Kayenta's my home town. GO MUSTANGS! At 2:48 the rock formation left of the water tower is called the Toes by the locals. Used to climb up there a lot as a kid. The water tower is actually mentioned in Edward Abbey's classic, The Monkey Wrench Gang. In the book, the environmentalists blow it up. Black Mesa (the mesa that looms over the town to the south) is one of the world's largest coal deposits. When I was a kid, most people worked up there at the Peabody Coal mine, which powered a power plant over outside of Page, where the electricity was sent to Vegas and Los Angeles. Ironic that the Navajo electric infrastructure is so poor, while they're generating power for the the largest cities in the West. The Navajos have been treated VERY poorly.

Dats my home town grew up there, had soo much fun, went off da rez and came back. Thank you for being non judgemental and respectful. Safe travels

The tires on top of the trailer helps with the wind. It will keep the wind from ripping the roof off.

I lived on the Navajo reservation for 3 years while working with the New Mexico state property department. I really enjoyed myself because we were 60 mi from any town. Lived by the Toadalina School and the Newcomb trading Post which burnt down a number of years ago. This was back in the mid '70s, I came from Albuquerque New Mexico and a very wildlife and living out there really brought peace to me. The people are very friendly once they get to know you and will become lifelong friends. They have a totally different way of looking at the world and how it is and I learned a lot from them

I love traveling with you two! I learn a lot about all these towns I'd never get to visit....and it really saves on gas $!!😆

Kayenta was founded in 1909 when one of the Wetherill brothers started a trading post there and the town grew from that into what it is today. Previously the Diné (Navajo people) never lived in villages and towns but in family camps scattered around the area. Some still do. It is unfortunate that you didn't visit the many museums in Kayenta or talk to someone familiar with the area who could answer some of your questions and I hope that you visited Monument Valley Tribal Park just up the road aways.

I wrote a blog called Stranded in the Navajo Nation, detailing my few days there when my car broke down. The only good thing was I got to meet a lot of Native Americans, and learned a lot.

I and my husband (we were dating at the time) came through Kayenta, AZ the last week of December 1996, on the way to the Four Corners National Monument. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. Because of this particular trip, I ended up studying Native American tribal entities, and as a result, was part of a Native American non-profit organization in No. California years later. The Dîne (or Navajo) people are a fascinating group of individuals. I have come to know some through the American Tribal Association of Libraries and Museums (ATALM) in the 2010's and 2020's. The Navajo are good, helpful, and respecting people. Thanks for posting this video!

Kayenta began its Township status and recognition in 1986, but it has always been a community called Kayenta long before that. As a kid in the 70's, we'd go through this community on our way to visit relatives in Shiprock. As far as I'm concerned, it's an old community that's been there a long, long while.

Always a real treat watching the two of you. I always call it my road trip of the week because I get to experience the travel through the eyes of you two! 😄😄

There are few businesses because generally Natives do not own their land or home, so they are unable to mortgage their assets to have a business. That is a sure way to keep them locked in poverty. Some on the Bavaho rez don’t even have water piped to their homes. Smh

the tradition of the 'lawn' is a European affectation borrowed from the English garden, obviously not shared on a Native reservation. i've heard it said that lawns were kept here to provide a visible space to deal with pests and vermin in early homesteads. i'd bet that no one on a reservation can see the use of wasting all that water. beautiful earrings.

I always enjoy the additional narration that Nic provides when she's joining you on these segments. She provides an additional prospective .

Beautiful place there in the desert. The Dine gift shop was awesome and so was the food presentation. Thanks for showing everyone such a great place!

Life on the reservation is uniquem Chinle is a town that is also interesting. Most of the houses are government built. Excellent vlog. I think you are good ambassadors for towns.

Joe and Nicole together are so much fun. Best part of the video. Blessings!

Back in 2006-7, my wife and I rented a motorhome along with her cousin and her husband. We had our young kids with us as well. We drove North from Phoenix up through the reservations to Monument valley to camp. The cousins husband loved to have cocktails each night and ran out of booze. We were passing through the reservation. We stopped by a Bashas grocery store on the reservation. We had no idea at the time that reservations were alcohol free. As we walked through the store, we asked an employee who was an indian where the liquor department was. The look he gave us I'll never forget. He said "reservations are alcohol free"! Man, we felt super stupid. Lots of beautiful country in Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

Here in the UK we have Ponies wandering onto the roads in the New Forest in the south of England, an area covering about 32 square miles. They are owned, but they roam through the forest and only get rounded-up about once a year. Love the videos, such a great insight into all the areas.

