In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com

Donny Hernandez and the Wilderness

I'm Donny, this here is my wilderness hiking site.

You should bring all these things when you go backpacking, or else you could get in bad trouble.

LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE
No need to dwell on the topic of camp stoves, get a Trailstove and all your camp stove worries are over for good. The Trailstove burns wood instead of compressed gas like most camp stoves these days.

FOOD
Don't get those dehydrated bags of camping food. Just bring plenty of rice. Just eat beef jerky for meat and some carrots for veggies and your all set.

CAMPING SAW
It's good to have a camp saw. Normally you just use it to cut firewood but sometimes you need it make a shelter in case of an emergency.

LAMP
A good flashlight is very good to have around the campsite and if you need to walk in the dark it's absolutely necessary. If you do need to walk in the dark and don't have a light source it's better to stay where you are and wait 'til the sun comes up.

STRING
A little bit of string is very very light and is always very useful to bring.

FOLDING TOOL
This could be either a Swiss army type knife or a Leatherman type tool. Combined with your brain you can accomplish pretty much anything with a good multi-purpose tool.

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CAMP FIRE

1. COLLECT WOOD. You should have about 20 to 30 very thin twigs, and 10 to 15 small sticks to get the fire started and as many larger pieces you need to keep the fire going for as long as you need it.

2. BOTTOM BRANCHES. If the ground is covered with snow you can break dry branches off the bottom of a tree.

3. STARTER MATERIAL. You will need some material that ignites very easily to start the fire. There are a number of things you can use for this. Dry leaves, dry grass, bark, or chips from a dry semi-decomposed dead tree. Paper works fine too if you have some with you.

4. FIRE RING. Find a good location for your fire, there should be nothing nearby that could catch fire such as dry vegetation. Make a ring on the ground with rocks.

5. STARTER MATERIAL. Place the starter material in the center of the fire ring. Make sure there's plenty of air around each piece of material.

6. TWIGS. Make a teepee around the starter material using the thin twigs you collected earlier.

7. STICKS. Put the larger sticks around your twig teepee. Finish off with some more massive pieces.

8. LIGHT. Light the starter material.

9. WAIT. In about a minute the starter material has started to ignite the small twigs.

10. FIRE. After a few minutes your fire will be in full flame. Soon the teepee will collapse into a shapeless collection of burning wood, don't worry this is all normal and good. By now you fire is stable and will keep burning for as long as you feed it wood.

Navajo National Monument

Tonalea, AZ

Navajo National Monument preserves three of the most-intact cliff dwellings of the Anasazi (Hisatsinom). The monument is high on the Shonto Plateau, overlooking the Tsegi Canyon system in the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona. The monument features a visitor center, two short self-guided mesa top trails, a small campground, and picnic area. In the summer, Rangers guide visitors on tours of the Keet Seel and Betatakin cliff dwellings.

CONTACTS

Email - NAVA_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 928-672-2703

Write to
HC-71, Box 3
Tonalea, AZ 86044-9704

Phone
Headquarters - 928-672-2700

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The visitor center is open 8 am to 5 pm, seven days a week throughout the year. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The campground is open year around, weather permitting. The two overlook trails are open year round, weather permitting, as well. The hikes to Betatakin and Keet Seel are generally available from Memorial Day to Labor Day every year.

Getting There
PLANE - The closest major airport is Sky Harbor in Phoenix, AZ; travel by rental car is 4.5 hours (278 miles).

CAR - Major highways transit the Navajo Nation; paved AZ Hwy 564 turns north off US-160 at Black Mesa, and leads to the visitor center.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - No public transportation is available.

Weather & Climate
Summers are warm to hot, with temperatures in the high 90's, and monsoonal thunderstorms in July and August bring rain, wind, and lightning. Spring and Fall can be pleasant, but occasionally blustery, and Winter often brings snowstorms and very cold weather.

Accessibility
The Sandal Trail to the Betatakin overlook is paved and accessible to wheelchairs; it's steepness means that manual wheelchairs will need assistance for the return trip. The visitor center has automatic doors, and is wheelchair accessible. One site at the campground is specially paved for wheelchair access. The Betatakin video is closed-captioned.

Getting Around
The monument is small; AZ Hwy 564 ends at the border. The campground is just beyond the visitor center, and the two overlook trails are behind the visitor center. The guided hikes to Betatakin and Keet Seel traverse difficult terrain, with steep switchbacks, sand hills, quicksand, and other backcountry hazards slowing travel. Backcountry travel requires ranger guides or permits and is recommended only for experienced and fit hikers.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
INDIVIDUAL
Free!

Permits
KEET SEEL BACKCOUNTRY PERMIT
Free! for Day
The Keet Seel permit is required for hikers traveling to Keet Seel. Permits are generally available from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

CAMPING

Navajo National Monument Campground
Open All Year
The campground at the monument features 31 small sites, with picnic tables and parking spaces. No open-flame fires (charcoal or wood) are allowed; campers must use campstoves for cooking. A comfort station has restrooms, a camper service sink, and running water. No hookups are available; RV's are limited to 27 feet or less. No reservations are accepted for the campground. In the summer, overflow space is available at an older, more primitive campground 1 mile north of the main campground. In the winter, campers should be prepared for cold temperatures and deep snow.

LODGING

Anasazi Inn
Open All Year
The Anasazi Inn is the closest motel to the monument, and has 56 rooms and a restaurant. It is located east of the monument on US-160, ten miles east of Black Mesa, and 9 miles west of Kayenta, Arizona.
For More Information on this lodging please call 928-697-3793

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
NAVAJO NATIONAL MONUMENT VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 8 am to 5 pm
Phone - 928-672-2700
Location - 9 miles north of Black Mesa Junction with US Hwy 160 on AZ Hwy 564, on Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona.
Closures - Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, New Years Day
Exhibits - The exhibits feature various material artifacts from Anasazi (Hisatsinom) and Navajo culture, including pots, textiles, jewelry, and a replica of a Betatakin room cluster. The auditorium features laserdisc videos about the Betatakin cliff dwelling and the Ancient Pueblo people. A Navajo traditional hogan, sweat lodge, and 19th century wagon are located behind visitor center.
Available Facilities - A Craft Shop located in the building sells various Navajo and Pueblo arts and crafts. Restrooms are also available.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE	No need to dwell on the topic of camp stoves, get a Trailstove and all your camp stove worries are over for good. The Trailstove burns wood instead of compressed gas like most camp stoves these days.
FOOD	Don't get those dehydrated bags of camping food. Just bring plenty of rice. Just eat beef jerky for meat and some carrots for veggies and your all set.
CAMPING SAW	It's good to have a camp saw. Normally you just use it to cut firewood but sometimes you need it make a shelter in case of an emergency.
LAMP	A good flashlight is very good to have around the campsite and if you need to walk in the dark it's absolutely necessary. If you do need to walk in the dark and don't have a light source it's better to stay where you are and wait 'til the sun comes up.
STRING	A little bit of string is very very light and is always very useful to bring.
FOLDING TOOL	This could be either a Swiss army type knife or a Leatherman type tool. Combined with your brain you can accomplish pretty much anything with a good multi-purpose tool.