Monument Valley (Utah) in 1 day: what you must see and do

One of the great landscape enclaves that you can visit in your trip along the west coast of the United States it is without a doubt, Monument Valley.

Located right on the border between the states of Arizona y Utah, is located somewhat away from the most popular routes among tourists who travel through the interior of the west coast, such as the Grand Canyon y Las Vegas.

But if you have enough time on your trip, I assure you that you will not regret it. Include Monument Valley in your itinerary, just as it happened to us on our trip.

Indeed, on our trip along the west coast we had a somewhat open route plan, as we always like to leave room for improvisation and in case unforeseen events arise.

This allowed us to include on the fly the Monument Valley, when we had not initially planned to visit this great natural space, the protagonist in films such as the legendary  “Fort Apache” by John Ford, which have recently been re-broadcast on television.

And I can tell you that it was, without a doubt, one of the most surprising places we saw during our trip along the west coast.

Monument Valley Tribal Park, a great setting for Western movies

Before your visit, it will be interesting for you to know some curiosities about this park in the western United States.

Monument Valley and the Navajo Indians

At the outset you should know that the Monument Valley It is not listed as a United States national park, but as Navajo Indian Nation Tribal Park.

It is located on the border between the states of Utah y Arizona, and has an area of ​​372.000 square kilometers.

It is known among Navajo Indians such as Valley of Rocks, but it is not a valley, but a large plateau that is also located at a height of 1.700 meters above sea level.

How Monument Valley was formed

In its origins, about 50 million years ago, there was a large plateau in the area crossed by the Colorado River.

Over time, and due to water erosion, this plateau sank so that, today, what we see are some great mountain pinnacles up to 300 meters high,

These rocky plateaus are what make up the landscape that is so impressive for its grandeur and the most famous are those known as Mittens y Merrick Buttea.

Located in front of the viewpoint of the Visitors Center, are the icons by which the Monument Valley It is known throughout the world thanks in large part to Western films as the one mentioned above.

The passing of the clouds and the play of lights and shadows create different scenes of great beauty that can be seen from the aforementioned Monument Valley Overlook.

Times to visit Monument Valley

Los Monument Valley visiting hours They are from May to September, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and from October to March, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monument Valley ticket prices

El Monument Valley entrance fee It is $8 per person.

What to see and do when visiting Monument Valley

Next I am going to give you some Useful tips for your visit Monument Valley.

Once you have entered this park, you immediately arrive at the Visitors Center, a building in which the Hotel The View.

In this place you have said gazebo from where you can enjoy the most famous panoramic views of Monument Valley. and also check that the most famous scenes of the aforementioned film Fort Apache They were filmed precisely in front of the viewpoint.

When planning your trip, it is advisable to arrive in the afternoon to have time to enjoy the sunset in Monument Valley,

This way the next day, if you get up early, you will have the opportunity to see the landscapes with the light of dawn.

Although you are in a very arid area, the temperature is not too high, not even during the day in the summer months, as it does not usually exceed 32 degrees.

This is due to the high altitude above sea level at which the Monument Valley, the aforementioned 1.700 meters.

In fact, in the middle of winter, during the day the temperature may not exceed 5 degrees and it often snows.

Once you have enjoyed the views from the viewpoint, there is the possibility of take a tour with your car through the Monument Valley plateau.

To do this there is a dirt road, by the way, in quite bad condition, so the average speed is very low.

There are several several optional routes, but a minimum tour would be one hour, although the complete tour can last up to three hours.

On this excursion you will be able to circulate next to the main mountains, such as the massif Mitchell, 365 meters high on the plateau.

Guided tour of Monument Valley

As we have mentioned, to do this tour you can sign up for a guided tour of Monument Valley made by a native Navajo Indian.

Undoubtedly, the Monument Valley It is one of the most recommended visits on a trip along the west coast of the United States.

Where to sleep to visit Monument Valley

• First of all, here you have information about hotels for sleep near Monument Valley.

I tell you that in addition to the aforementioned Hotel The View, you'll find Kayenta motels, in Arizona, and in Mexican Hat, in Utah, and if you are going to travel during the high tourist season, it is recommended that you do the hotel reservation in advance.

Sleeping in hotels in Kayenta

Kayenta is located in Arizona, 50 kilometers south of Monument Valley.

It is ideal to stay before arriving at the Monument Valley from the Grand Canyon, along route 160, and just after turning left onto 163.

Or, on the contrary, if after visiting said park you head south.

The journey through these roads north of Arizona You will do it through large semi-desert plains, with long straights.

when you get to Kayenta Don't expect to find a big town.

You will see that it is a small town with less than 5.000 inhabitants made up of various groups of houses scattered across the plain.

But a good sample of good strategic situation of Kayenta is that it has a small airport, and also the service area where you will find the hotels.

Los Kayenta hotels They are of the motel type, of a medium level, and the prices are higher than in hotels with similar characteristics, something logical given the scarcity of accommodation in this area of Arizona.

Next to one of the hotels, the Hampton Inn Kayenta, you can visit the emulation of a small Navajo Indian Village, with a small fort and a couple of Indian houses built with earth, in the traditional style of the Navajo.

Sleeping in Mexican Hat hotels

There is another strategic point that you must take into account when planning your route.

Is Mexican Hat, an enclave located just over half an hour away north of Monument Valley, on route 163.

Located next to the San Juan River, in southern Utah, this scenic enclave gets its name from Mexican Hat by the curious rock formation that is flattened, about 18 meters wide, which emulates a Mexican hat.

Another attraction of Mexican Hat It is the possibility of seeing beautiful things Panoramic views of Monument Valley on Route 163, between the Navajo Indian Park and the aforementioned enclave.

It is on this route where you can see the famous image of Monument Valley in the background of a long stretch of road.

Also, before reaching Mexican Hat south from Monument Valley you can visit the San Juan River Goosenecks, which is what the canyons and meanders that make up said river are called and allow you to enjoy spectacular landscapes.

When you arrive, don't expect to find a town, but rather a place with a gas station and three motels nearby.

Among them the most popular is the modest Mexican Hat Lodge, which more than a typical motel is a house with very few rooms.

Specifically, its fame comes from the possibility of dining on steaks with salad prepared on a barbecue.

In addition, dinner is accompanied by music. country performed by the owners of the motel themselves, members of a band of this typical western music.

To watch the rocky promontory of Mexican HatYou have to continue for a couple of kilometers along the route towards the north and you will see it in the distance. To get closer you have to turn off onto a dirt path.

And if you just want to enjoy the iconic panoramic views of Monument ValleyYou don't need to go all the way to Mexican Hat; halfway along Route 163, you can look back and you'll see those beautiful landscapes.

In sum, the attractiveness of get to Mexican Hat is to enjoy attractions desert landscapes where you will hardly see any Navajo Indians, and in an environment that reminds you of scenes from the series Breaking Bad..

Map: how to get to Monument Valley

El park Monument Valley It is located northeast of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, on the border between the states of Arizona and Utah.

To get to Monument Valley from the Grand Canyon, that is, for Arizona, you must go up towards the north along the 163 route and you will find access to this natural park as soon as you enter the State of Utah. after having traveled just 13 kilometers.

The narrow road will take you directly to the entrance, where you will find the ticket offices.

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