How many days did they walk in the Long Walk
In the spring of 1864, the United States Army forced between 8,000 and 9,000 Navajo people to walk from their homelands in present-day Arizona and New Mexico to Bosque Redondo, at Fort Sumner in eastern New Mexico. The Long Walk was not a single event but a series of coerced marches over several weeks in spring and early summer. In terms of duration, most accounts describe the longest routes taking approximately 18 to 20 days of continuous walking, with some groups taking slightly longer depending on route, weather, and conditions.
Why the Long Walk was mandated in 1864
The Long Walk was carried out as part of the U.S. Army’s broader campaign to subdue Indigenous nations and control territory in the Southwest. The stated military objective was to end Navajo resistance, destroy their means of subsistence, and relocate them to a designated reservation at Bosque Redondo, where the federal government believed they could be controlled and "civilized." The forced removal also aimed to open Navajo lands for settlement and resource exploitation by non-Indigenous settlers during the Civil War era.
Orders from Fort Wingate
In January 1864, Colonel Kit Carson was directed to campaign against the Navajo, destroy crops and livestock, and compel them to surrender or flee. Carson’s operations in Canyon de Chelly and surrounding regions devastated Navajo agricultural and pastoral systems. After continued resistance and intermittent raids, the U.S. military issued an ultimatum in 1864: surrender at Fort Defiance or be subject to military action. This set the stage for the large-scale forced migration that became the Long Walk.
The routes and distances involved
There was no single route for the Long Walk; different groups of Navajo were moved from various locations across the Southwest to the Bosque Redondo reservation. The primary staging areas included Fort Defiance, the Canyon de Chelly region, and other parts of Navajo territory. While the approximate crow-flies distance from many starting points to Fort Sumner was 300 to 400 miles, the actual walking routes were significantly longer, winding through rugged terrain, often lacking reliable water and resources.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Approximate walking duration | 18 to 20+ days, depending on starting point and conditions | Historical accounts, tribal oral histories |
| Starting regions | Navajo homelands in Arizona and New Mexico, including Canyon de Chelly | U.S. military records, historical archives |
| Destination | Bosque Redondo (Fort Sumner), eastern New Mexico | Government and tribal documentation |
| Estimated number of people forced to walk | 8,000–9,000 Navajo men, women, and children | U.S. Army reports, tribal records |
| Time period | Spring to summer 1864, with continued arrivals into 1865 | Historical timelines, military orders |
| Key directives | Forced removal, destruction of crops and livestock, military subjugation | U.S. War Department communications |
What walking conditions were like during the Long Walk
The journey was arduous and marked by exposure, scarcity, and hardship. Many walked while ill-equipped for the long march, lacking sufficient food, water, and shelter. The late spring and summer weather in the Southwest can be extremely hot, and the terrain ranged from desert to mountainous passes. The U.S. military provided little support, and there were often delays at river crossings and makeshift camps. Accounts from survivors highlight the physical toll, emotional trauma, and the constant uncertainty of the forced movement.
Arrival and life at Bosque Redondo
Those who completed the march arrived at Bosque Redondo between 1864 and 1866, where they were confined to a reservation that proved unsuitable for large-scale Navajo agriculture. The land lacked reliable water, and attempts to impose farming and military-style governance led to continued suffering. Disease, malnutrition, and conflict with other tribes compounded the difficulties. These conditions at Bosque Redondo would later prompt negotiations for the Navajo people to return to a portion of their homeland, culminating in the 1868 Treaty and the eventual end of confinement.
The significance of counting the walking days
Understanding how many days they walked in the Long Walk is not only about quantifying endurance; it is a way to recognize the scale of the forced displacement and the human cost of U.S. expansion policies in the 19th century. The 18 to 20 plus days of continuous walking symbolize a rupture in Navajo lifeways, a loss of security, and a profound injustice. At the same time, the endurance shown by those who made the journey reflects the resilience of the Navajo people in the face of overwhelming pressure to abandon their identity and homeland.
Long-term impacts on Navajo communities
The Long Walk left a lasting imprint on Navajo social structure, economy, and memory. Survivors carried stories of the march across generations, and the event remains a defining reference point in Navajo history. The eventual return to a portion of their ancestral lands and the establishment of the Navajo Nation represented a partial redress, but the trauma and disruption of the removal period continue to influence community priorities around land stewardship, sovereignty, and cultural preservation. Contemporary commemorations and educational efforts reflect ongoing engagement with this history.