Discover Ganado: Hubbell Trading Post and Ganado Lake

Ganado combines places of cultural and historical significance with activities at Ganado Lake. When planning your trip, you can choose from different areas of focus: you can center your visit on historic sites or include fishing at the lake and Ganado’s event tradition. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ganado, it’s best to first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

Cultural history in Ganado

One notable historic site is the Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Ganado Mission. It is a National Historic Landmark in Ganado, Apache County, Arizona. The history of Ganado Mission Church and Sage Memorial Hospital can also be traced through specific dates: the first church building of Ganado Mission, Ganado Mission Church, was built in 1906. A new hospital building was constructed in 1930 and named Sage Memorial Hospital. Sage Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing received accreditation in the early 1930s. The timeline thus spans the church building, the hospital, and the nursing school’s accreditation.

Hubbell Trading Post: landscape and visitor activities

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site is about 1 mile west of Ganado. It preserves the oldest continuously operated trading post in the Navajo Nation. The site consists primarily of a historic, traditional cultural landscape dating from 1878 to 1967.

At the visitor center, you can try weaving on a loom yourself. The Veterans Trail runs along the Pueblo Colorado Wash at the site. This gives visitors two different ways to engage with the site: a hands-on loom activity and a trail along the wash. For directions, the site is at milepost 446.3 on AZ Route 264.

The historic perspectives differ: in Ganado, the church building, hospital, and nursing education trace the history of the mission; at Hubbell Trading Post, the focus is on the trading post and cultural landscape. If historic visits are your priority, this distinction can help you choose the focus of your trip.

Ganado Lake and Ralph Johnson Memorial Rodeo

Fishing is possible at Ganado Lake. Fish found there include largemouth bass, catfish, and sunfish. A 2006 watershed plan also mentions camping opportunities at the lake. Check local conditions before you travel.

The Ralph Johnson Memorial Rodeo is an annual event in Ganado. The first rodeo honoring Ralph Johnson was held in 1967. A 2024 report gives May and Memorial Day weekend as the timing. If you’d like to combine your trip with the rodeo, check the event dates before planning around it.

Ganado offers different reasons to stay: historic sites, fishing at the lake, or a trip centered on the rodeo. The historic sites have different connections, and the camping information is tied to a specific year. These distinctions can help you weigh your interests when looking for a hotel in Ganado.

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

For the broader travel overview: Apache County.