Navajo County, Arizona
Obits
Arizona Daily Star, The
(Tucson, AZ) - July 10, 1992
Deceased Name: The ins
and outs of Keet Seel
Keet
Seel is located at Navajo National Monument in Northern Arizona, 20
miles west of Kayenta, on U.S. Highway 160. Access to the ruin is
strictly controlled - no more than 20 people a day are allowed in, and
a back-country permit from the National Park Service is required for
hikers or riders.
Reservations for a back-country permit can be made by calling the
monument at (602) 672-2366. The visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 5
p.m.; Navajo National Monument is on daylight-saving time, as is the
rest of the Navajo Reservation. There is no charge for the permit.
Reservations may be made up to two months in advance. Keet Seel is open
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, seven days a week.
Horses
for the ride must be rented from Virginia Austin; arrangements are made
through the Park Service. The cost for each rider is $50, and each
group of riders is accompanied by several wranglers. A ranger conducts
tours at the ruin site.
Riders
and hikers must take their own food and water, as there are no
facilities in the canyon or at Keet Seel. Surface water in the canyon
is contaminated by livestock and should not be used for drinking. Space
for packing food and water is limited to small saddlebags; unbreakable
canteens with straps are advised. Each person on the daylong ride
should carry a minimum of 2 quarts of water; 4 quarts are advised.
Comfortable clothes, sturdy boots or shoes and hats are advised.
Temperatures in the canyon during the summer can reach 100 degrees.
Overnight camping is available at Navajo National Monument headquarters
on a first-come, first-served basis (limited to vehicles no more than
25 feet long). The campground is open from mid-April through
mid-October. The 30 spaces are usually filled early during the summer.
Also
located at Navajo National Monument is Betatakin ruin, another large
and well-preserved Anasazi ruin. Two guided hiking tours per day of
Betatakin are offered during summer months, beginning at 9 a.m. and
noon. The hike takes five to six hours; it is five miles round trip and
includes steep grades at high altitudes. Spaces are limited; sign up
the day of the tour on a first-come, first-served basis. Sturdy shoes
and 2 quarts of water are recommended. Visitors to Betatakin must be
accompanied by a ranger. This ruin is usually open mid-April through
mid-October.
The
nearest town with food, gas, services and lodging is Kayenta. There are
several motels and restaurants there, but make lodging reservations
early; Kayenta is also the nearest town to Monument Valley and does a
booming tourist business, especially during the summer.