Driving to Canyon de Chelly (Phoenix, Flagstaff: rent, cost, airport)

[theoracle]

Whats the best way to get there? the best airport to land into?

Also is Mountain Valley in Utah far from Flagstaff?

thanks

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by theoracle

Whats the best way to get there? the best airport to land into?

Also is Mountain Valley in Utah far from Flagstaff?

thanks

Might look at Denver and commuter to Durango then rent a car

or

Phoenix and commuter to Flagstaff then rent a car.

or

Albuquerque and rent a car.

If it's the Mountain Valley (by Salt Lake) in UT that I'm thinking about, it's a tad over 9 hrs by car from Flag.

Others may have better options.

[Finger Laker]

Best can be a difficult to describe - closer may cost more and have less flight flexibility

Flagstaff & Durango are about the same distance from it ... Abq a touch longer

I agree that the only Mountain Valley I can think of is near SLC and that's a trek and I don't think much of a tourist destination

Maybe thinking of Monument Valley? - if so that's about 3 hours from Flagstaff and about 2 and a half from Canyon de Chelly

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

Best can be a difficult to describe - closer may cost more and have less flight flexibility

Flagstaff & Durango are about the same distance from it ... Abq a touch longer

I agree that the only Mountain Valley I can think of is near SLC and that's a trek and I don't think much of a tourist destination

Maybe thinking of Monument Valley? - if so that's about 3 hours from Flagstaff and about 2 and a half from Canyon de Chelly

[thedirtman]

Sorry, I missed this thread. The Page Airport is the location to fly into Canyon De Chelly. Check for flights from Denver or Phoenix.

[travel4life]

If you're going to Canyon de Chelly, definitely rent a 4x4 and hire a Navajo guide to take you through the riverbed "tour" - well worth it, because they'll often take you to many of petroglyphs and old dwellings/remains that you can't see from the rim looking in. Pretty cheap too (even after a nice tip)!

[rambrush]

I would suggest leaving nothing zero zippo in your vehicle and leave the doors unlocked as well to prevent damage when it gets broken into.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by rambrush

I would suggest leaving nothing zero zippo in your vehicle and leave the doors unlocked as well to prevent damage when it gets broken into.

Would you care to elaborate so people understand your point?

[rambrush]

When we were up there a year or so back we were advised of a lot of vehicle break ins while visitors went out on the view point and trails. As they are a small distance from the parking lot and your vehicle is not visible it makes it a prime target.
We observed the local kids hiding out in the nearby brush watching our every move. So we started heading out and I decided to talk a walk back to the vehicle and sure enough there they were looking in the windows of vehicles. Did not catch em in act though.
Never did the park and ride through the bottom canyon so not sure how secure that parking area is.
So yes maybe they have resolved the security issues or not.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by rambrush

When we were up there a year or so back we were advised of a lot of vehicle break ins while visitors went out on the view point and trails. As they are a small distance from the parking lot and your vehicle is not visible it makes it a prime target.
We observed the local kids hiding out in the nearby brush watching our every move. So we started heading out and I decided to talk a walk back to the vehicle and sure enough there they were looking in the windows of vehicles. Did not catch em in act though.
Never did the park and ride through the bottom canyon so not sure how secure that parking area is.
So yes maybe they have resolved the security issues or not.

Thanks for the clarification!