Monument Valley is one of the most recognized vistas for the iconic Old West. The majestic buttes were backdrops for dozens of Westerns dating back to the 1930’s. Located on Navajo land, it is a frequent stop by tourists around the world for it expansive views and breathtaking sunsets.
Monument Valley Hike Details
Distance – All distances are covered in your car, tour bus, or on horseback
Approximate time – 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on how much you want to see
Elevation at the Visitor Center – 5603 feet
Elevation at Totem Pole – 5131 feet
Elevation gain – 172 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – well maintained, most of the trail is sandy
Amount of water recommended- 2 liters
Bathrooms – Yes, inside the Visitor Center
Season to visit – can be hiked all year long, early
Permits needed – Monument Valley is on Navajo Nation Reservation land and is subject to special fees, usually not exceeding $10.
How to get there:
From Moab, UT, head south on Main Street (which is US-191) for 74.6 miles to the small town of Blanding, UT, where US-191 becomes Center Street. At the intersection of Center and Main, turn left. There are signs for US-191 that you will follow. Once you turn left, you’re now on Main Street, but still on US-191. Continue south for 24 miles on US-191. You’ll arrive in Bluff, UT, where US-191 turns into US-163. Take US-163 for 24.9 miles through Mexican Hat. Continue west/southwest on US 163 for 20.6 miles and then turn left on Monument Valley Road. There will be a sign for Monument Valley. Follow this road for 3.6 miles to the Monument Valley parking area. Along the way, you’ll stop at a Navajo fee station. Mexican Hat
Hitting the Trail!
Before you even reach Monument Valley, there are a couple of cool places to visit before you arrive, and you’ll drive right past them, so set aside an extra 45 minutes to an hour and stop at Goosenecks State Park, which is discussed in detail here, https://www.yourhikeguide.com/2013/02/21/goosenecks-state-park/ After visiting Goosenecks, you’ll go through Mexican Hat, which is named after a nearby balancing rock that looks like a sombrero.
Mexican Hat Rock is another point of interest on the way to Monument Valley. Here, the author felt it appropriate to enthusiastically showcase his own Mexican hat
At 6.5 miles west of Mexican Hat on US-163, you see a straight stretch of road that can be seen for miles. For some it may even look familiar. Forrest Gump ended his cross-country run here in the movie Forrest Gump. If you look closely, you’ll even see a sign that marks the spot on the right side of the road.
Around here is the point in the movie Forrest Gump where Forrest decides that he is done with running across the United States
Forrest Gump
Once you reach the parking area in Monument Valley, take a couple of minutes to stretch your legs and enjoy the iconic buttes to the west. Hopefully, you have arrived in the afternoon, so you can spend a couple of hours driving around and seeing the other highlights in the valley. A map is given to you as you enter the park which allows you to do a self-tour around the park wish is 17 miles in length. If you have time and extra money, you can ask in the Visitors Center where to go to visit some more restricted areas on horseback with a guide.
The three rock formations that make up “the vista” consist of East Mitten and West Mitten, which as the name suggests, kinda look like mittens. The third rock formation is Mitchell Butte. With each of them soaring over 1000 feet above the canyon floor, they are quite impressive.
Sunset is the time when Monument Valley really shines. It’s nearly impossible to take a bad picture with a vista this amazing. Be sure to find a spot near the overlook well before sunset because people will take all the good locations.
There are multiple points of interest that you can visit while you are waiting for the sun to set. You can see the road winding down in the valley below when look at the buttes from the overlook. The road is a combination of sand and some gravel, and the road is prone to washouts. However, it you drive slowly and carefully you shouldn’t have a problem.
If you only have time to visit a couple of points of interests, I would recommend John Ford Point and the Totem Pole. John Ford was the director of several films shot here, with John Wayne as the main character in each. Views of the mittens from this viewpoint are excellent.
John Ford Point provides for very scenic views
The Totem Pole is the remnant of a butte, and is also very photogenic at sunset. Since all of these formations are on Navajo land, be respectful of their lands, which is very sacred ground to them.
This is the Totem Pole, which the Navajo consider sacred ground
As you make your way back to the parking area to find your spot for your awesome sunset shots, be sure take a minute to appreciate not only the beauty but also the rich history here.
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This was the backdrop for dozens of Westerns during the 1930s
The author posing with a horse that is clearly thrilled to be sat on.
Monument Valley at sunset
