Navajo Country on Horseback
Peaceful and quiet, with only the memory of Kit Carson’s Long Walk.
By: Darley Newman 06/01/2009
Life changed dramatically for the Navajo in the canyon in 1864, when Kit Carson oversaw a military campaign against them. For years, the Navajo had been raiding settlements in New Mexico. Under protest (he tried to resign his commission), Carson led a charge to destroy their food, shelter and livestock, forcing them to surrender. The Navajo traveled 300 miles to a reservation in Fort Sumner. Many died on this “Long Walk.” These Navajo wouldn’t return to the canyon until four years later, after signing a treaty with the government.
As Lee and I rode farther into the canyon, we passed sheep and cows, as well as Navajo homes. I could not imagine the chaos of the 1860s, because now everything was so quiet and peaceful, especially from my seat on my mount. I could imagine where the Navajo would hide, in the large crevices of a rock wall along the deep canyon. As we continued our ride, I began to understand why the Navajo believe that Canyon de Chelly is a spiritual place and why horseback riding is one of the best ways to experience its splendor.
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