Navajo Nation Attractions Reopen: What You Need to Know

Some major Navajo Nation sites have reopened this week, granting visitors access to some of the most culturally significant parks and monuments in the US again, including Canyon de Chelly, Hubbell Trading Post, Navajo National Monument, and Four Corners Monument.

Current Reopening Status

The Navajo Nation—the country’s largest Native American reservation that stretches across parts of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona—is gradually reopening some sites after months of closures triggered by the pandemic. It has now entered the “orange” phase of its reopening plan, which allows parks, attractions, restaurants, museums, casinos, campgrounds, RV parks, and hotels to operate at 50% capacity. While curfews have been lifted, the mask mandate remains in effect; this requires everyone over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask in public areas.

Health and Safety Guidelines

“We’ve been in this pandemic for over a year now and we should all know how to protect ourselves,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement. “The difference between this time last year and the uprise in cases we are seeing now is that we have a high percentage of our people vaccinated, and our public health experts have provided us with the guidance to reduce the spread of the virus.”

Recently, there has been an increase in infections of the Delta variant; however, vaccine uptake remains strong in Navajo Nation, with over 70% of the eligible population vaccinated, according to the LA Times.

Prepare for Your Visit

If you plan to visit some of the newly-reopened attractions, remember to pack a mask and check the latest public health and park guidelines before arriving. Not all services are operational, and there are limited in-person programs and ranger-led activities across many parks and sites, all adhering to the 50% capacity limits.

While President Nez confirmed that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases is “largely due to social and family gatherings where people don’t wear masks and don’t take precautions,” the Navajo Nation government retains the authority to shut down tours and attractions at any moment if they believe a spike is directly tied to tourism.

For more information on Navajo Parks and Recreation sites, visit here.