Window Rock, ceremonially named Ni’alníi’gi (Earth’s Center) and referred to as Tségháhoodzání (Perforated Rock), is both a geological formation and the capital of the Navajo Nation. It sits within the boundaries of St. Michael’s Chapter, adjacent to the state line of Arizona and New Mexico. Sand-laden winds and water carved Window Rock’s porthole shape from the Jurassic–era sandstone cliff, forming a nearly sixty-foot arch that overlooks the seat of tribal government as well as the Navajo Nation Museum. A spring once existed near Window Rock, which was used by tribal leadership to offer prayer and ask for guidance.

Canyon de Chelly, named Tséyi’ (Inside the Rock), was designated as a national monument in 1931, under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service and held in trust by the Navajo Nation. Spider Rock, the sandstone monolith that rises from the canyon floor, is a culturally and historically significant site to the Diné (Navajo) people. As the setting for the creation story of Na’ashjéii Asdzáá (Spider Woman), it is central to the origins of Diné weaving and the cosmological relationships that continue to sustain it. It is believed that Spider Woman wove the universe and descended into the canyon to give the knowledge of weaving to the Diné people. Many weavers incorporate a Spider Woman cross into their textiles and basketry as a way to honor these teachings.

Monument Valley (Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii), which stretches over 30,000 acres in northeast Arizona and southern Utah, was established as a Navajo Tribal Park in 1960. Scattered across the valley’s terrain are towering sandstone formations that rise 400 to 1,000 feet from what was once a lowland basin. Frequently named for their distinctive shapes—such as the Three Sisters, Elephant Butte, and West and East Mitten Buttes—these natural features are the remnants of deposited layers of sediment eroded by wind and water over the course of fifty million years.

Shiprock Pinnacle (Tsé Bitʼaʼí, which translates as “rock with wings” or “winged rock”), is a geological formation located in San Juan County, New Mexico, near the Diné (Navajo) settlement of Shiprock. Exposed by erosion over millions of years, this volcanic neck is the hardened remains of lava once contained within a larger volcanic land structure. Rising 1,583 feet above the surrounding high-desert plain, the distinctive landmark also features two walls of volcanic rock, which radiate out from the pinnacle to form its distinctive “wings.” In Diné stories, the site was the scene of an epic battle between Nayenezgani (Slayer of the Enemy Gods) and the Tse’nahale (a pair of creatures resembling gigantic eagles), which lived atop the pinnacle and terrorized the local population. The material remnants of this story are made visible in the geological features of this site, suggesting its Diné place name.

Teec Nos Pos (T’iis nazbas, “circle of cottonwoods”) Trading Post was founded by Hambleton B. Noel in 1905 near the Four Corners area where Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah converge. As a hub for supplies and raw materials, Teec Nos Pos was an essential intermediary between the crafts market and local Diné (Navajo) weavers, emerging as an important distribution center and a driver of design innovations in the 1930s and 1940s. Its regionally distinctive and highly prized “jewel pattern” features unusual geometric motifs with black borders and brightly colored outlines set against a solid-gray-hued background. Rebuilt in 1959 after the original site burned down, the trading post remains an important marketplace for local artists, featuring a “rug room” dedicated to textiles and other crafts. It also continues to serve as a vital stop for provisions, offering fuel, groceries, and supplies for local residents.

Located in southeastern Utah near Mexican Hat, Muley Point is perched atop a plateau overlooking the Valley of the Gods. Facing south, the Cedar Mesa sandstone formations and Monument Valley are visible in the distance. Once the shore of an ancient sea, the rock formations in the valley are deposits from the Permian age, over 250 million years old. For many Diné (Navajo), it is believed that these formations are ancient warriors, frozen in time, who can provide protection.

Located in southeastern Utah, Raplee Ridge monocline is a step-like fold in rock strata that features a distinctive zigzag pattern created by the erosion of overlapping layers of light-brown sandstone, reddish-brown siltstone and sandstone, and multicolored siltstone, shale, and limestone. With the waters of the San Juan River below, its unique topography evokes the geometric shapes and earth-toned colors found in some Diné (Navajo) weavings. Nearby, the Mexican Hat rock formation, named for its likeness to a sombrero, features a sandstone caprock balanced atop a cone of red shale and siltstone. Although the region is not frequently cited in Diné historical sources, it is known for its connection to Big Snake, a mythological creature of protection.

The communities of Hunters Point and Oak Springs (Teelch’init’i’i, “Cattails in a Row”), are located in Apache County, Arizona. Hunters Point is nine miles southwest of Window Rock and is home to the Hunters Point Trading Post, once frequented by Diné traders. Nearby lies the small chapter community of Oak Springs, which shares its name with the surrounding natural spring where it was founded. As the name implies, the area is rich in timber as well as the plants that Diné weavers use for natural dyes (almost 300 dye-yielding plant species are available in the area).