Management

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE PARK

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is unique from most other National Park units in that the park is located on Navajo tribal trust lands with a community of Navajo families living in the canyons. As such, administration of the park requires the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation to work together to protect and preserve the park resources.

Read the Administrative History of the Park for information about the creation of the park. For questions regarding management, please contact the Park Superintendent.

 

SUPERINTENDENT'S COMPENDIUM

The Superintendent's Compendium is the summary of park specific rules implemented under Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR). It serves as public notice, identifies areas closed for public use, provides a list of activities requiring a permit, and elaborates on public use and resource protection regulations pertaining specifically to the administration of Canyon de Chelly National Monument. If you have any questions, please contact the Park Superintendent at 928-674-5500.

FIREARMS IN THE PARK

As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows individuals who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state and local laws, to legally possess firearms in many National Park units.

All of the land within Canyon de Chelly National Monument is Navajo tribal trust land, and the Navajo Nation retains jurisdiction to manage many activities on the land. Subject to certain exceptions, Navajo Nation Code, title 17, S 320 (1979), provides that a "person commits unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon if he or she carries a loaded firearm or any other type of deadly weapon." The Navajo Nation may enforce its laws against Navajos and may charge non-Navajos with civil violations under this and other provisions of the Navajo Nation Code. Non-Navajos may be escorted off or totally banned from the reservation. It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable tribal, state, and federal firearms laws before entering this park.

Federal law still prohibits firearms in certain facilities in this park; those places are marked with signs at all public entrances and includes the Welcome Center, Ranger office, and Maintenance building. If you have any questions, please contact the Park Superintendent.

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT IN NATIONAL PARKS

Drones are prohibited within the boundaries of Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Drone use has resulted in noise and nuisance complaints from park visitors, park visitor safety concerns, and one documented incident in which park wildlife were harassed. Small drones have crashed in geysers in Yellowstone National Park, attempted to land on the features of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, been lost over the edge of the Grand Canyon, and been stopped from flying in Prohibited Airspace over the Mall in Washington DC.

Policy Memorandum 14-05, released by the National Park Service (NPS) director in June 2014, directed each superintendent to use the authority under 36 CFR 1.5 to prohibit the launching, landing, or operation of unmanned aircraft, subject to the certain conditions and exceptions set forth in the memo. This is still in force with a very few exceptions.

This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of unmanned aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System.

“Unmanned aircraft” is defined as a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the device. This term includes all types of devices that meet this definition (e.g., model airplanes, quadcopters, drones) that are used for any purpose, including for recreation or commerce.