monument valley utah tour

THE 10 BEST Monument Valley Tours & Excursions

Monument valley tours.

• Cultural Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Walking Tours
• Literary, Art & Music Tours
• Private Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• Shopping Tours
• Photography Tours
• Archaeology Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Monument Valley Tour

2. 2.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Backcountry 4×4 Tour

3. Monument Valley Daytime Tour - 3 Hours - Navajo Spirit Tours

4. 3.0 Hours of Monument Valley's Sunrise or Sunset 4×4 Tour

5. 2 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour

6. Sunset Tour of Monument Valley

7. Dreamcatcher Evening Experience in Monument Valley

8. Scenic Monument Valley Tour

9. Monument Valley Extended Backcountry Tour

10. 1.5 Hour Tour of Monument Valley's Loop Drive

11. Private Monument Valley Tour

12. Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

13. Sunrise Tour of Monument Valley

14. 1 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour

15. 3.5 Hours Mystery Valley Navajo Spirit Tour

16. Mystery Valley Tour 3.5 -4hrs (TSNGT)

17. Stargazing Tour of Monument Valley

18. 3.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Cultural 4×4 Tour

19. 2.5 Hours Monument Valley Historical Sightseeing Tour by Jeep

20. Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley Self-Guided Driving Tour

21. Tour Monument Valley with a Navajo guide (1.5hr TSNGT)

22. Monument Valley 4x4 Tour

23. Monument Valley Backcountry Tour

24. Monument Valley Hogan Overnight Experience

25. Monument Valley Tour from Flagstaff

26. Full Valley Tour 2.5 Hrs.

27. 1.5 Hour Jeep Tour in Monument Valley

28. Monument Valley's Mystery Valley 4×4 Tour

29. Monument Valley Loop Drive Tour

30. 2.5 HR tour (TSNGT)

What travelers are saying.

• Angie D 1 contribution 0 5.0 of 5 bubbles Stunning views and amazing tour guide The tour of Monument Valley was stunning and our Navajo tour guide Larry was amazing. We were fortunate to have no one else in our group so he was able to talk more with us and he told us the amazing history of the area and the tribe. It was a wonderful experience! Read more Review of: Monument Valley Extended Backcountry Tour Written April 17, 2024 This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

• Monument Valley Tour
• 2.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Backcountry 4×4 Tour
• Monument Valley Daytime Tour - 3 Hours - Navajo Spirit Tours
• 2 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour
• Sunset Tour of Monument Valley
• Navajo Spirit Tours
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours
• Dineh Bekeyah Tours
• Monument Valley Safari
• Phillips Photography Tours - Day Tours
• Navajo Guided Tour Service
• Goulding's Monument Valley

• Goulding’s Museum
• Earth Spirit Theater
• Navajo Culture
• Weddings & Events
• Stagecoach Restaurant
• Gas & Convenience Store
• Grocery Store
• RV/Campgrounds
• Monument Valley Rooms

Monument Valley Tours

• Monument Valley RV & Campgrounds
• Goulding’s History

Goulding’s offers a variety of exclusive tours through Monument Valley Tribal Park and beyond. Sit back and enjoy fascinating geological and historical information about this amazing area known as the “Land of Long Shadows.”

All of our tour guides are local Navajos who grew up in and around the Monument Valley area. During the tours, they provide access to trails and paths not open to the public while offering insight about the Valley. They are proud of their heritage and are more than happy to share stories about their culture and history, so don’t hesitate to ask!

Our tour vehicles are modern, clean and well-maintained, providing top safety and comfort. The open-air vehicles in our fleet come equipped with large transparent flaps that can be quickly deployed, should the weather take an abrupt turn.

During your tour, you will have the opportunity to stop and gaze at the panorama where John Ford, John Wayne, and countless other historical figures of the Southwest have left their footprints. All tours include the entry fee to Monument Valley Tribal Park, a map, water, tickets to Earth Spirit Theater and traditional Navajo cultural demonstration. Don’t forget your camera!

CHOOSE FROM ONE OF OUR MANY TOUR PACKAGES:

This tour covers the famous 17-mile loop of Monument Valley. View many of the famous monuments when the tour makes stops at The East and West Mittens viewpoint, John Ford’s Point & Three Sisters viewpoint, the Totem Pole viewpoint, Artist’s Point, and the North Window viewpoints. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan .

