Pre Columbian historical sites in the Americas have always been one of my keen interests, and when it comes to the U.S. Southwest I´ve got a long bucket list. High on it is this U.S. National Monument within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation in the state´s northeast, four hours from Flagstaff. It's called Tsegi in Navajo, and Chelly is a Spanish adaptation of that word, though in English it´s pronounced " Shay" because its spelling apparently looked French (yeah, I´m confused, too).
Anyhow, the area was settled by the ancient Puebloans as far back as 5,000 years, and you can visit their cliff dwellings, with ranger-led hikes and Navaho-guide-led jeep tours available. 40 Navajo families still live here.
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