Sedona, Arizona – Little Colorado River Gorge

The Little Colorado River Gorge is a breathtaking natural wonder located within the Navajo Nation. We stopped here on our way to the Grand Canyon. This is one of the many reasons I loved going on a Road Scholar tour, since they had us visiting places like this, which are not as well known as say, the Grand Canyon.

The Little Colorado River (Hopi: Paayu) is a tributary of the Colorado River in Arizona, providing the principal drainage from the Painted Desert region.

The Little Colorado River Gorge holds immense cultural significance for Native American tribes, particularly the Hopi people, who believe their ancestors emerged from the underworld at a sacred site called “Sipapu” located near the junction of the Little Colorado and Colorado Rivers. This makes the gorge a place of origin and deep spiritual importance; the Zuni people also consider this area a place of emergence, further highlighting the river’s sacred status across multiple tribes. 

Key points about the Little Colorado River Gorge:

• Emergence story:The Hopi creation story centers around the Sipapu, a spring located near the confluence, which is seen as the point where their ancestors emerged into this world. 
• Salt Trail:The Hopi people traditionally access the Little Colorado River via the “Salt Trail” to collect salt deposits which are considered sacred. 
• Multiple tribes connected:Besides the Hopi, the Zuni and Navajo people also hold deep spiritual connections to the Little Colorado River, considering it a sacred place for prayer and ancestral ties. 
• Cultural concerns:Due to its spiritual significance, there have been ongoing concerns regarding development projects near the Little Colorado River, like proposed tram construction, which could disrupt the cultural landscape. 

Once again, the pictures don’t do the site justice. Plus, it was cloudy when we were there. But I’m hoping these pictures give you all a sense of the place.

The day we visited Little Colorado River Gorge, there were booths staffed by Navajo people, selling home made crafts and jewelry. I bought this pretty pair of earrings, made from unakite crystals. Unakite is said to be a stone of vision, opening the third eye and useful for scrying. It is also believed to be a stone of balance, grounding the self while bringing emotions and spirituality together. The earrings were made by the seller’s grandmother.

Have you been to Little Colorado River Gorge?