The weather in Chinle is mild both in winter and in summer. Mountains rising to nearly eight thousand feet on the east and west sides strip much of the moisture and reduce the fury of the eastward moving storms. In the high desert, the land is arid and offers only small pine and juniper trees on the hills, with short grasses and low bushes covering the open valleys. Yucca, and rarely small cactus grow in the sandy soils above the valley floor. Large stands of Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees can be found in the nearby mountains.
Snakes are uncommon.
The United States Park Service operates a no fee, public campground at the Canyon's mouth. It is located in a grove of towering cottonwood trees, with clearly defined spaces and tables. It has a washroom and toilets, but no hook-ups are available. Spaces are available for both family and group camping. Guides may be hired for those wishing to take their own vehicles into the canyon, overnight camping is permitted.