Join us as we drive 82 miles across northeastern Arizona along U.S. Route 160, traveling east from Tuba City to Kayenta. This remote and rugged corridor serves as a vital east-west route through the heart of the Navajo Nation, connecting desert communities, scenic plateaus, and wide-open vistas in a part of the country that’s steeped in both natural beauty and cultural heritage.
We begin our journey at the western terminus of U.S. Route 160 at its junction with U.S. Highway 89 in Tuba City. Tuba City, the largest community on the western Navajo Nation, marks the start of this segment with a modest mix of local commerce, tribal services, and historic sites. Just east of town, we pass the junction with Arizona State Route 264, a key corridor leading south toward Window Rock and connecting to communities like Second Mesa and Ganado.
As we leave the edge of Tuba City, the route bends gently northeast, and the landscape begins to open up. We soon arrive in Tonelea, a small community set against a backdrop of wide mesas and desert brush. There’s a quiet calm to this stretch of road—traffic is sparse, the air is dry, and the land stretches out in nearly every direction. A few miles beyond Tonelea, we reach the intersection with Arizona State Route 98, which leads northwest toward Page and the iconic Horseshoe Bend. If you’re looking for fuel or a quick snack, there’s a gas station here that’s a handy stop in a region with long distances between services.
Continuing east, US-160 carries us through miles of high desert terrain punctuated by occasional rock formations and distant buttes. This area was once a center of uranium and coal mining, and while much of that activity has slowed, evidence of past industry lingers—old mining equipment and scarred earth are sometimes visible near the roadside, especially before we reach the Tsegi area.
Tsegi itself is little more than a cluster of homes today, but it’s nestled in a picturesque part of the region. The highway begins to trace the southern edge of Tsegi Canyon, a rugged and beautiful area with towering rock walls and hidden archaeological sites. While the main road stays relatively level, the terrain around it begins to rise and fall as we approach the Navajo National Monument turnoff a few miles east of here. If you have time to spare, a short detour north on AZ-564 leads to the monument, where you can hike to overlooks of Betatakin—a well-preserved cliff dwelling built by the Ancestral Puebloans.
As we near the final leg of our drive, the terrain begins to flatten again. The mesas that once loomed close are now distant silhouettes. The approach to Kayenta feels deceptively quiet, but the town itself is a vital crossroads in the Four Corners region. At the eastern edge of town, we reach the intersection with U.S. Route 163, the famed scenic highway that heads north toward Monument Valley and Mexican Hat, Utah. This is where we end our journey on US-160—but the road continues east toward Four Corners, Cortez, and beyond.
Whether you’re passing through or exploring the region in depth, this stretch of US-160 offers a tranquil, spacious drive through some of the most iconic terrain in the American Southwest. From quiet desert towns to panoramic vistas, it’s a route that captures the stark beauty and cultural richness of the Navajo Nation.
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