Cost Per Person: $77.00 Adults | $57.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 1:30pm Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 2.5 Hours (approximately)

Deluxe Tour

This tour covers the famous 17-mile loop of Monument Valley plus visits some restricted back-country stops. View many of the famous monuments when the tour makes stops at The East and West Mittens viewpoint, John Ford’s Point & Three Sisters viewpoint, the Totem Pole viewpoint, Artist’s Point, and the North Window viewpoints. In the back-country, you will make stops at The Sun’s Eye & Ear of the Wind. This area of the Navajo Tribal Park boasts hidden treasures like natural arches and provides different vantage points from the traditional 17-mile loop road. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan.

Cost Per Person: $89.00 Adults | $69.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 8:00am & 4:00pm - April – September | 3:15pm - March –  October | 2:30pm - November – February Duration of Tour: 3.5 Hours (approximately)

Sunrise Tour

Wake up to the morning majesty of Monument Valley! Start in front of the world-famous Mitten rock formations and make your way through the Valley as the sun casts its light upon the mesas and buttes. This tour covers viewpoints along the 17-mile loop road.

Cost Per Person: $87.00 All Ages Departure Time: 20 Minutes Before Sunrise (times vary) Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 2.5 Hours (approximately)

Sunset Tour

End your day by watching nature’s slideshow of the ever-changing light and the different moments it creates. This tour winds its way around the 17-mile loop road as the light dances around and lights up the monuments. Finish in front of the Mittens for the sunlight’s last glow.

Cost Per Person: $77.00 Adults | $57.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 2 Hours Before Sunset (times vary) Available: April – September Duration of Tour: 2.5 hours (approximately)

All Day Tour

Do you have a day and want to see more of the Monument Valley area? Our 8 hour All-Day tour allows you to escape the future and take a trip back into the ancient past with a trip to Mystery Valley. Explore Anasazi Ruins, Rock Art panels, and hidden arches that take you back to bygone eras during the first half of the tour. Before continuing your tour into Monument Valley you will stop to recharge and enjoy a boxed lunch prepared by our staff *. Enter Monument Valley and (re)discover the beauty and comfort of the world famous Mittens as well as many more of the sacred and unique rock formations that have adorned walls across the world. Breathe in the energy, but mind the dust, as you follow in the footsteps of the legends who made this scenery so famous. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan

*Please check-in for the tour the evening prior so the front desk staff can go over the menu and get your selections ordered.

Cost Per Person: $160.00 Adults | $110.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 9:00am Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 8 hours

Private Tours

Special custom tours are available with a minimum of four people. call 866-313-9769 to ask about prices, times, locations and availability., what to bring.

Please keep in mind that all tours will take you to some very beautiful yet secluded locations. It is recommended that you bring the following items with you:

Hat/Sunscreen

The Mittens may cast long shadows, but the sun will find you while you are on your tour. Skin protection is highly encouraged.

Closed-toe shoes

The scenery is beautiful, but the terrain can be rough in spots. We recommend you wear shoes with good traction that will protect your feet from thorns.

Layered clothing

Weather in the valley can be very unpredictable. Windstorms can and do occur without warning throughout the year. These storms can bring lightning, rain or snow with them, depending on the season.

Water/Snacks

Water is provided on all tours, but you are encouraged to bring a water bottle and any light snacks that you may want to carry with you.

Of course, you wouldn't want to forget a camera to take pictures of the breathtaking mountains of Monument Valley.

*Taxes extra. Please consult with the front desk or your tour guide if you have any questions.

Explore the Museum

Reserve your rv spot, reserve your room.

Monument Valley Safari

Guided off-road adventure tours, choose from our most popular tours.

• Most popular
• Users All ages
• Hour Glass 3.5 hours

3.5-Hour Monument Valley Tour

Cover more ground and fully immerse yourself in the culture and history of Monument Valley as you embark on a guided tour with an expert Navajo local.

• Hour Glass 2.5 hours

2.5-Hour Monument Valley Tour

Private monument valley tour.

Embark on an extraordinary journey through Monument Valley, an enchanting land of sandstone wonders and cinematic allure. Join the legendary Don Mose, your charismatic Navajo guide, as he unveils the secrets of this sacred terrain that go beyond the ordinary tourist trails.

• Hour Glass 7 hours

7 Hour Hunts Mesa Tour

Embark on an unforgettable guided tour with us and delve into the heart of this extraordinary and pristine landscape. Our expert guides will lead you through the secrets of Tse’Bii’Nidzisgai, revealing its hidden stories and the cultural significance intertwined with Diné Biyakah (Navajo Land).

