Window Rock is a small town located in Apache county, Arizona. It can be reached by an easy drive from both New Mexico and Arizona. Despite its inconsequential size, it is the administrative center for America’s largest Indian reservation, a busy tourist destination located around the area known as Navajo Nation.
The town has just over 3,000 inhabitants with 96 percent of American Indian ethnicity. It is located amid the sparse wilderness of the Arizona landscape. The large red rock with its circular shaped window may look like a manmade design but it is this natural formation that gives the town its curious name.
Window Rock does not provide tourists with a long list of attractions like other destinations. However, its isolated location and stunning, yet scant landscape combined with its wealth of ancient culture are reason enough to take the trip to this fascinating town. The area called Navajo Nation offers tourists an insight into the workings of the culture of Native Americans, with a range of distinctive arts and crafts from the region, including spectacular handmade rugs and jewelry designs like no other.
Highlights
Navajo Reservation: this is the largest Indian reservation in the US, offering visitors a fascinating insight into the lives of native Indians who have inhabited the country since before Columbus‘ discovery of the land.
Navajo Nation Museum: houses a collection of art, archaeological artifacts and archival materials documenting the history and culture of the Navajo people.
Two Gray Hills: this is a well known region for traditional rug weaving.
Petrified Forest National Park: this is a stunningly beautiful landscape of remnants of ancient trees, which, through years of geological processes have been transformed into an expanse of brilliant color.