Lupton: Sandstone, Tse Si Ani, and Route 66

Lupton is known in the Navajo language as Tse Si Ani; the name means “Setting Rock.” Tse Si Ani in Arizona has been intermittently inhabited for more than two centuries and has been known as a travel and trading center since that time. Two themes shape the place’s distinctive character: its sandstone landscape and a history told through travel, trade, and Route 66.

Sandstone, Canyon, and Mesas

The Tse Si Ani valley features sandstone formations in shades of creamy white, yellow, and red. Sandstone cliffs surround Helena Canyon, which meets the deep arroyos of the Rio Puerco. East of the meeting house and beyond the Rio Puerco, red mesas rise 900 feet above the valley floor. The “Tea Pot” sandstone formation lies nearly three miles north of the Tse Si Ani meeting house, above a cove.

Travel and Trading History

Before Fort Sumner in New Mexico, Tse Si Ani was a central starting point for military expeditions and also a key point along supply routes. After the return from Fort Sumner, trading posts were first established in the following decade. G. W. Lupton was the first trader in Lupton.

A later episode in the trading history began in the 1950s. At that time, the Yellowhorse family opened a small roadside stand where they sold Navajo rugs and pieces of petrified wood to travelers on historic Route 66. The film “Hallelujah Trail” was shot in the red rock area; footage was also filmed in parts of New Mexico and California. The Tee Pee Trading Post is still operating at the foot of the cliff in Lupton. Check its opening status before traveling.

Route 66 and Choosing Your Vacation Rental

The original Arizona Route 66 ran 385.2 miles from Lupton on the Arizona–New Mexico border to Topock near the California border. Today, 250 miles of historic Route 66 are open to travel in Arizona. Originally, the route ran from Lupton to Topock; today, 250 miles are open to travel in Arizona. The frontage road is designated Historic Route 66. Road conditions can change, so check them before driving.

When choosing a vacation rental in Lupton, your travel interests can help guide your decision: if landforms are your main interest, the valley, canyon, arroyos, and sandstone formations offer a fitting focus. If you are especially interested in cultural and transportation history, the stories of Tse Si Ani, the trading posts, and Route 66 take you through different historical periods. This lets you consider, even as you choose your destination, which of these themes you want to shape your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Greer, Ganado, Springerville, Sanders, St. Michaels, Chinle, Window Rock and Steamboat.

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