Grand Falls, also known as Chocolate Falls or Adah’iilíní, became a popular tourist site because of its spectacular waterfalls during monsoon or snowpack-melt seasons. It sits less than an hour’s drive from downtown Flagstaff, Arizona.
It’s open to tourists no longer.
According to the Arizona Daily Sun, residents of the Leupp Chapter of the Navajo Nation on Saturday barricaded the road to the falls. The act is being supported by the Navajo Nation Parks organization.
According to a statement from local organizers, “The heightened popularity of Adah’iilíní (Grand Falls) has resulted in an accumulation of overflowing trash, alcohol containers (Navajo Nation law prohibits alcohol), ATV groups off-roading into residential areas and non-designated roads, high tourism, deterioration of road maintenance, and disturbance of the natural ecosystem, its inhabitants, and cultural sites.” […]
Tso described how the regular tourism to the remote area brought with it regular disturbances — illegal camping, gunfire, drones flying over private residences, and lost or drunken tourists knocking on doors in the middle of the night to ask for directions. […]
For community member Darlene Roides, one of the most egregious impacts of tourism to the area has been the rampant use of off-road vehicles. Because the residences of the area are spread out, to the eyes of a stranger, the high desert around Adah’iilíní may appear empty. In fact, much of it is range land that also contains history and significance to which the average tourist is blind as they speed over it.
Those who lived near the falls lived in relative peace for decades until the social media era, when visitors’ photos of the site were shared with thousands, fueling even more visits.
Some might suggest fee-based permits to visit the site, much like Acoma Sky City west of Albuquerque. However, that idea has met resistance from residents who regard Great Falls as such a sacred site, it would be distasteful to turn it into a revenue stream.
Grand Falls is a significant enough tourist attraction that it’s listed on Flagstaff’s tourism page and even the Navajo Nation’s.
Since the falls will be closed for an indeterminate time, here’s a video of it that shows its full glory:
(Image of Grand Falls in Arizona by Michael Wilson via Flickr)
It’s a shame that so many people have no respect for public or other people’s property.
While I object to natural geographical sites being called ‘sacred’ and being banned to certain people for that reason alone, I can see good reason to stop the pollution of Grand Falls by those who selfishly litter
the place with their rubbish and disturb locals with drones and ATVs. What is being seen here is just one
more example of mass tourism destroying the quiet and natural beauty of a place that should be enjoyed by everyone and anyone in a gentle contented way. The invention of (anti) social media and the availability of off-road vehicles – along with satellite navigation – have opened up umpteen previously hard-to get-to sites to anybody; here with deleterious results. To say that paying for permits to visit the
falls would somehow negate the claimed ‘sacredness’ of the falls shows why natural geographical features should not be said to belong to one group of people alone. Another group could say no one should walk down into the Grand Canyon because it is ‘sacred’.
This is what it looks like along the entire south rim of the Grand Canyon during the monsoon rain season.
It is unfortunate not to be able to have access to this natural beauty.
Over the last few years there has been a disrespect for property. This also includes disrespect with people. Everyone wants that “candid camera” shot regardless of the property or person.
A professional, KC Keefer, stressed that to me (respect for the individual) when I started doing video on the road. At first I disagreed and did not understand his point however, is was a point taken to heart and followed. Thanks to K.C
We attend and video many Native American events. With permission, we enjoy the event and respect our friends.
I would like to see a solution to have access to natural scenic sites.