Heading north from Sunset Crater, we entered Navajo territory. This wide open area had few opportunities to camp.
Our stop for the night was The Navajo National Monument, which is run by the park service. Located in the middle of Navajo territory, it was set up prior to the formation of the reservation.
The Monument had two campgrounds and both were free(always a plus for Mr. Ram). The Sunset Campground was set up for RVs with paved sites and appeared to have flush toilets. The Canyon Campground had gravel sites and pit toilets. It also had a great view.
The next day we stopped at the visitors center and talked to the ranger, Talaya.
She gave us information on the park and the anciet ruins. It was a short walk down to view the ruins.
Talaya also filled us in on Navajo and Hopi land disputes. The Navajo prevailed leaving the Hopi completely surrounded.
We also talked about the younger generation not wanting to learn many of the old ways – a problem not unique to the Navajo. However in one area they had introduced new stories in Navajo to help children learn their native language.