The White House Ruins Trail (2.7 miles roundtrip) is one of my top favorite hikes of all time which makes its closure such a shame. Apparently the closure is in response to a rash of vehicle break-ins which… I mean, come on. Whoever’s responsible needs to get their stuff together. Hopefully I can edit this page soon and take out all of this.

The trail descends 560 feet down to the canyon floor and although steep, it’s so gorgeous. The Chinle Creek runs alongside the trail once you reach the canyon, horses graze nearby, the desert varnish beautifully paints the scene, and the ruins are amazing and impressive. I sat in that canyon alone for quite some time as the sun rose and warmed the scene but I could have stayed longer.

On the way back up to the parking lot I passed a group of people blasting from music from a speaker which I heard the entire time I was ascending the canyon wall. Please be courteous and refrain from playing music on a hike. Any hike. Anywhere. Everywhere. Never do it. Wear headphones and be respectful.