Travel Information for Sheep is Life

Please be advised that the Navajo Nation is a sovereign entity and is not subject to the laws of the State of Arizona, which has no jurisdiction in the Navajo Nation.  All are welcomed here and are treated respectfully.  

Location: Tsailé is at the junction of Highways 64 and 12, on the northeast rim of Canyon de Chelly.

Time:  The Navajo Nation is on Mountain Daylight Time.  All times for Sheep is Life events are MDT; that is, the same time as Denver, Salt Lake City, or Albuquerque.  The State of Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time.

Weather: Diné College is located at 7,000 feet elevation at the foot of the Chuska Mountains.  Sunscreen, a hat, and something to cover arms and legs are recommended during the day for protection from the sun and intense UV radiation (because of the altitude); bring jackets and sweaters for the cool nights.

Lodging: Primitive tenting and camping are possible at the Diné College Rodeo Grounds, where the sheep pens are, next to the Land Grant Program Building; there are outdoor toilets and a water spigot.  Tenting and camping are available at Tsailé Lake, adjacent to the campus. There are NO facilities or potable water.  Wheatfields Lake, five miles south on Highway 12, has camping sites, toilets, and water. 

Hotels in Chinlé, a 25-minute drive west, include the Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Thunderbird Lodge. 

The Diné Quality Inn is in Window Rock, about an hour south of Tsailé.  Navajoland Inn is in St. Michael’s on Highway 264, just west of Window Rock. There is a Denny’s Restaurant on the property.  Be sure to call well in advance.  Hotels are usually full in the summer.

Driving: There are a number of routes, so best to look at a map and select the one to suit your needs.

From Phoenix, AZ (Remember, AZ is on MST.  If the time is 8 a.m. in Phoenix, it is 9 a.m. in the Navajo Nation.)

• Either 1) take Interstate 17 to Flagstaff and go east on I-40;

or 2) take Highway 87 through Payson to Winslow.

• At Winslow, either

1) go on I-40 east to Chambers and turn north on Highway 191, at Ganado, 191 and 264 join briefly, turn west for a couple of miles on 191/264 until you come to the junction where you turn north to Chinlé and continue on 191;

or 2) turn north on Highway 87, go through Hopi, and intersect 264 at Second Mesa, take 264 to the intersection with 191 and turn north to Chinlé.

• At the first major intersection, turn east onto Navajo Highway 7 and go through Chinlé towards Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  At the monument enrance, take the left fork onto Highway 64, go across the bridge over the wash, and you are about 24 miles from Tsailé.

• Continue on Highway 64 and there will be signs for Diné College. From Highway 64, turn into the Diné College campus and look for the Rodeo Arena and Land Grant Building on the west side of the road, follow the signs to the Celebration Headquarters and Information Booth.

From Albuquerque, via I-40 and Gallup

Take I-40 west to Gallup; turn north onto 666 and about 7 miles later, turn west onto 264 going to Window Rock.  At Window Rock, take Navajo Highway 12 north.  After a mile or so, begin looking for road signs indicating the turn-off to Navajo.  It is a “T” intersection with a traffic light and a gas station on the northeast corner.  There is no sign indicating that one should turn here to be on Highway 12, but shortly after you make the turn, there is a sign indicating that you are on 12. (If you miss this turn, then you end up in Fort Defiance and have to ask for the little cut-off road to get back on Highway 12.)  Take Highway 12 through Wheatfields (a store, lake, and campground are there), and continue on to the intersection with Highway 64.  (DO NOT turn off Highway 12 onto the road indicated by the sign that says Diné College, unless you like going through lots of potholes.)

At the intersection with Highways 12 and 64, turn onto Highway 64 and shortly after that is the entrance to Diné College.  From Highway 64, turn into the Diné College campus and look for the Rodeo Arena and Land Grant Building on the west side of the road, follow the signs to the Celebration Headquarters and Information Booth.

From Farmington, NM

Take Highway 64 west to Shiprock, then turn south on Highway 491.  Turn onto Highway 13 going east and go over Buffalo Pass. (If you are hauling a trailer, seek the alternate route through Crystal to the south or Highway 160 to the north.)  Go through Lukachukai and come to the intersection with Highway 12.  Turn south onto Highway 12 and continue on to the intersection with Highway 64.  At the intersection, turn west onto Highway 64 and shortly after that is the entrance to Diné College.  From Highway 64, turn into the Diné College campus and look for the Rodeo Arena sign and Land Grant Program building on the west side of the road.

From Moab, Utah

From I-70, turn south on Highway 191 to Moab, Monticello and Blanding.  At Bluff, 191 joins 163.  Turn west for a couple of miles, then 191 goes south again to intersect and join 160 in Arizona.  Turn west onto 160 for about a mile or two, then turn south again continuing on 191 to Round Rock, where you take Highway 12 south through Lukachukai and on to Tsaile and the intersection with Highway 64.  At the intersection, turn west onto Highway 64 and shortly after that is the entrance to Diné College.  From Highway 64, turn into the Diné College campus and look for the Rodeo Arena sign Land Grant Program building on the west side of the road.