Monument Valley State Park Off The Beaten Path

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One of the unique charactistics of these beautiful formations is how the shadows cast on them. Some of them look the best in the morning or late in the afternoon. On Spearhead Mesa, I happen to catch this shadow and to me if you look in the middle it looks like a man with his left arm bent to the waist and the right arm looks really long as if he is leaning to his right.

Another one was located over by the overlook for Sands Springs and Totem Pole. I happen to be looking down and it caught my eye right away. It looks like the shape of a horse head. Hmmm, maybe I have my horsey on mind:^)

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Scenic Drive Hours
Summer (May-Sept) 6:00am - 8:30pm
Winter (Oct - Apr) 8:00am - 4:30pm

Camping fees - $10/night plus Entryfees $5/person
General Admission - $5.00
Ages 9 or under - Free

Monument Valley UT 84536

From Flagstaff, AZ, take U.S. Highway 89 north, 67 miles to U.S. Highway 160. Continue northeast on Route 160 for 62 miles to Kayenta, AZ. Monument Valley is 22 miles north of Kayenta Arizona, along U.S. Highway 163.

Off-trails hiking is possible only with a hired guide. They are several guides stationed in the parking lot by the visitor center. Yet, there is a self-guided tour that is about 3 miles that can be used by visitors. Check in with the visitor center.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Scenic Drive Hours
Summer (May-Sept) 6:00am - 8:30pm
Winter (Oct - Apr) 8:00am - 4:30pm

Camping fees - $10/night plus Entryfees $5/person
General Admission - $5.00
Ages 9 or under - Free

Monument Valley UT 84536

From Flagstaff, AZ, take U.S. Highway 89 north, 67 miles to U.S. Highway 160. Continue northeast on Route 160 for 62 miles to Kayenta, AZ. Monument Valley is 22 miles north of Kayenta Arizona, along U.S. Highway 163.

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Between Monument Pass and Mexican Hat is a gravel track with a dusty sign pointing to the Valley of the Gods. The road map says 8kms in and 8kms out, so being in an adventurous mood we turned off the road onto the track and headed inland.
Not another vehicle in sight just desert, rocks and gradually the fabulous formations and monoliths rose up before us. The sights were breathtaking and as you studied the huge rock formations you could make out figures hidden in them The Navajo say the spirits of their dead form in the rocks and we could clearly see and eagle and a monkey.
The track was scary and at one point seemed to turn into a rollercoaster with deep dips and high rises where you couldnt see what was on the other side...until you were racing down the other side only to meet a steep rise infront of you again. We laughed like children, but deep down I think we were all a little scared!!

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If you are going to Monument Valley, keep a couple of side trips in mind.

It's not very far to go to Goosenecks State Park. Please see my page on Goosenecks.

The Valley of The Gods is in between Monument Valley and Goosemecks S P - Mexican Hat wasn't a very big deal at all to me, which is along the route too.

Just an option for a nice side trip!

Not far from Monument Valley - on the other side of the border and the other side of the freeway - is a place almost as spectacular. It's called the Valley of the Gods. It's like a smaller, greener version of Monument Valley inside of a giant gorge. Unfortunately, I had just enough time to do a little exploring right before dusk, so I didn't get any good pictures. If you are planning on doing 2 days at MV, you might want to make one of them a trip here instead.

A few cautions - the road, while paved, has some very severe dips and gullys and should not be attempted by any vehicle over 18 ft. long. Also, you'll want to keep an eye on your gas gauge, as filling stations are few and far between. There are no services available anywhere inside the valley, though I think there may be a primitive campground.

Around Monument Valley, Earth had been active volcanically, too. Two major volcanic monoliths are Shiprock (in New Mexico) and Agathla Peak or El Capitan. Agathla Peak rises 1500 ft up in the sky, some miles east of Kayenta.

It’s name - Aghaa’lá means “much wool” and could easily refer to the threads of wool, grazing sheep might have lost in the basaltic rocks. I have heared that the Holy People have placed this mountain in order to increase the distance between earth and sky – as it is very hot in the summer.

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A very good overview of Monument Valley you will have if you drive to Moki Dugway Overlook, which is close to the Goosenecks (i.e. outside of the park).

Head north on 163 to Mexican Hat, turn left onto 281, climb the road until you reach the Viewpoint. Be prepared for spectacular views – mainly when the sky is clear and visibilty is good :-)

Another spot, which you will see during a guided tour into Central Monument Valley is Sun's Eye - another fine example of the erosion within Colorado Plateau. It’s a cave type natural arch, which means that it has been eroded out of the “roof” of (in this case deChelly sandstone) a rock formation, and eventually collapsed, giving room to this “eye”.

You can't get close, as this is also a holy spot for Navajo (near Thunderbird Mesa).

Look at the dark vertical lines on the rock - this is called "Desert Varnish", and is a result of specific oxidation on the vertical rocks, when in contact with water and their mineral salts.