I once was dating a Navajo gentleman. He showed me all around his hometown. I fell in love with it. There's an area where there's a side of a cliff where the water was seeping thru. It was cool. And all the wild horses that roam freely. Oh and I got to see 2 mexican black wolves. I felt like I was in heaven. I so love the wildlife.

Hi Joe & Nicole- thanks for this one- very interesting and also it was a very clean place. Love the horses and dogs running free ! Cheers, from CY in OZ🙃

👍Wow ! Those beautiful skies: they look like the boldly-painted scene-boards from a 1950s Technicolor movie that were hung artificially low in the studio for camera-zoom sizing. But they're real. 👍

Such an interesting video . Beautiful mountains all around and horses ! Thanks for taking us along on your travels Joe and Nic

Not only are you two such a cute couple and work well together, but your videos are always so fascinating to watch. There's something informative, yet relaxing about your commentary, I truly enjoy all of your videos. I cannot wait to see the St. George video as I've driven through there a number of times and absolutely love that area. Safe travels!

Was trying to find more about the wild dogs and horses you saw driving through town. According to somebody on Reddit, "Culturally, dogs aren't "owned" and therefore not given collars. They are free-range but still may be cared for by a particular family. On the Rez, the sovereignty and spirit of the dogs is honored." Horses are a similar but more complicated story, not only because of their association with the Navajo origins story, but I'm reading that wild and feral horses are a problem throughout the west and not much agreement on how to solve the problem. No info on cats, but Nic's take on it was funny and insightful, as usual.

Very interesting video. I have to say that you are so very observant and your dry humor is hallarious! My husband and I often love to drive through the reservations. They live very comfortably and real. No one trying to keep up with the Joneses here. This was a nice tour of Kyenta, AZ.

I am on board learning as always thank you Joe to show us this desert places it's cool

Those brightly colored roofs if they're metal that's the way to go. Never have to replace them like an asphalt shingle roof and they don't catch fire from embers floating in the air.

Good video we have horses romeing around in dartmoor England my cousin kalli from tennissie nashville was amazed 😅

I moved to Kayenta 11 years ago from Minnesota. I didn’t last 10months. I got so depressed I was physically I’ll. I moved to Phoenix and lived there for 20 years. I’m back to Minnesota since Spring.

Very good Joe and Nicole. I find your travels fascinating.

I have never been to the desert or Indian reservation. This was a cool video. The roaming horses and dogs added to the beauty of the landscape. I liked the multi-colored homes too. It was nice to see the toys and souvenirs available in the gift shops. I’d agree with your assessment about the overall availability of these items. Thank you for showcasing this beautiful area!

I’m Cherokee and I was raised in Phoenix Arizona. My younger son is Navajo or Dine’. All those dogs are REZ dogs. They are always on reservations and the native people definitely know about them. There are so many jokes. We’re a very funny society and we have a Lotta jokes about those dogs.

I used to have an Apache lady who was a pen pal to me. She lived on a reservation just outside of Peridot Arizona. I've wondered about her for years. I miss her. Her name was Patricia.

We were invited to spend the night with the Navajo in 1979. Amazing experience. Things have changed since we were there. We visited Monument Valley and 4 Corners. Your channel is awesome. You have great taste and an appreciation for older architecture. Thank you for taking me back to one of my favorite places in America. Lots of new home construction. No traditional Hogan's in sight😢 Thank you again ❤❤❤❤

Thanks Joe and Nicole this was very interesting and I agree with your point of a different kind of beauty. A stark rough kind of beauty. Utah is another example of what I would call a harsh beauty. I spent 10 days at age 17 doing volunteer work home improvement on an Indian reservation in northern Wisconsin but that was my only visit to a reservation and as you would imagine it looked very different. I love your videos and laid back narration. I had a thought while queuing this up. I have visited 38 states but one I haven't been to is Alaska and I doubt I will. I would love to see you guys go there in the future. Thanks again.

