Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park – AZ/UT

Unexpected snow fell overnight in Flagstaff and a deep chill. As we headed north then west toward Monument Valley (hours of operation), the sky cleared and the temperature steadily warmed. Then, we arrived at the Monument Valley Navajo Reservation late morning after a 3-hour drive.

Entering Monument Valley

The view from the main parking lot area of Monument Valley takes your breath away. Then, it keeps on giving!

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At over 5,500 ft elevation and spanning over 90,000 acres maintained by the Navajo people, Monument Valley offers awe-inspiring views. This iconic land has been featured often in films and advertisement. At first glance, a series of mesas, buttes, and spires fill the landscape for as far as the eye can see. Then, for a small fee paid to the Navajo tribe, we enjoyed a 17-mile dirt road with my offshoot areas to stop and photograph the area.

Navajo Offerings

Throughout the land, locals offer their handmade products at small shops while others provide tours. Some live within the park with private roads to their dwellings. We met several shop owners and enjoyed great conversation. One shop owner mentioned that he and his wife recently traveled to Massachusetts. This gave us more to talk about while in the shop, heated with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate available.

The Navajo guided tours offer more magnificent views and experiences. Due to our long drive home, we chose to self-navigate. We loved the area and will check these out on a future trip. The restaurants and lodging at campgrounds and on-site hotels offer spectacular sunrises and sunsets with more options available in neighboring cities and towns.

A Few More For the Road

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Despite being only a few hours away, Monument Valley contrasts starkly with Montezuma Castle and Well in Camp Verde. On tomorrow’s update, we visit the Grand Canyon.

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