106: Interview with Ranger Kelkiyana from Grand Canyon National Park

Exploring the National Parks

Dirt In My Shoes

Science, Society & Culture:places & Travel, Nature, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.8 • 653 Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we interviewed another park ranger! Meet Kelkiyana Yazzie, the Tribal Program Coordinator at Grand Canyon National Park and a proud member of the Navajo Nation. Kelkiyana shares the deep cultural significance of the Grand Canyon to the tribes who have called this land home for generations. She also gives us an insider look at her role with the National Park Service, including what her job involves, the impact she makes, and so much more! Here’s what we’ll cover: The important work Kelkiyana does at the Grand Canyon What makes Havasupai Gardens so special The movement to restore original names in national parks The tribes native to the Grand Canyon area Kelkiyana’s favorite parts of being a Tribal Program Coordinator How she got her start as a National Park Ranger, plus her advice for aspiring rangers What makes the Grand Canyon so unique Whether Kelkiyana would support podracing in the Grand Canyon (you’ll love her answer!) The best spots in the Grand Canyon, according to a park ranger South Kaibab vs. Bright Angel Trails—a ranger’s take The number one tip for visiting the Grand Canyon We hope you enjoy this conversation with Kelkiyana as much as we did! Hearing her perspective on the Grand Canyon’s cultural and spiritual significance was truly inspiring. Your task for today: Add the Desert View Watchtower to your list of must-see stops when you visit the Grand Canyon! It’s the perfect place to experience the incredible Native American heritage woven into this iconic park. For a full summary of this episode, links to things we mentioned, and free resources/deals to get your trip planning started, check out the full show notes here.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Here at Grand Canyon, it's a mix. We're all different tribes who call this place home.
0:06.3	And we've had a relationship with the canyon and even with each other for generations.
0:10.9	A lot of our cultural knowledge comes from other tribes.
0:15.7	This is the Exploring the National Parks podcast with Dirt in My Shoes.
0:20.6	My name is Ash and I'm a former park ranger and the founder of Dirt in My Shoes.
0:24.9	I think that the parks are best seen from the trail and I'm here to make National Park
0:29.7	Trip Planning easy.
0:31.2	And I'm John.
0:32.2	I carry the kids on the trails, tell stories, and notice all the things that Ash doesn't
0:36.2	care about much, like flowers.
0:39.5	Join us as we show you around America's spectacular national parks.
0:44.0	We're sharing our favorite places, fun facts, adventures, and misadventures.
0:48.0	And we'll even throw in a little trip planning.
0:50.9	Let's start exploring.
0:58.6	Thank you. trip planning. Let's start exploring. So I have been learning something over the last little bit since Christmas time and everything
1:04.8	has passed. I've been learning what makes a good and fun puzzle.
1:09.9	Here's such a pain.
1:15.0	He bought me so many puzzles for Christmas, which I asked for.
1:15.8	Yes.
1:21.8	But you got me like all thousand piece puzzles, which her just not fun for me.
1:23.7	First of all, it's too many pieces.
1:29.4	Well, I'm not sure that's exactly true because I think given the right puzzle, a thousand piece could be fine. Says the man who never puzzles. And has no interest in puzzling. But Ashted
	...

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