Monument Valley Tribal Park

Monument Valley Tribal Park

The Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is the icon of the Far West. It’s no coincidence that this incredible natural wonder has been the backdrop for many cowboy and Wild West movies. In this section, you’ll find all our tips for visiting this spectacular valley.

What is Monument Valley Tribal Park?

Monument-Valley-Map
Monument Valley Map

Along with the Little Colorado River Gorge, the Four Corners Monument, and the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, Monument Valley is one of the most important parks located within the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American territory in the United States.

As it falls under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation, it is not considered one of the US national parks managed by the National Park Service, and the America the Beautiful park pass cannot be used to access Monument Valley.

The Native Americans originally referred to this area as Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii, which literally means “valley of the rocks”.

History

Archaeological findings suggest that the first inhabitants to settle in this area were the Anasazi Indians, who made Monument Valley their home around 1300 BC. Some rock art and ruins from this period are still visible in certain areas, particularly in Mystery Valley.

The Anasazi eventually left the area, which remained uninhabited until the arrival of the Navajo. The influence of this tribe continues to this day, as more than 250,000 Native American descendants still live in this area, known as the Navajo Nation.

Moving on to more recent years, an important period in the history of Monument Valley is certainly the 1920s when a shepherd and trader named Harry Goulding, in search of new opportunities, decided with his family to buy a piece of land in this area after the Paiute Indian reservation had been relocated elsewhere.

A trading post was then built (which would later be known as Goulding’s Lodge) and, thanks to their business acumen and good relationships with the Navajo, they managed to become a landmark in the area.

The Great Depression in the 1930s also hit these places very hard, so much so that Harry Goulding was forced to find an alternative source of livelihood for himself and the Indians in the area. The idea, both simple and revolutionary at the same time, was to focus on the natural beauty of Monument Valley and try in some way to promote tourism, which was practically non-existent.

And what better way to make the area known to the world than by involving the Hollywood film industry? Harry then set out on a journey and fate would have it that he met John Ford: the director who would be most associated with Monument Valley thanks to his numerous Western films shot in the area.

If Monument Valley is what we know it today, much of the credit goes to Harry Goulding and his enterprising spirit. Today, we can relive these events by visiting the Goulding’s Trading Post Museum.

Geology of Monument Valley and how it is composed

During the Permian geologic era, the area where Monument Valley now stands was actually a seabed where various layers of sandstone and other sediments accumulated over the years.

The action of tectonic forces then raised the height of the area above sea level, and the plateau was subsequently exposed to erosion by atmospheric agents that gradually removed the more friable materials, leaving exposed all the buttes that we can admire today.

This erosion process has not stopped but continues slowly but inexorably even to this day. The area where Monument Valley is located is part of the Colorado Plateau.

The geography of Monument Valley

The area commonly referred to as Monument Valley is not actually a monolithic block but includes several zones within it. For example, in the part called Lower Monument Valley, two of the most beautiful hidden gems of these places can be found:

  • Hunts Mesa: a plateau from which you can enjoy a privileged view of the entire area. However, to access it, you need to use an official Navajo guided tour. You can find all the details in our dedicated article.
  • Mystery Valley: it is in this area that the testimonies of the Anasazi Indians, the first inhabitants of Monument Valley, have been preserved.

Where is it located


Monument Valley is located within the Navajo Nation, spanning across the two American states of Utah and Arizona. The famous The View Hotel is located in Arizona, while the access road along Highway 163 is partly in Utah.

Climate of Monument Valley

Monument Valley has a desert climate with hot summers, with averages in June, July, and August ranging between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius, and mild winters where daytime temperatures rarely drop below freezing. During the hotter months, there is a notable temperature difference between day and night.

For a more detailed overview, please refer to our article on the climate of Monument Valley.

The Monument Valley in Pop Culture

The stunning views of this area have entered the collective imagination mainly thanks to the works of director John Ford; his Western films have almost succeeded in identifying the image of the Wild West with that of the Monument Valley itself.

The first successful film set in this area was actually his Stagecoach in 1939, starring the legendary John Wayne. From then on, the director chose this location for some scenes in his Western films nine more times.

Other important films shot in Monument Valley include Forrest Gump (which has a point named after it), Easy Rider, Once Upon a Time in the West, Back to the Future 3, Transformers 4: Age of Extinction, and The Eiger Sanction directed by Clint Eastwood.

Even in the music industry, Monument Valley has appeared in various forms and ways. For example, the Metallica music video for I Disappear, created for the soundtrack of the film Mission Impossible 2, was shot on top of one of the famous buttes in the park. Pictures of the area have been used numerous times, among the most important ones are the cover of the Eagles’ best of album and the Led Zeppelin DVD.

In terms of TV series, two episodes of Doctor Who (The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon) and one of MacGyver (Eagles) certainly deserve a mention.

Our guides to visit Monument Valley

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