Just getting to Canyonlands offers wonderful views, as I travel through Flagstaff north on Hwy 89 into the Navajo Nation and the Painted Desert. It was a quiet road at 4:30 in the morning, with the light of dawn highlighting the vermilion and magenta cliffs that make up the Black Mesa and the Ward Terrace.

I head east on 160 towards Tuba City and the Hopi Indian Reservation along the Navajo Trail that splits the Black Mesa along the Klethla Valley. The elevation and rainfall in this area sits in stark contrast to the sonoran desert to the south, with huge grassy plains stretching into the distance, spotted with Juniper. The navajo Nation is the largest of all of the Native American lands, encompassing over 25,000 square miles, and supporting the largest tribal population in the country. This land supports several significant destinations, including Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley.

At Kayenta, I left 160, and headed north on 163, which leads directly towards monument valley and angles to 191 and my destination in Canyonlands. Monument Pass provides spectacular view to the south and Sentinel Mesa. After passing through Mexican Hat, I make my way to 191 and on to Moab!