Yellowstone National Park | Monument Valley | Grand Canyon | Badlands | Grand Teton

Monument Valley Tribal Park

Monument Valley is located entirely within the Navajo Nation along the Arizona/Utah border.  It is an area of freestanding sandstone rock forms that rise majestically from the desert floor and is one of the most photographed areas in the American West.  Many movies have filmed in this remarkable area – from the John Wayne/John Ford classic Stagecoach in 1939 to Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump in 1994.  In addition, countless commercials have used Monument Valley as their backdrop.  There is an entrance fee of $5 per person, per day.

Getting There

You approach Monument Valley from nowhere – nothing else is close.  Phoenix is over 300 miles (approximately 5 hours), Las Vegas and Salt Lake City almost 400 (almost 7 hours).  But its remoteness is part of its beauty.

By Air

Major airlines serve Phoenix, Albuquerque and Denver.  Smaller airlines offer scheduled flights to Flagstaff, Arizona and Farmington, New Mexico – each about 150-170 miles (3 hours) from Monument Valley.  Rental cars are available at all these airports.

By Car

From the south you will approach via Highway 160, which runs east to west across the Navajo Nation.  At Kayenta turn north on Highway 163 to Monument Valley.

From the north follow Highway 191 from Moab, Utah through Monticello and Blanding to Bluff.  Then take Highway 163 to Monument Valley.

The best road map for the area is the AAA “Indian Country” map.

Where to Stay

The closest towns are Mexican Hat, Utah (22 miles northeast) and Kayenta, Arizona (24 miles south).  Just outside the park is Gouldings, established by Mike (Leona) and Harry Goulding in 1923 as a trading post.  Gouldings has clean, basic motel accommodations – with an absolutely breathtaking view.  There is a restaurant and souvenir shop on-site and the original trading post is now a museum (definitely worth seeing).  The rates are higher than Mexican Hat or Kayenta, but you are paying for the view and proximity to the Tribal Park.  Goulding’s also has a campground available.  

Mexican Hat is just north of the Navajo Nation boundary.  The San Juan Inn and Trading Post is a clean, basic motel with a restaurant on-site at Rte. 163 and the San Juan River.  It is less expensive than Kayenta or Gouldings.

Kayenta is in the Navajo Nation and has the most accommodations – and the only national chains.  The Best Western Wetherill Inn at the north end of town and is a lodging partner of Gouldings.  Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn also are in Kayenta.  The Navajo Cultural Center and Navajo Code Talkers Exhibit (at the McDonald’s) are near all three motels.

What to See

Visitors can take a 17-mile self-guided loop road that takes you past some of the most famous buttes and spires, but much of Monument Valley can only be seen on tours conducted by official Navajo guides.

Self-Guided Loop

The loop road is unpaved and very rough and narrow.  It is better suited to a 4-wheel drive vehicle, but passenger cars can navigate it when it is dry.

From the Visitor’s Center there is a wonderful view of the Mittens and Merrick Butte, along with an overview of the Valley.  Along the main road are 11 numbered scenic stops:  The Mittens and Merrick Butte, Elephant Butte, Three Sisters, John Ford’s Point, Camel Butte, The Hub, Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, Sand Springs, Artist’s Point, North Window, and The Thumb.  At John Ford’s Point you may get a chance to photograph a Navajo on horseback posed in front of this spectacular scenery.  He will expect a gratuity of a couple of dollars, well worth the price for what it adds to your photograph.

Guided Tours

Guided tours can be booked at Gouldings Lodge or in the main parking lot by the Visitor’s Center.  Most tours include more than just the 17-mile loop, they go off into parts of the Valley that are closed to anyone not on a tour with a Navajo guide.  Before booking a tour, make sure it goes to the “closed” section of the Valley.  A tour with a Navajo guide may take you for close-up looks at some natural arches and petroglyphs.  Check to see if they include Ear of the Wind, Echo Cave and Mystery Valley.