I’ve been there. Was at the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab and talked to a nice Navajo woman and her kids who were passing through town. Had no idea I was so close so I spend a couple days traveling south and checking out the area. Some of the most beautiful country I’ve seen but yes the poverty is apparent on the reservation. I had a talk with a guy selling kneel down bread out of his trunk along the road by shiprock. He was struggling to get by. The people I met were very kind. I was telling him it was the most beautiful area I’ve ever been. After leaving I was thinking that’s a stupid thing for me to say. Sure it’s beautiful as a tourist with a pocket full of money but there is no real industry in the desert. Would be a hard life for the people trying to live there. Do look forward to visiting again.

My husband and I were on an extended road trip March of 2023. We stayed overnight at Kayenta in a nice hotel at the end of town not far from the grocery store. We stopped at the grocery to pick up some snacks and something for breakfast the next day. We parked at the hotel and got out of the car and immediately there were 3 stray dogs at our feet..they were not aggressive in any way and my animal loving husband had soon made friends with them all. After we got into our room we noticed they all stayed by the entrance to the parking lot until another car entered and went to give those folks the same greeting they gave us…

I was a Teacheron the Navajo Rez for many years. I live in Tuba City and in Chine. Most of the better home you see are for Teacher housing or Nurses housing. There are not many good paying jobs for the Navajo people on the Rez. The are is very beautiful, but it can be dangerous driving at night. There is no fencing and Livestock are free to roam around.There are a lot of old Uranium mines left and have created a hazard to the people who live near them. I have great respect for the Navajo people and the Reservation and still have many friends there. Great video.

I enjoyed this video since we drove through Kayenta on our way to Lufkin, TX a few weeks ago. We stopped at the grocery store to grab a few items for our cooler. It was a nice store on the inside as you suspected. I can't wait to see your video on St George. We passed through St George on our way to Kayenta and pondered the idea of living in St George. Looking forward to it. Safe travels.

Dessert looks delicious! Thanks for another great Tour. Kayenta. J

They don't need restaurants with traditional food because they make it at home. Also there were probably people living there before it was formally incorporated as a town, that's why it looks older in places. The many coloured homes were pretty, I wonder why so many were boarded up? It is a pretty town, thanks for sharing, your videos are always interesting! Glad you are documenting all these intriguing little places.

Thank you for yet another wonderful look at your beautiful country…

couldn’t imagine myself livin a desert like that, wonder how they do it.. All that sand as you mentioned..

On the rez we play Indians and Cowboys lol I just wanted to say thanks for the cool vid. Oh if you want the real deal authentic foods, look for some vendors on the weekend, should be a flea market. You could try some delicious mutton hehe, thanks to the Spaniards for bringing us sheep, and English who gave flour that we make into frybread.

I've lived in Durango for 25 years with the Ute and the Navajo. I'm from Texas. Texas is way more "civilized". But the nations are more in tune with nature. It's beautiful country.

I really enjoy your explorations. Many thanks, and God bless.

Great video as always thanks for sharing joe and Nic 👍

Enjoy the NEW ride...welcome back to the ROAD...and enjoying the TRAVEL REPORTS!!!! SAFE TRAVELS to you BOTH

I really love watching you both having conversation. Sooooo cute! Hejehe! Be bless.

Nice episode as always! Especilally the salmond in the Navajo kitchen, in the middle of the desert, was interesting. 😜

We stayed in Kayenta hotel and found the navaho staff amazing ,some dressed in native attire. Great place to see Monument Valley and Bluff area. Wish I was back there. On driving to Page came across car boot market run by Navaho people and made to feel welcome . People pure of spirit and at one with the earth.

Like seeing the food as you travel around.

I keep waiting for the roadrunner to zip by with Wiley Coyote on his tail😂

Another great video giving us Brits an insight into the indigenous population, have been not too far from your location in Arizona back in the day at the Petrified Forest area and had a great time

Loose dogs, wild horses, horse poop, it's just very fascinating! Thank you for this great video.

Another fine video. The food looked real good. Pretty nice looking Hampton Inn. Safe travels.

Looks like you'll be traveling through Page and the beautiful drive through the Vermillion Cliffs. Nice video. I can almost taste that addictive green chile. I just ordered 10 lbs. of green chilles from New Mexico.

