Monument Valley (Utah): what is essential to 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 including the Monument Valley on your route, just as it happened to us on our trip.

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

This allowed us to include on the fly the Monument Valley, when we initially did not plan to visit this great and mythical natural space, and it was undoubtedly one of the most surprising places we saw.

Curiosities of the Monument Valley Tribal Park

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 largely to the Western films.

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.

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

What to see and do when visiting Monument Valley

For 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.

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

Times to visit Monument Valley

The Monument Valley visiting hours They are currently from April to September, from 7 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon; and from October to March, from 8 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon.

Monument Valley ticket prices

El Monument Valley entrance fee It is 40 dollars for a car with capacity for four people, and 10 dollars for an additional person, and the price of the individual ticket per person if you go by motorcycle or bicycle is 10 dollars.

Currently, during this pandemic period, to tour Monument Valley can only be done within a guided tour.

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 movie Fort Apache de John Ford 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.

What hikes to do in Monument Valley

As we have mentioned, to do this tour you have to hire a guided tour of Monument Valley, in most cases made by native Navajo Indians.

Where to sleep in Monument Valley

Here you have hotel information 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.

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

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, and its entrance is 13 kilometers after entering Utah.

See bigger map