A Complete Guide To Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is incredible! It is one of America’s most recognisable natural sights. Honestly, this place should be on everyone’s bucket list! But if you are going to visit, make sure you have a car that you don’t mind getting covered in desert dust. You will be driving around on roads that are very uneven, bumpy, dirt tracks.

Where To Find Monument Valley

Monument Valley sits on the Arizona-Utah state line. Part of the park is in Arizona, and part is in Utah.

Who Owns Monument Valley

The Navajo tribe owns Monument Valley. They are the largest Native American tribe in America. They have their own governance and judicial system that operates with its own president. So when visiting, you have to respect their rules. We visited during the pandemic when mask-wearing had been lifted for most of America. However, in the Navajo region, mask-wearing was still compulsory in indoor settings, so of cause, we had to respect their laws.

Park Fees

To visit the park, you have to pay a small fee. At the time we visited in May 2022, it cost $8 per person.

Park Opening Hours

Please see their website for updated park opening times: https://navajonationparks.org/tribal-parks/monument-valley/

Best Way To See The Park

There are different ways to spend your day exploring Monument Valley. You can drive the scenic 17-mile loop, which leads you around the iconic rock formations. For this, I recommend half a day. If you have more time on your hands, there are a few different walking trails to hike. One we would have liked to have done is the Wildcat Trail. It’s a 4-mile hike and the views are meant to be incredible! If you want to hike any of the other trails in the park, you do need guide. If you want to try something a bit different, there are horse riding tours that look fun to do.

Forest Gum Location

Before heading into the park itself, a stop at the famous Forest Gum location is a must! Please be very careful, as to get that ‘famous Forest Gum photo’ you have to stand in the middle of a busy road. Traffic has been slowed down on this stretch of the road, but you still need to be very careful.

Location: Located on the US-163, 20 minutes drive north from the Visitor Centre, in Utah. GPS: 37°06’09.5″N 109°59’21.1″W.

To get the best photo with the right lighting, visit in the morning. The early the better! In the afternoon, the sun will be facing in the wrong direction, which will mean you will be taking the photo into the sun.

Driving The Scenic Loop

To drive the scenic 17-mile loop you need to have a vehicle that is suitable to drive on uneven, dirt tracks. You don’t need a 4 by 4, but a vehicle with a good clearance underneath is recommended. If you don’t want to drive your vehicle along the loop, there are tours that will take you down there instead. Not sure if you need to book these in advance, so it’s worth doing your research in advance.

Allow yourself 3 to 4 hours for the drive. The drive along the road is slow, you may be queueing at busy times, and at each stop, you will be wanting to get out to take photos and enjoy the view. It’s not a scenic drive to be rushed!

Upon entry to the park, you will be handed over a map of all the different viewpoints along the drive. Here’s what to expect to see and the order you will see them in:

The Mittens and Merrick Butte

The Mittens and Merrick Butte is the very first viewpoint along the scenic drive. This is one of the most iconic scenes of Monument Valley! This was one of my favourite viewpoints on route!

Elephant Butte

Supposedly, this butte is meant to look like an elephant. More so in the afternoon as the shadow lengthens. I will let you make up your own mind if you think it looks like an elephant or not.

Three Sisters

The Three Sisters are three sandstone spires that stand together in a row.

John Ford’s Point

John Ford’s Point is named after the film director, John Ford. He used Monument Valley as a filming location for many different Westerns between 1939 and 1960.

For some reason, I’m missing a photo from this viewpoint!

Camel Butte

Supposedly, this butte is meant to look like a camel. I will let you make up your own mind if you think it looks like a camel or not.

The Hub

The Hub is a single geological formation, reaching as high as 45 metres (150 feet) high.

For some reason, I’m missing a photo from this viewpoint!

Totem Pole

These rock-formed Totem Poles are pretty impressive! They are 140 metres (459 feet) high and only 12 metres (39 feet) wide.

Artist Point

This was one of my favourite stops! I can see why it’s called Artist Point. It’s absolutely stunning! It provides views for miles and miles, with views of West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte, and Merrick Butte. Three iconic buttes! If there’s one viewpoint to do, this is the one to choose!

North Window

At the North Window, I recommend walking up the path for a short 5-minute walk. Here you will be greeted with beautiful views of East Mitten Butte, Elephant Butte, Cly Butte, and the Three Sisters.

The Thumb

Supposedly, this butte is meant to look like a thumb. I will let you make up your own mind if you think it looks like a thumb or not.

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