14 replies to this topic

[Matthew Ota]

I made a Map this morning using two KML files in Google Earth to show where areas will be available in Northwest New Mexico for the eclipse for non-native Americans. As I understand it the Navajo Nation will be closed to outsiders in a five-hour period centered on the eclipse. There are a few areas along Interstate 40 around Grant NM that are off-reservation and are available to people driving from Arizona (like me).

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Edited by Matthew Ota, 20 September 2023 - 08:55 AM.

[Matthew Ota]

Belay the information in my map. I called the source, The Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation Department instead of relying on the Forbes article.

The only places with restricted access are tribal parks

You can set up to view in the reservation without any reservations (pun intended)

The Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation protects five Navajo Tribal Parks (which will be closed to non-tribal members):

 

1.Monument Valley

 

2.Lake Powell

 

3.Tseyi Dine' Heritage Area – Canyon de Chelly

 

4. Four Corners Monument (Which would have been an awesome venue for solar astronomy outreach)

 

5. Little Colorado River Gorge

 

6. Other Navajo Nation parks include: Antelope Canyon, Bisti Badlands, Coal Mine Canyon, Dinosaur Tracks, Wheatfields Lake.

 

7. The Navajo Nation's ancestral lands are located near the four sacred mountains of Blanca Peak, Mt. Taylor, San Francisco Peaks, and Hesperus Peak.7.

[Robin]

Hi Matthew,

 

Thank you very much for this valuable information. So the Navajo-Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land south of Farmington, NM, will be accessible? I identified this as a possible alternative in case it will be cloudy in southern Utah.

 

Will Navajo Nation Parks be affected by a possible government shutdown? As I understand, they are independent from government funding, so might not be affected?
 

Clear skies

Robin

P.S. I don't want to get political, just try to seek information about which places will be inaccessible.

[bunyon]

My read is that Navajo Nation Parks are closed.

 

The possible federal shutdown won't affect NPs in Utah, as the state of Utah has pledged funding to keep them open (can't find link now, so grain of salt, but I did read it).

 

I'm intrigued by the Navajo closure. I would have imagined a starlore that included total eclipses. I'm surprised they (or anyone) have annular eclipses featured. Would like to read more about it but haven't seen anything reliable.

[bunyon]

A link:

 

https://www.kuer.org...-parks-cox-says

[Matthew Ota]

Here is a map I generated for Farmington. No tribal restrictions there

Hi Matthew,

 

Thank you very much for this valuable information. So the Navajo-Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land south of Farmington, NM, will be accessible? I identified this as a possible alternative in case it will be cloudy in southern Utah.

 

Will Navajo Nation Parks be affected by a possible government shutdown? As I understand, they are independent from government funding, so might not be affected?
 

Clear skies

Robin

P.S. I don't want to get political, just try to seek information about which places will be inaccessible.

Edited by Matthew Ota, 02 October 2023 - 09:50 PM.

[Matthew Ota]

From Tom Polakis on Facebook:

"Maps of its path have been disappointing in their low resolution and lack of interactivity, but Xavier Jubier did everything right with this interactive Google Map. Just click on a location, and you get all of the relevant times, and location in the sky. Thanks for the post by Alma Ruiz Velasco that made me aware of this map."
http://xjubier.free....Iq-N757-U286OXg

[Nicole Sharp]

I made a Map this morning using two KML files in Google Earth to show where areas will be available in Northwest New Mexico for the eclipse for non-native Americans. As I understand it the Navajo Nation will be closed to outsiders in a five-hour period centered on the eclipse. There are a few areas along Interstate 40 around Grant NM that are off-reservation and are available to people driving from Arizona (like me).

I can't tell from this map but is the road to Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Chaco Observatory) from Albuquerque going to be open?  I think the National Park Service would have mentioned if the public road was going to be closed?

Edited by Nicole Sharp, 04 October 2023 - 08:48 PM.

[Matthew Ota]

Chaco Canyon is not on reservation grounds, so it should be open. Call the National Park Service to be sure.

I can't tell from this map but is the road to Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Chaco Observatory) from Albuquerque going to be open?  I think the National Park Service would have mentioned if the public road was going to be closed?

 

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Edited by Matthew Ota, 08 October 2023 - 08:05 AM.

[Matthew Ota]

For those with Doctor's orders for supplemental oxygen (like me) here is a great resource that will tell you the elevations on your driving route:

http://www.flattestroute.com

[Matthew Ota]

I called the Caco Canyon Observatory and it will be open for the eclipse. They told me to come early as the parking lot will fill up. I plan to be there well before sunrise. I am setting up a 4 inch NexStar 4 SE Maksutov with a white light solar filter installed. I am setting it up for for public outreach.

I can't tell from this map but is the road to Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Chaco Observatory) from Albuquerque going to be open?  I think the National Park Service would have mentioned if the public road was going to be closed?

[wxman101]

Hi Matthew,

Thank you so much for this very helpful information.   I really appreciate your researching the details.  

 

Do you know if the roads are paved to Chaco Canyon Observatory from either Nageezi or Route 371?
Google Maps / Google Earth seem to indicate Routes 371 to the west of the observatory and 550 to its north are fully paved, but I could not tell if the drive to the observatory from either direction is on paved or dirt roads.

 

As an alternative, in case weather is an issue, have you considered going to Goosenecks State Park near Mexican Hat, UT?   I wonder if the crowds/congestion might be better or worse at Goosenecks since many may be unaware of the closure of the Trail Parks and will therefore be forced to another location like Goosenecks?

 

Best of Luck and Happy Observing,
Steve

[JOEinCO]

As an alternative, in case weather is an issue, have you considered going to Goosenecks State Park near Mexican Hat, UT?   I wonder if the crowds/congestion might be better or worse at Goosenecks since many may be unaware of the closure of the Trail Parks and will therefore be forced to another location like Goosenecks?

 

Just FYI: There is no camping at Goosenecks Friday or Saturday night. Day use only.

[Alan S]

I’ve been looking online and can find nothing that indicates that the Bisti Badlands Wilderness area will be closed during the eclipse.  It is BLM land as far as I can tell from the Bisti Badlands website…

 

https://www.blm.gov/...zin-wilderness 

 

Am I missing something?

[Alan S]

I just got off the phone with BLM office in Farmington… Bisti badlands park is open for the eclipse and is not part of the tribal lands closure.