The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: May twenty-first, following an indian guide.

The canyon country that sprawls across the contiguous corners of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico is a singular landscape of massive mesas, beautiful buttes and yawning chasms. Eight national parks, six national monuments, one national recreation area and a slew of state and private preserves capture scenery that is unsurpassed. They also hold the history of the remarkable native peoples who have inhabited this landscape over the millennia. A good map and a set of wheels can get you to the highpoints, but getting the most from those high points requires a little walking. Or a lot of walking. Either way, it certainly helps to have a native guide.

In fact, they are required for visits to some places, such as Ute Mountain Tribal Preserve. The full day tour visits four ancestral dwellings and involves lots of ladders. In addition to their broad knowledge, the Ute guides bring personal feeling to the tour. For them, it's not just history but ancestral artifacts and living culture.

For other places an excellent option is using outfitters who employ Native Americans as guides. Several have developed over the last decade. Moki Treks offers multi-day forays into Canyon de Chelly, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Participants bunk in Navajo hogans. Overland Canyon Tours offers an expedition into a hidden slot canyon. SideCanyon.com, a dedicated website, provides links to a range of Native American outfitters.

These guide tips are one resource outlined this issue of National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program. You can register to receive a free sample copy of the magazine on our homepage.

FMI For info: Mesa Verde Country at 800-530-2998 or www.mesaverdecountry.com.

Moki Treks - 866-352-6654 or www.mokitreks.com

Overland Canyon Tours - 928-608-4072 or www.overlandcanyon.com

A dedicated website, www.sidecanyon.com provides links to a range of Native American outfitters

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