This rocky area New Mexico is home to an abundance of archaeological ruins. The Crow Canyon Petroglyphs in particular are considered to be the largest collection of Navajo rock art from the 16th to 18th centuries in the American Southwest.
The Crow Canyon Archaeological District is a remote and relatively obscure area in the heart of Dinétah, the traditional and ancestral home of the Navajo. The foundations of Navajo culture were well established in the area, dating back to 1100. The Navajo lived in Dinétah until about the end of the 18th century, when pressure from the Ute forced them to abandon it and move elsewhere and invading Spanish settlers.
The artwork in Crow Canyon preserves traces of the people who once called the country home. Most of the petroglyphs are grouped into “tablets” mainly carved into the south and east facing walls of the canyon. Looking at them is like looking at a gallery full of hundreds of stylized animals, people, plants, weapons and supernatural beings.
Since the petroglyphs resemble the Navajo ceremonial sand paintings, archaeologists believe that these were likely connected to a ceremonial purpose as well. You’ll also see much older ancestral puebloan rock art mixed in with the Navajo petroglyphs.
In addition to petroglyphs, Crow Canyon contains several Navajo pueblitos (archaeological ruins) that were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. They are usually less accessible than the petroglyphs.
Today, the Navajo Tribe is the largest Indian tribe in the United States, with more than 250,000 members.
Know before you go
Crow Canyon is relatively dark and remote. You are unlikely to encounter other visitors. It’s on BLM land and the signage is pretty good. A 4WD vehicle with high ground clearance is recommended, but is not essential in dry weather. You should plan four hours for your adventure to the Dinéta.
To reach the petroglyphs, take County Road 4450 east off US 64 (east of Farmington, New Mexico, Aztec, New Mexico and east of Blanco, New Mexico) for 19 miles. This is a dirt road that is reasonably well maintained. You cross Largo Wash after eight kilometers and again after 30 kilometers. Then turn north (there will be a sign) and travel approximately a mile to the mouth of Crow Canyon.
From there there are signs to the various petroglyph areas. Most of the petroglyphs are on the ground, so there is no climbing or hopping to see them. The road and car wash can become impassable during or after rain, so watch out for the weather. You are pretty much in the middle of nowhere (20+ miles to the nearest paved road) and there is no cellular coverage. Bring water.
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