Navajo National Monument: Free Cliff Dwellings Near Kayenta, AZ

Navajo National Monument is a free National Park Service site near Kayenta, Arizona, protecting some of the best-preserved ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in the Southwest: Betatakin and Keet Seel. The visitor center is open daily 9am to 5pm year-round, admission is free, and short self-guided trails let you view the setting without a permit. It sits about an hour from Wetherill Inn, making it an easy, uncrowded add-on to a Monument Valley trip.

What is Navajo National Monument?

Navajo National Monument preserves three ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, most famously Betatakin and Keet Seel, built into sandstone alcoves more than 700 years ago. It is run by the National Park Service, and unlike Monument Valley, entry is completely free. The visitor center has exhibits, a bookstore, and rangers who can help you plan, plus two free campgrounds nearby.

Don’t confuse it with Monument Valley

The similar names trip up a lot of travelers. Monument Valley is a paid Navajo Tribal Park with the famous buttes; Navajo National Monument is a separate, free NPS site with cliff dwellings, about an hour away. Many visitors do both on the same trip. See our guide on why the America the Beautiful pass doesn’t work at Monument Valley for the full distinction.

The self-guided trails

Right from the visitor center, short trails give you the views without a permit or a guide. The paved Sandal Trail (about 1.3 miles round trip) leads to an overlook of the Betatakin dwelling across the canyon, and the Aspen and Canyon View trails add more perspectives. These are the easiest way to experience the monument if you are short on time.

Seeing Betatakin up close

To actually reach the Betatakin dwelling, you join a ranger-guided hike, offered seasonally (typically spring through fall). It is strenuous, several hours round trip with a steep return climb, but it is the only way to stand at the alcove. Check current tour times with the park before you go.

Seeing Keet Seel (for the adventurous)

Keet Seel is one of the largest and best-preserved cliff dwellings in the Southwest, reached only by a strenuous backcountry hike of about 17 miles round trip with a free permit. Permits are limited and seasonal, so plan well ahead if this is on your list.

Planning your visit from Kayenta

From Wetherill Inn in Kayenta, the monument is about a 50-minute drive west off U.S. Highway 160. One planning note: the Navajo Nation observes Daylight Saving Time while the rest of Arizona does not, so from spring through fall local time runs an hour ahead of Flagstaff and Page, see our time-zone guide. Pair the monument with Monument Valley and the other attractions near Kayenta for a full day of exploring.

Frequently asked questions

Is Navajo National Monument free?

Yes. Navajo National Monument is a National Park Service site with free admission and free camping. Unlike Monument Valley, there is no entry fee.

What are the hours at Navajo National Monument?

The visitor center is open daily 9am to 5pm year-round, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The self-guided trails and campground stay open even when the visitor center is closed.

How do you see the Betatakin and Keet Seel cliff dwellings?

The Sandal Trail overlook shows Betatakin from across the canyon on your own. To reach Betatakin you join a seasonal ranger-guided hike; Keet Seel requires a free backcountry permit and a strenuous 17-mile round-trip hike.

How far is Navajo National Monument from Monument Valley?

About an hour by car. Many visitors staying in Kayenta, roughly midway between them, see both on the same trip.

Source: Navajo National Monument (National Park Service).