Things to Do in Monument Valley
The Sacred Navajo Tribal Park
Have you ever seen an episode of Looney Tunes Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner? They’re a cartoon duo who run around red rock cliffs and buttes, the constantly hungry coyote trying to catch the cunning and clever road runner who never ceases to outwit him. When you visit Monument Valley, you will feel as if you have stepped into one of those fun-filled animations as you find yourself surrounded by red sandstone mesas, colorful massive buttes, spires and pillars that look completely unworldly.
Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is one of the most beautiful and most photographed places on earth. Everywhere you look are endless expanses of breathtaking views, mesas and rock formations, some of which stand at towering heights of 400 to 1,000 feet tall. Billowing white clouds float overhead creating long shadows across the desert floor and the sun lights the mountains on fire every night during golden hour. It is one of the most unique and magical places I’ve explored.
The park is located at an elevation of approximately 5,500 feet above sea level and covers almost 92,000 acres of land stretching from Arizona into Utah.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
The Navajo refer to Monument Valley as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii and the park sits entirely on Navajo tribal land with strict rules and guidelines that you will need to follow when visiting.
Entrance fees are $20 per vehicle, up to 4 people.
Current park hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. which are subject to change.
Tourists are allowed to enter the park and drive the 17-mile Monument Valley Loop Road. However, you must obey all road signs and stay only on designated roads. Do not wander off the roadway.
Other than Wildcat Trail, you are not allowed to hike anywhere in the park or leave the main road and parking lots.
Drones are prohibited.
Due to COVID restrictions, masks are mandatory both indoors and outdoors.
The park is operating at 50% capacity and only 15 vehicles per hour are allowed entry which may result in long wait times to enter the park.
For more up-to-date information, visit the Navajo Nation’s park website.
WHERE TO STAY:
The View Hotel is a private hotel that offers furnished cabins, many of which have incredible breathtaking views. It is adjacent to a Visitor Center, gift shop and restaurant and is the closest place to stay to the park entrance.
The View Hotel also offers a campground with RV and wilderness sites. The RV sites are dry with no hook-ups but feature some great sunset views.
Goulding’s Lodge is a great place to stay and also very close to the entrance to the park. It does not have the incredible views that The View Hotel offers but does have standard hotel rooms, cute little cabins and a campground.
Gouldings also has a general store, showers, laundromat, a restaurant, gift shop and gas station. There is a great little trail on the property that you can hike and you can book Mystery Valley Tours from here. Goulding’s also has an Earth Spirit Theater where you can watch old John Wayne movies nightly and the Goulding’s Trading Post Museum that opened its doors back in 1989.
Coming in 2023, my dear friend Verna Yazzie will be opening her hogan retreat inside the Navajo Tribal Park offering visitors and incredibly rare and unique glimpse of the traditional Navajo way of life in an area of the park not normally accessible to tourists.
THINGS TO DO & SEE:
Explore the Navajo Tribal Park & 17-Mile Scenic Loop:
For $20 per vehicle, you can take the 17-mile scenic loop to some of the most beautiful and interesting formations in the park. The Valley Drive is a dirt road but most vehicles can make it with ease. There are 11 numbered stops that are clearly marked along the way and you can pick up a free map from the Visitor Center which clearly identifies all of them. Plan on spending at least 2-4 hours for the drive to give yourself enough time to explore all of the viewpoints.
The scenic drive will allow you to see the valley’s most famous formations, some of my favorites of which are as follows:
John Ford’s Point
John Ford’s Point is one of the most popular viewpoints in the park for good reason. It provides you with sweeping views of the valley and some of its most famous formations in the distance.
The point was named after film director John Ford who shot nine movies within Monument Valley, and is the spot you most often see in photographs of tourists on horseback.
The Mittens
The West and East Mitten Buttes, knowns as the Mittens, are two of the most popular sites to photograph within the park which you can’t miss given their prominent location.
Totem Pole
Totem Pole is a unique red sandstone pillar that is the remnants of what was once a butte. It stands 450 feet high but only 40 feet across and is slightly detached from its neighboring spires.
Hike the Wildcat Trail:
The Wildcat Trial is the only trail you are allowed to hike within the park. The trail is a 3.2 mile loop that circles around the mittens and Merrick Butte and an incredibly scenic section of the park. It is a heavily trafficked, moderate trail. Dogs are allowed as long as they are on leashes. The best time to hike this trail is from April to October as the area gets heavy snow during the winter months.
Take a Mystery Valley Tour:
Mystery Valley is an area within the park that you are only allowed to explore with a Navajo Guide. There are several tour companies including ones that operate out of Goulding’s Lodge that take you into this part of the backcountry where you are otherwise not allowed. Tours typically take 3-4 hours and cost around $90 per person.
Taking a tour is a great way to explore some of the unique backcountry within the park that is less traveled.
There are all sorts of interesting geological formations, ruins and petroglyphs that your guide will take you to and let you wander around. The ruins and petroglyphs are believed to be Anasazi, a word that means “Ancient Ones” in the Navajo language.
Go Horseback Riding:
There are several companies that offer private horseback riding tours of Monument Valley and the surrounding area. These rides offer a unique glimpse at the incredible landscape as well as some great photo ops. A few of the companies offering rides include the following:
Sacred Mountain Tours: (435) 727-3218; IG: @toursacred
Roy Black’s Guided Tours: (928) 429-0637
Dineh Trail Rides: (928) 209-2692
Visit the Visitor Center & Restaurant:
Located at The View Hotel is a Visitor Center and gift shop. It also features The View Restaurant with an expanse of windows providing incredible views that serves both Navajo and American cuisine. Adjacent to the restaurant is The View Express which offers sandwiches, ice cream and food on the go if you are in a hurry.
Take a Photo at Forrest Gump Point:
Located on US-163, just 20 minutes from the Visitor Center, is the the famous view of Monument Valley featured in the movie Forrest Gump. The spot draws a lot of visitors wanting to snap an infamous photo of themselves and is truly a beautiful spot.
(Photo: King of Hearts - https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94689835)
There are usually several Navajo crafts and jewelry stands here if you’re looking to take home souvenirs.
Note: This place draws quite a crowd so bring your patience especially if you want a shot without other people in the way during the busy summer months. (GPS coordinates: 37.101393, -109.990973.)
Read More…
Off Grid Living in a Hogan - An Incredibly Rare Glimpse of Life Within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
How I was lucky enough to spend time off grid in a hogan inside the park learning about traditional Diné (Navajo) culture.
