
It was a very nice, long drive, been there 3-4x now, Still have to shoot some landscapes but I just take it in.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ed Richards
The goal will be to see what we can of the historic Indian sites and perhaps go up to Shiprock.
Chaco NHP wins hands down. Being somewhat remote and inconvenient to other sites, my wife and I avoided it for years, but finally found enough time to squirt over to NW New Mexico. We ended up staying four four days before regrettably tearing ourselves away. This was when entry was only by miles of dirt road (paved now, I believe, before they began road controls and the like). There were few visitor services (no gas, groceries – bring your own and be prepared to camp).
Quite uncrowded and free to roam among the many ruin sites, if you don't mind hikes. Most sites were in states of arrested decay since the early days of discovery. From the Chacoan architecture, to Fajada Butte's Sun Dagger, the Supernova Pictograph, and the Jackson Steps along ancient roads, it is a seemingly unending source of fascination, mystery and intrigue. But what many find most unique about Chaco is its natural history based astronomical observatory programs, unique to the Park System. Telescopes lined up on the VC patios every evening.
Photography can be difficult with bald skies.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Thanks Frank. I really appreciate that this terminology as well as favorite "female photographer" rubs you the wrong way. It bothers me to an I'm glad you are calling people out.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Hey I thought he was going to Bangalore?
Knowing Ed, I bet he was just being a wise-guy.
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
Indian country? I thought the americas was all theirs. Maybe you mean Anasazi? And while you are there, check out the local honky culture. Then head east for some good'ole redneck music and continue on east for great food in cracker country. But you might want to continue on north, so you feel at home in WASP country. Have a good trip!
Re: Places to see in Indian Country
IIRC in Canyon de Chelly you'll need an Indian guide to go anywhere (except the White House ruins IIRC). You can go on a tour or hire your own. When I was there someone else hired our Indian guide which costs more but was well worth it I thought. We spent plenty of time photographing and at almost every stop we'd see a tour group pull up, spend maybe 10-15 minutes in the area, then zip on to the next stop.