The White House Ruins in Canyon de Chelly are aptly named for the whitish portion of the ruins.
The well-preserved structures are viewed from close up by hiking down White House Trail, the only public trail in the canyon.
The first day of November, 2011, offered a charming opportunity for a stroll down to see the ruins.
What a lovely day to enjoy. The weather is perfect.
The ruins are of a complex, multi-room, multi-purpose habitation, likely housing several families at one time about 1200 years ago.
Paintings on the cliff face look as if they were more recently applied than beyond the past millenium.
Rising cliffs against the deep blue autumn sky are a dramatic backdrop to brilliant cottonwood leaves.
Autumn's coloration is perennially energizing and refreshing.
Dizzying cliffs, towering into the sky, dwarf the ruins below.
Back at the top, we admire the silvery winding snail trail of water gleaming its way through the wash's bottom.
How tiny the ruins look from above.
(See this link for a run down the trail:)
You may click to enlarge the above photos.
