Things to Do in the Navajo Nation, New Mexico, USA
Tsé Bitʼaʼí (“rock with wings” or “winged rock”) is located within the Diné Bikéyah (ancestral lands of the people) in northwest New Mexico.
Visible for up to 50 miles away, the landmark’s name of Shiprock comes from the formation’s resemblance to a 19th century clipper ship.
Shiprock is the eroded remnant, or volcanic neck, of an explosive volcanic eruption that happened about 27 to 30 million years ago. It formed when cooling magma solidified inside the vent of a volcano. Over millions of years, softer surrounding rock eroded away, leaving the hard volcanic core and radiating vertical rock walls called dikes exposed.
Shiprock is a monadnock — an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. It rises ~1500 feet above the high-desert plain and has a peak elevation of almost 7200 ft above sea level.
Because it is a sacred site, climbing and hiking on the peak or driving on the dirt roads leading directly to it are strictly forbidden. Visitors must view and photograph the landmark from nearby paved roads like US Highway 491 or Indian Service Route 13. The formation is 11 miles southeast of the town of Shiprock, which is a good place to stop for fuel and snacks.
Some of best views are along paved ISR 13 on the southern side of the formation that actually goes through one of the volcanic dikes. That’s where I took these photographs.
There are small pull-outs along the road shoulder, so you can safely park and get out of your vehicle to take photographs. One of the larger pullouts has a dirt road headed towards the formation, but remember it is illegal to visit without a Navajo guide. If you have the time and want to get closer and learn from a native guide, book with Navajo Tours.
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