Thanks for the video, Regards Simon from sunny Adelaide City, South Australia 😊

I believe the simplicity of the unmanicured landscape is what truly gives it that wild, but beautiful scenery. I loved the colorful houses and the wild horses were really awesome. The hotel looked really nice and the food looked delicious. Just like you end your video with a meal, I always watch your videos with dinner. Somehow it just seems the best choice. Looking forward to your next video. Until then stay safe and God bless. Steve in Oklahoma

One of my favorite videos besides of course the ones you shot in Texas. I love the southwest. And especially the Navaho culture I always buy way too much when I visit. LoL. Thanks appreciate the video. Hope to get back home to Texas so i can get back to taking trips like this again.

Kayenta has been there much longer than 1986- that may be when it was incorporated. We’ve been traveling that area since the 50’s- already a town then.

Though the township was created in the '80s, Kayenta has been a place for longer, and is mentioned in the American literary classic "House Made of Dawn" by N. Scott Momaday who wrote the novel in '68. (most of the novel takes place in New Mexico & LA). We spent several nights in Kayenta in 2021 in order to visit Monument Valley. They do have quite a few amenities, the people were really nice. It did seem quite remote, but that's what makes it cool.

Wow, I loved the restaurant food, gift shop, pretty scenery. I miss those kinds of toys

Pronounced "KAY-en-taa". We call it K-town. Used to be a big farming community way back in the day. It was a huge coal mining town. Yes, water rights is a huge issue in Northern Arizona - as long as Phoenix gets their water first. The town is slowly dying. You should visit Piñon next.

while traveling by train in Japan i noticed modern homes having the same brightly colored roofs as you pointed out in this video. They are quite lovely.

The "Corn Palace" of South Dakota reminded me of the kid`s toys (22:00) that my grandpa would buy me when visiting.

Wild, feral actually, horses are a thing in the southwest. I used to live in Nevada and we had thousands of them. They were all over the place. Don't mess with them especially the nursing mares, they will ruin your entire day.

Arizona Native and have have driven through and visited Monument Valley many times, the area is very unique and worth a visit. In the past you can help the local native population by taking a Dinosaur track tour that are in the area throw them $20 after the tour. I do think this is closer to Tuba city.

I'm white and live in the newer houses shown at 11:00 12 years ago. That was all that was available for me when I worked there. It was run by HUD, and was very poorly managed. The homes had to be boarded up or locals would break in and trash the homes. The home next to me and across the street from me were destroyed on the inside when the doors were kicked. I went in the one across from me after a few months of the door being kicked in and the walls board was torn down, everything smashed, carpet destroyed. Water was free, and some people grew gardens. I was told the Mormon Church would help people with that if interested. I tried to grow lawn and garden in the fall when I arrived. Th garden went well the following summer, but the lawn was destroyed by sand. Being on the west side of the property the spring wind (which was bad all over in the region) scoured the soil and left huge piles of sand all over anything that held it. So, my lawn was buried under 4 to 6 inches of dirt, and there was a huge dirt pile left in front of the house. A 10 foot wide, 3 to 4 foot deep channel was scoured by the wind, that winter and spring, from along the road on the west side of the property. Also, the cattle over grazed the land to the west and grass that was left ended up being on pillars 1 to 2 feet high, with the soil being blown away.

I lived in Az. for several years. People don't really do large lawns of grass. I lived in Sedona, even with a lot of money to spend it's not a thing.

THANK YOU,,BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I BEEN THROUGH THERE..MCDONALDS,I BELIEVE HAS A CODE TALKING MUSIUM..SAFE TRAVELS..

Love this channel watch every episode!

🕊♥️♥️🕊 Thank You Two so much for sharing your Trip with us I learned a lot I was waiting for you to show us where the Walmart Store was it was interesting to see the different houses there was no mention of a school I wonder if the children go off the reservation for schooling I really loved The Silver Earrings they are beautiful I also liked seeing what was in the Gift Shop Too The Food looked really Good I would luv to try that chili it sounded yummy also the salmon one of my favorite The whole Trip was awesome I was wondering why there wasn’t anyone out and about I look forward to watching more of your videos God Bless and be safe 🕊💙🙏🏼💙🕊😁

Joe & Nic, you have visited my hometown! Thank you for sharing the wonderful tour with the world. I live in Las Vegas NV now. It's good to see this video on KZfaq. Thank you again. Ahe'hee..(thank you)

Very interesting drive through the desert community. 🏜 I've always wanted to see the desert and the small towns/communities/reservations within. The horses were beautiful.

