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Coal Mine Canyon
Coal Mine Canyon (Tsé Kó Hásání) is a remote, little-visited site in northeastern Arizona where the detail of the rock - colors, forms, and textures of the eroded sandstone - is worth the visit to this canyon.
This short canyon is located on the border between the Hopi and Navajo Reservations - the rim is on the Navajo Reservation, the canyon floor on the Hopi Reservation.
It is 15 miles (24+ km) southeast of Tuba, AZ, off AZ264 between mile markers 337 and 338 on an unmarked dirt road (gps 36.013,-111.047).
Coal Mine Canyon is a Hidden Gem in the Desert
[T&K Images]
A $15 permint (2024) is requred to visit the canyon.
Low grade deposits of coal can be found scattered across this area, hence its name.
I drove by this site for years on my way to visit family in Texas without knowing it was here, so all photos come from other photographers.
The colors in this short canyon change according to weather and the position of the sun as can be seen in these various views, and the panoramas.
Select a tile to view its photo, View photos for an auto-show of the photos.
![Native American model at sunrise in Coal Mine Canyon Native American](images/4f64528862.jpg)
![The bright red rocks are shale, which has been colored in part by partial burning of underlying coal deposits Brilliant red rocks](images/6a0105371.jpg)
![A break in the clouds on a stormy day in Coal Mine Canyon Storm colors](images/3403c47312.jpg)
![View down a side canyon - an Earth Science Picture of the Day from Universities Space Research Association - a merciless crop of the banner photo Banner photo](images/4509342013.jpg)
![lightning strike over the canyon on the horizon Lightning strike over the canyon](images/924245f6695.jpg)
![Side view of Coal Mine Canyon at sunset Canyon sunset](images/Coal_Mine_Canyon_sunset.jpg)
![Eroded outcrop on the edge of the canyon, including black coal and bright red sandstone just above Canyon sunset](images/coal-mine2.jpg)
![Our first view of the Ghost Rock formation - the Native American legend is told on our next view of Ghost Rock the Ghost](images/coal-mine9.jpg)
![View from the south end of the canyon View from the south end](images/coal-mine14.jpg)
![The rock formation in the center is called The Ghost. Indian legend has it that a mist forming a ghost of a beautiful Indian woman would rise up from the canyon floor during a full moon. Her husband and child fell to their deaths along the canyon rim and she would visit the canyon every night searching for them until she eventually died. Ghost rock](images/coalmine-cyn_2523.jpg)
![Sunset at Coal Mine Canyon <q>Coal Mine Canyon is a Hidden Gem in the Desert</q> Sunset at Coal Mine Canyon](images/coal-mine-canyon-sunset-arizona.jpg)
![Eroded spires in Coal Mine Canyon Eroded spires](images/34596354943.jpg)
![Luke & Mallory's elopment to Coal Mine Canyon Luke & Mallory](images/coal-mine-canyon-photographer136.jpg)
![A balanced rock on a stormy day, illuminated by a ray from a break in the clouds Different colors in the canyon](images/Coal-Mine-Canyon-_DSC0406.jpg)
![Coal Mine Canyon sunrise Sunrise at Coal Mine Canyon](images/coal-mine-canyon-priscilla-burgers.jpg)
![Coal Mine Canyon or nearby Blue Canyon? Blue canyon?](images/coalmine-cyn_2949.jpg)
![Panoramic view of the canyon](images/coalmine-canyon-panorama_31054.jpg)
![Panoramic view of the canyon](images/coal-mine-canyon.jpg)