• Hour Glass 18-20 hours

18-Hour Hunts Mesa Overnight Tour

Capture dramatic views from 1,600 feet above the valley floor. From atop Hunts Mesa photographic opportunities abound, with sandstone monuments and canyons sprawling out in every direction.

Native American Hoop Dance

For centuries Native American Hoop Dancing has been a ceremonial and artistic form of storytelling performed by the First Nation People. Colorful hoops made of willow or reed are manipulated

• Clock Sunrise departure & 8 a.m.
• Hour Glass 5.5 - 6 hours

Private Storytelling with Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald

Travel into a restricted area of Monument Valley or Mystery Valley to find a special set-up where you meet and hear stories from one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers, Peter MacDonald.

Yá'át'ééh! Welcome!

A tripadvisor top 5 outdoor activity in monument valley.

Traveling with a native Navajo through Monument Valley was a wonderful experience! Our guide, Bobby, provided such enriching information and stories about the geology and history of the land and its people. We were able to travel off the beaten path to visit a hogan where we were treated to a weaving demonstration as well as more fabulous land formations. Highly recommend choosing this tour.

My sister and I wanted to see Monument Valley, but we didn't know what tour company to use. My sister chose Monument Safari Tours and I am so glad we went with them. Our Guide was Tony and he made our tour a really unforgettable experience. He was so knowledgeable and interesting. We went on the sunset tour and it was absolutely beautiful!

This was a fabulous experience to get to the Hunts Mesa. Excellent driver and guide. I went solo with the Navajo guide and got dropped off alone along the mesa while he went to prepare the camp and the food. He picked me up as planned just at sunset. Great food, great lodging (thick sleeping bag for the cold night).

We had an outstanding sunrise tour with Navajo guide Toney. He was extremely knowledgeable and took us to some outstanding locations in the Monument Valley backcountry. He even helped us take some creative photos. It was truly a magical experience that we will never forget! Worth every penny!

Our tour was fab - in a 4x4 across the sand and over rocks - and then we got to climb up rocks. We saw amazing rocks so it was a great family tour that everyone enjoyed thoroughly. Would definitely recommend.

Our family’s roots run deep in Monument Valley. Tracing back seven generations, our family has been exploring this part of the Navajo Nation since the early 1800s. As members of the Native American Navajo Tribe, our beliefs, language and spiritual practices are very much an integral part of our daily lives. For this reason, when you take a tour with us, you will be exposed to much more than Arizona’s stunning landscape - you will learn about the history, culture and lives of the Navajo.

We provide Navajo guided tours of Monument Valley and the surrounding attractions. Our team consists of eight members; all local and all Navajo - united with one goal, to welcome visitors into our home with kindness and professionalism. Enjoy one of our many tours while our team shows you the area with expert knowledge and local information.

What to Expect from Our Tours

We offer a variety of tours, each designed deliberately to accommodate an array of budgets, physical abilities and preferences. Our scenic and cultural tours range from 2.5 to 6 hours. Our photography tours range from 3.5 to 18 hours. Furthermore, we delight in arranging custom tours - from Navajo cultural performances to photography shoots of Native Americans in traditional regalia.

CLOSURES MAY BE POSSIBLE, DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER.

Monument Valley Tour Operators

Navajo nation park & recreation.

To book a guided tour in Monument Valley, please select a tour operator from the list below.

There are tour guides available upon arrival.

Hours of Operation:

The Monument Valley 17- mile loop is accessible by vehicle only. You can purchase Entry Fee and Guided tour upon your arrival. RV’s, Camper van’s, motorcycles and Large SUV’s or Off-Road Vehicles are Prohibited on the valley drive. Valley drive has rough terrain and deep sand dunes.

Entry to all Navajo Tribal Park areas are enter at your own risk. Dogs are Prohibited at all Navajo Tribal Park locations.

Designated Hiking Trails are at your own risk. We ask that you sign in/out at each location for trail usage. Trails are open during Navajo Tribal Park Hours of Operations 8am to 5pm. Please wear comfortable clothing and be prepared for unpredictable weather, always stay hydrated and be aware of your surroundings.

The mask mandate has been lifted and the use of a mask is at your discretion.

All Navajo Tribal Parks are Closed on: Thanksgiving Day, NN Family Day (day after Thanksgiving), Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Security will be on duty and monitoring the area.

MORE INFORMATION: PLEASE REVIEW.

