Recently, I was hired to do a aerial photo mapping mission in The Navajo Nation, right near the Four Corners, where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, just past the Grand Canyon National Park. The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American territory and is the largest land area retained by a U.S. tribe. It was the first time I've ever flown out this way and the views did not disappoint!! The red rock formations in this area are unlike anything that I've ever seen!!
Another World
Mostly situated along the Colorado Plateau, the Navajo Nation (Naabeehó Bináhásdzo) is largely made up of high desert, with scattered areas of forests
Hidden Forests
Tucked into small canyons and crevices, forests flourish in the otherwise desert Colorado Plateau
Layer Upon Layer
Erosion and weathering over thousands of years slowly ate away at the rock, creating canyons and exposing the various formations in the rock. The age of these rocks span almost 2 billion years!
Unexpected Shelter
The erosion and weathering that created the canyons and mesas also created small caves, which provide shelter from the brutal heat and sun during the summers and the cold during the winters
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Small caves dot the landscape underneath a large mesa, providing shelter from the elements
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Various monuments adorn the landscape in the Navajo Nation
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Shrugs dot the sparse landscape in the Navajo Nation
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
The landscape changes from a stark landscape to a lush green
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Trees and greenery about in the small canyons of the Navajo Nation
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Various geologic formations can be seen throughout the Navajo Nation
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
As the earth wears away, monuments emerge
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
As the layers of earth erode with time, small caves emerge as a shelter in the stark landscape
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
One of many monuments scattered throughout the Navajo Nation
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Bright reddish colors emerge as layers of earth are slowly swept away
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Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
One of many mesas in the Navajo Nation