Plan Your Visit to Monument Valley Navajo Park
This Monument Valley Navajo Park travel guide helps you plan a first visit without spending hours figuring out what is actually worth your vacation time. Monument Valley is one of those places that looks familiar before you even arrive, but seeing the Mittens and enormous sandstone buttes rising from the desert in person feels completely different from seeing them in movies and photographs.
You will find what not to miss, where to stay, when to visit, and the practical details you need before you arrive. I’ve also included the experiences that make Monument Valley memorable, from driving the 17-mile Valley Drive and photographing John Ford Point to hiking the Wildcat Trail, watching the desert change color at sunset, and learning more about this landscape from a Navajo guide.
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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park at a Glance
Location: Navajo Nation on the Arizona-Utah border
How much time: 1 full day; stay overnight for sunset and sunrise
Best time to visit: Spring and fall
Don’t miss: The Mittens, Merrick Butte, John Ford Point, North Window, and Valley Drive
Best scenic drive: 17-mile Valley Drive
Best hike: Wildcat Trail, when open and permitted under current park rules
Best sunrise: The View Hotel area overlooking the Mittens
Best sunset: Visitor center/The View area or a guided backcountry viewpoint
Best way to see more: Take a Navajo-guided tour beyond the public Valley Drive
Where to stay: The View Hotel, Goulding’s Lodge, Kayenta, or Mexican Hat
Good to know: Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park, not a U.S. national park
Before you go: Check current Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation fees, hours, Valley Drive conditions, and access rules
Monument Valley Navajo Park Travel Guide
Top 10 Things to Do in Monument Valley
1. Drive the 17-mile Valley Drive
2. Photograph the East and West Mittens and Merrick Butte
3. Stop at John Ford Point
4. Take a Navajo-guided backcountry tour
5. Hike the Wildcat Trail when current access rules allow
6. Watch sunrise over the Mittens
7. Stay for sunset over the valley
8. See North Window and the Three Sisters
9. Try Navajo fry bread or a Navajo taco
10. Stop at Forrest Gump Point on US 163 outside the tribal park
Where is Monument Valley Navajo Park
Monument Valley is located in the Colorado Plateau on the Utah-Arizona border within the Navajo Nation Reservation. The closest airport is in Flagstaff, 176 miles away. The closest major airports are Phoenix (320 miles), Albuquerque (324 miles), Las Vegas (400 miles), and Salt Lake City (380 miles). The entrance is $20 per vehicle (up to four people).
Facts About Monument Valley Navajo Park
- Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park, not a U.S. national park, so America the Beautiful passes are not accepted.
- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park covers nearly 92,000 acres along the Arizona-Utah border.
- Monument Valley is part of the Navajo Nation and is managed by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation.
- The Navajo name for Monument Valley is Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii.
- The sandstone buttes rise as much as 1,000 feet above the desert floor.
- The red color of the landscape comes from iron oxide in the exposed rock.
- The famous East and West Mittens resemble hands rising from the desert.
- Director John Ford filmed several Westerns in Monument Valley, helping make the landscape recognizable around the world.
- The 1939 film Stagecoach, starring John Wayne, helped introduce Monument Valley to movie audiences.
- Monument Valley has appeared in films including Forrest Gump, 2001: A Space Odyssey, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Mission: Impossible II.
- The public Valley Drive is 17 miles long and passes many of Monument Valley’s best-known formations and viewpoints.
- Much of the landscape beyond the designated public areas can only be visited with permission or an authorized Navajo guide.
Best Time of Year to Visit Monument Valley Navajo Park
Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit Monument Valley. Crowds have thinned and temperatures are moderate. Summers are hot and crowded. Winters are cold and snow is possible.
Accommodation in Monument Valley Navajo Park
Monument Valley’s The View Hotel is located on the valley rim. I highly recommend splurging on a stay here. Goulding’s Lodge is about a 10-minute drive from the Monument Valley visitor center. Additional accommodations can be found in the nearby towns of Kayenta, Arizona, and Mexican Hat.
Where to eat at Monument Valley Navajo Park
Enjoy your meal with a view of Monument Valley at The View Restaurant or Goulding’s Stagecoach Dining Room. Stop by Amigo Café for a quick meal, and order a Navajo Taco if you have never had one.
One Day in Monument Valley
Early Morning: Sunrise
Start near The View Hotel and visitor center for sunrise over the East and West Mittens. The changing light is worth getting up early for.
Morning: Valley Drive
Drive the 17-mile Valley Drive if current road conditions and vehicle restrictions allow. Take your time at the Mittens, Three Sisters, John Ford Point, Totem Pole, and North Window rather than treating it like a quick scenic loop.
Lunch: Navajo Food
Stop for lunch and try a Navajo taco or fry bread.
Afternoon: Navajo-Guided Tour
Book a Navajo-guided tour to see areas beyond the public Valley Drive and learn more about the landscape and Navajo culture from someone who lives here.
Late Afternoon: Wildcat Trail
If the trail is open under current park rules and you have time, hike the Wildcat Trail around West Mitten Butte.
Evening: Sunset
Return to the visitor center/The View area for sunset. Staying overnight makes this day much more relaxed and gives you another chance to photograph the valley at sunrise the next morning.
Things to Do in Monument Valley
- Stop by the visitor center for Navajo souvenirs.
- Be sure to try a Navajo Taco or Navajo Fry Bread with Honey before leaving the area.
- Plan to spend 2+ hours on the 17-mile Valley Drive scenic self-drive loop stopping at all viewpoints.
- Hike to the 3.2-mile Wildcat Trail loop circling the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte.
11 Monument Valley Viewpoints Not to Miss
The East and West Mitten Buttes, Merrick Butte, Elephant Butte, Three Sisters, *John Ford Point, Camel Butte, The Hub, Yei Bi Chei, Totem Pole, Sand Springs, *Sand Springs, North Window, and The Thumb.
Things to Do Near Monument Valley
- Photograph Monument Valley from Forrest Gump Point (GPS coordinates: 37.101393, -109.990973).
- Drive the scenic Moki Dugway switchbacks down to the Valley of the Gods.
- Hike around the Mexican Hat rock formation.
- Check out the horseshoe bend view from Goosenecks State Park.
Monument Valley Organized Tours
- Lower Monument Valley and the Totem Pole
- Cultural tour to Mystery Valley to view petroglyphs and Anasazi sites.
- Hike and explore caves and the Teardrop Arch
- Spend a day driving through the valley to Hunt’s Mesa and enjoy a cookout.
Tips for Visiting Monument Valley Navajo Park
- Monument Valley is popular and can be crowded on holidays and weekends. Start the drive early in the day.
- Valley Drive is not well maintained. Drive slowly and allow plenty of time, 2+ hours.
- Passenger cars can drive this road dirt and gravel road with caution. The road is not passable in the rain.
- The desert environment is very hot in the summer and quite cold in the winter. Temperatures also vary greatly from day to night. Bring a jacket.
- Navajo Nation is a dry nation.
- Pay attention to the time. Navajo Nation follows Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) during the summer months while Arizona follows Daylight Savings Time.
- There is only one gas station in Monument Valley at Goulding’s Lodge, get gas before arrival.
- Practice Leave No Trace Principles.
- Purchase Monument Valley entrance here
- Check the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park website for current regulations.
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