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Monument Valley Navajo Park is one of America’s most iconic landscapes, second to the Grand Canyon. The 92,000-acre desert valley is full of sandstone buttes, colossal mesas, and panoramic vistas. Monument Valley is a sacred piece of Navajo Culture and much of it is only accessible by a Navajo guide. Scenic drives and hot air balloon rides are popular activities in Monument Valley.
You are excited to visit Monument Valley Navajo Park and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat while there. Researching the best things to do while visiting Monument Valley while working full time is overwhelming and you don’t have hours to spend on the internet. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip full of top activities with this Monument Valley travel blog.
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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).
Monument Valley’s Navajo name is Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii, which translates to the valley of rocks.
Ford shot seven Westerns in Monument Valley. Stagecoach starring John Wayne (1939) first introduces Monument Valley to the world.
Monument Valley has been featured in Forrest Gump, National Lampoons Vacation, Mission: Impossible II, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the HBO series Westworld.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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