lbaboyd

We'll be spending the night at Thunderbird Lodge at CDC and plan the next morning to take the 1/2 day a.m. tour there. Then we plan to head to Sedona, staying at the Orchard Inn there a couple of nights. The question we're wondering about: Will we have time for any stops between CDC and Sedona? We'd like to be able to do the drive through Painted Dessert/Petrified Forest on the way to Sedona. Does anyone have experience with such a drive or might have other suggestions? Thanks.

utahtea

The 1/2 day tour should be done by 1 or 2 P.M. I really enjoyed that tour!

It's about a 4 hour drive to Sedona without the Petrified Forest and it's only about 1/2 hour longer to just drive thought the Petrified Forest - Painted Desert. Add more time if you plan to stop at scenic overlooks and get out and take some of the easy short walks. If you don't mind arriving at about 8:00 P. M. in Sedona you could spend 1 1/2 hours at the Petrifed Forest and do some short hikes.

Utahtea

lbaboyd

Thanks Utahtea. I remember you back when we first started planning, you suggesting we stop in at Canyon DeChelly. And we are! Really looking forward to it. Getting in Sedona at 8:00 p.m. will probably work for us, since it's just my wife and I. Keep up the good work - your advice helps a lot of us who haven't been out your way to have a better perspective of things there.

Vera

We'll be at Canyon de Chelly June 15-17. My favorite place on earth! I hope you're making time to drive the rim drive--preferably just before sunset the evening you arrive. And also, Ganado Trading Post is a not-to-be-missed short stop.

Vera

lbaboyd

Thanks for the tidbit, Vera. We're doing the 1/2 day a.m. tour at Monument Valley the day before, and then heading to CDC. Would you think we'll have time to get to CDC and drive the rim drive that day? You're referring to the Hubbell Trading Post, I presume - we will try to at least check it out on the way. We move along pretty good, so maybe we can fit in these things. So much to choose from and try to squeeze in, huh. You must be going back - how many times have you been there? We may have to try multiple trips ourselves. Thanks again.

Vera

Hi:
Yes, I meant Hubbel trading post at Ganado. And yes, I think you will get there in time to do the rim drive in the evening. BTW, I hope you have realized that while Arizona is not on daylight savings time, the Navajo Reservation IS--so you're dealing with two time zones.
And yes, I've been there several times. First time took the half-day truck tour that you're taking. Next time took the whole-day truck tour. Next time took our own jeep and paid a driver/guide for a day. We'll be doing that again this time.
ENJOY!
Vera

tah

Vera, we will be in CDC for the second time in September. First time we took the full day tour and now, since we will be renting an SUV to go to Chaco Canyon, we want to get our own guide for CDC. If you can, post a note as to how you did with the private guide.

Enjoy your trip.

lbaboyd

Sounds like a good way to go. What the nominal fee?

Vera

I will try to post when I get back, but when we hired a guide before to drive our car, it was great because we saw more territory than on the open truck tour. Not so great because luck of the draw got us a very silent man. Some of the truck drivers are very talkative and very funny. They also like to tell tall tales that "white eyes" take ever so seriously. You need to understand that Navajos have a great sense of humor and love to play tricks on gullible visitors.
You need to take water and a picnic lunch. There are picnic tables at the end of the canyon, and j-jons in case anyone is worried about that sort of thing.
As to price, I don't remember, but it is probably on the National Park Service web site.

Vera