Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona is the latest U.S. National Park to prohibit commercial air tours as part of its new Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP).
Good! Canyon de Chelly’s serenity and cultural significance make it a place where preserving the natural and historical atmosphere is essential. Hiking there is an incredible experience!
Ditto. Intentionally loud combustion engines breaking the natural silence in our national parks should be next.
Good decision. Silence is Golden.
Interesting disparity between the responses to this story in AZ vs. the story about the closing of the four back-country strips in the River of No Return Wilderness in ID.
I agree with this only to a point. Banning flights can stop any access disabled persons may have to see national park areas. The other issue that can be a problem is funding. Remember national parks charge admission since the 1990’s to get additional funds, just like a lot of other formerly “free” government services. Banning visitors or other transportation methods keeping visitors out will reduce this funding. Out of sight, out of mind. Your average taxpayer is going to be less willing to pay taxes for something that the taxpayer can’t see or directly benefit from.
Canyon de Chelly is Navajo land, plain and simple. The Navajo Nation owns it, and they still live, farm, and hold it sacred. The National Park Service helps manage it, but they’re basically there to lend a hand, not call the shots. It’s a partnership, but the Navajo are the real stewards of the place.
As said by many that live within close proximity to airports.
I sympathize with the Navajo people but, where do you draw the line on these restrictions? Before you know it, besides persons living next to airports, every religious, political, and racial group will claiming special status of the airspace above them requiring more restrictions. We already have political restrictions, ex, the Mickey Mouse TFR’s and sports venues, that accomplish nothing more than snagging inattentive pilots who had no evil intentions to start with.
I have been to Canyon de Chelly. It was about 50 yrs ago but the place is an experience I will never forget. Sublime is the word that comes to mind. I love aviation but this is the right decision for Canyon de Chelly. Spider Rock looks pretty amazing from the ground but probably not so impressive from an aircraft. I hope more people will see it without the noise of the outside world.
Agree that this is the right decision for the monument, and I appreciate the Navajo nation and the park service for their stewardship.
But something that took hundreds of millions of years to form does not belong to anyone living in any temporary flash of time. Maybe after a few hundred million years more man will understand this, that everywhere he steps is sacred ground. Our persistent need to possess everything holds us back. It’s War’s fertile ground.
Dave, you make a good point about humans being guests on this planet—I get it. But when it comes to Canyon de Chelly, the Diné (Navajo) have a connection that goes deeper than just spiritual beliefs—it’s part of their everyday lives. They’ve farmed the land, herded livestock, and lived within the canyon’s walls for generations. Even after being forced out during the Long Walk, they came back and rebuilt their lives here. This place isn’t just sacred to them—it’s their home.
Unlike most national parks, this is Navajo land. The National Park Service helps out, but the Diné are the true stewards. Their connection isn’t about owning the land—it’s about caring for it.
Preserving the quiet and beauty of Canyon de Chelly is the right call. I’ve walked the canyon myself, and it’s a place that stays with you. It’s special, and it deserves our respect.
As a member of the human species we have no “divine right” to anything other that the assumed right to survive. Intelligent stewardship of places and things might allow us to pass them to others for their appreciation and responsible stewardship. This was probably a good decision outside of cultural or ethnic claims. Until we can rid ourselves of the yoke of entitlement and historic claim we will struggle with ourselves. Perhaps A.I. can help us refocus when it becomes the dominant intelligence on Terra. As the saying goes “may you live in interesting times”.
I agree with your point about human species needing to stop acting like we own everything, and while AI might help us make smarter choices, there’s a simpler truth here.
The Diné (Navajo) aren’t claiming Canyon de Chelly out of entitlement—it’s their home. They’ve lived there, cared for it, and rebuilt after hardship, practicing stewardship for generations.
Humans need more than survival—we crave connection, belonging, and meaning. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (simplypsychology.org), grounding ourselves in community, nature, and responsibility fulfills these needs. The Diné show us how deep care for a place and its spirit brings life balance and purpose. Without that, we lose ourselves.
No quarrel from me, Raf, all respect to the Dine’. Living in Az I have yet to get up there for a visit. Seems I’ve visited everywhere else in this state but there…
At an air show in Valle years ago Erik Lindburgh gave a talk about the potential future of electric aviation (we listened attentively) and the late Peter MacDonald, Sr. gave a talk about the Code Talkers and signed my Code Talker Museum booklet. Rare now-defunct airshow too, with Texans and P-51’s flying hard right over our heads. Only 3 Code Talkers still with us I hear.
The simple truth is that this planet is our home as well as being the genesis of our species. Psychological models have been developed to describe our needs and behavior. That’s our purview of our condition. All living entities have an equal claim to survival. It’s critical for us to accept that if there’s to be a chance of continuation of life on Terra. The planet will become more crowded and resources more strained in the near future. As A.I. develops it may well find it challenging to afford a compassionate view of our activities. When A.I. surpasses human intelligence it might be hard to argue for our continued existence with a more logical intelligence. As a species we need to understand that there are no natural barriers within our species, just the artificial ones we have constructed.
Nobody, and I mean nobody NEEDS to be in the national parks at all. If it’s not airplane noise it’s the trash all over the place or the graffiti or the bumper to bumper traffic.
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