Thanks for your honest tours of the areas of America many people know nothing of, but view with great subjectivity due to what their told.

On most reservations there are loose dogs. They are refered to as Rez Dogs.

Cool, hope you enjoyed your visit

You're coming to St George next, my hometown. Looking forward to that one! Would be Awesome to meet you both. Enjoy and stay safe

Beautiful scenery. The Indian homes on the reservation were interesting with not many windows. I noticed the pickups were all too tall to go in the garages. Joe, your meal looked good. They sure do like fry bread out there. lol Nic, the earrings were a great souvenir. Thanks

I visited your home when I passed thru on a totem pole red road journey to DC. Super beautiful. I hope to visit again.

That is hysterically ironic to see "cowboys and Indians" toys at a reservation of all places. They probably know people would buy it for that bizarre story of how they got it. PS good to see apparently wild horses. Might be a bronco in there..

I met a Navajo gentleman at the Indian market outside of Santa Fe. He sold me a reallly cool Navajo bracelet that I still wear to this day. That food looked pretty good at the hotel! Navajo Country looks like an interesting place to visit for sure. Love the sky in that part of the country.

This is the best channel on KZfaq 😊 Never a boaring moment 👏

Love to watch your videos Joe and nick been watching following you guys for a while and just subscribe ❤

We do the same thing with deer up here in northern Wi. A couple of toots can save your cars' front end. My wifes' cousin lives on a reservation and his house, his car and money are given to him from proceeds from the local casino. This leads to not caring about your property because you don't own it. Most reservations are nations unto themselves and they can set their own laws. The houses looked to be mostly double wide mobile homes and pre-fabs with plenty of single wides thrown in. Great video, liked it much.

My girlfriend and i watch every video together and i love the variety. Going from the Midwest , to rhe northeast back to texas and the southwest is great.

What's also fascinating about those houses with hardly any widows and no attics is I see no swamp coolers or mini-split HVAC systems on the outside. Unless they have regular HVAC systems and ductwork inside.

My sister and I just ran into Keyenta cool place...we lovecthe desert and my son lives in Arizona

You should look into the rules for Native Americans to own land. The Government holds land in trust so the government holds title to the land. This Trust rule goes back to 1830’s. Also look into whether they have water or have to have it shipped in. The SCOTUS just ruled that water doesn’t need to be available to Navajo in a water rights dispute. Also how far away is the nearest town for jobs? Most Reservations are far away from everything for a reason.

Beautiful skies out there, that's for sure. A real stark beauty. From Google Maps, it looks like the main road looks just like most other American towns, with fast food joints, etc. According to City-Data, the main industries are : Educational services (26.5%) Accommodation & food services (16.1%) Mining, quarrying, oil & gas extraction (12.3%) Health care (8.8%) Construction (7.8%) Public administration (5.6%) Food & beverage stores (5.3%) And don't even tell me you're going to Colorado City and Hildale next!

HELLO COME TO MY CITY IS CALLED SIERRA VISTA AZ, IS SMALL TOWN, BUT NICE AND PEACEFUL. 😅 AT LEAST WITH BLUE COLOR OF THE ROOFTOP IT WON'T BURNED

I imagine the east and west side of those houses have less windows like you said to keep cooler in the mornings and then in the afternoon. Though if I had to choose I'd want less windows on the west side as it's hotter in the afternoon.

K town!!! Rode horses there one time with my late father. Thanks for sharing sending positive vibes.

You may be able to handle 2 wives, Joe, but I reckon Nicole would grow rather jealous and the second wife would end up disappearing mysteriously 😆

The sky is so clear and beautiful it looks photo shopped.

You guys have to visit Mesa Verde National Park!!! Your almost there. ❤❤

Wow! what I would do to have a view like that with the mountains in the background.

It is very interesting for a Spaniard to know the other side of America, small towns on a land far away from California, Florida or NY State. Thanks Lord Spoda.

Interesting and educational drive, I like it! Greetings from Poland.