Monument Valley Guided Tour Operators

• Bennett Tours   ph. 928-221-9975
• Sacred Monument Tours, LLC    toursacred.com   ph. 435-727-3218
• Phillips Photography Tours   monumentvalley.com     ph. 928-429-0040
• Explore Monument Valley  ph. 928-429-1959
• Navajo Spirit Tours   ph. 435-444-7773
• RGJ Inc dba Goulding’s Tour    ph. 435-727-3225
• Roy Black’s Guided Tours   ph. 928-429-0637
• Valley View Guided Tours  ph. 435-485-0103
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours     ph. 385-347-6243
• Monument Valley Holiday Tour   ph. 928-489-1732
• Mitten View Tours        ph. 928-429-4672
• Hunt’s Mesa Off-Road Trails – UTV Tour  Call/Text: 928-302-8398
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours  ph. 385-347-6243
• Tinhorn Tour   ph. 928-489-9128
• MV Dineh Bekeyah Tours   ph. 928-409-0088
• MV Twin Warriors Tours   ph. 928-429-8628
• Sandstone Tours     ph. 435-200-5450
• Monument Valley Rain God Mesa Tours   ph. 928-606-9422
• Monument Valley Safari, LLC     ph. 435-220-0539
• Three Sister Navajo Guided Tours    ph. 602-327-2472
• Blackwater Tours    ph. 435-727-3312
• Monumental Tours    ph. 435-444-9529
• Tinhorn Tours    ph. 928-383-0783
• Monument Valley Tours   ph. 435-727-3313.

Horse Trail Rides

• Dineh Trail Rides  ph. 928-209-2692
• Tse Bii Trail Rides  ph. 928-489-2593

San Juan River Tours

• Tse’kooh Outfitters    ph. 928-301-7060
• Ancient Wayves River and Hiking Adventures  ph. 505-239-8505
• Dzil Taah Adventures, LLC.  ph. 928-429-8531.

Monument Valley Tribal Park Jeep Excursions

+ 1 (928) 429-1959

• Liability Waiver

Where every tour experience feels like coming home.

Explore Monument Valley offers fun, family-friendly open guided jeep tours in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park that promote curiosity and discovery about Navajo Nation life, culture, and traditions.  

OUR APPROACH

Journeying with diné, a commitment to excellence.

Experience Diné culture firsthand on our Monument Valley tours. Our Diné tour guides  share our values, beliefs, and desire to restore harmony and balance with nature. Our guest leaves with a deeper understanding of our community.

Unique Experiences

Our open-air Safari vehicle tours are all about humor and engagement. With hands-on activities, stories, and a lively personality guiding you, we strive to make our guests laugh, giggle, and chuckle.

 Count on us to make your tour experience smooth and worry-free. With regular check-ins and meaningful connections, we prioritize your comfort and satisfaction throughout the tour. 

Choose Your Experience

Tour pricing.

Our tour pricing is pe r-person an d the l ength of the tour, so you can choose the option that best fits your budget and schedule. 

All our tours are great for all ages and run year-round . We think the best time of year to visit  Monument Valley is whenever you want.   We are open for tours on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years.   

You can request a private jeep tour, but most tours are open guided jeep tours. Our tour group sizes are 2-12.  Whether you're looking for a thrilling adventure, scenic drive, or a peaceful retreat, our open-air Safari tours are an unforgettable way to experience one of the most stunning landscapes in the American Southwest.  

$65.00               2 hours  

$75.00               3 hours

$125.00             4 hours (Monument Valley or Mystery Valley)

$220.00             All Day Tours

Custom group rates and child pricing is available. 

Tours meet on the lower loading zone by the View Hotel located within the Park. Tour Start Times are based of of Utah MST time. We recommend you bring snacks and water.

Cultural Tour

A popular tour experience! The first Navajo lived on their land between 900 and 1525 AD. You will discover our first home still used today, the hogan. Understand how important the four seasons are to our lives. What stories we can share depends on what season you are visiting. Learn about our first jewelry, what traditional dishes are, how we craft our authentic basket weaving to this day, and learn cultural etiquette. Our favorite is sharing the Navajo language, which we work to keep alive.  

Back Country

 Are you looking for the final frontier experience? The Back Country is going to take you into our "backyard." The Navajo reservation open guided jeep tours can only be accessed with a tour guide. It allows you to step into t he wild, see the Big Chief rock formations, s tand next to th e Sleeping Dragon, be guests in our homes, and see how we still do our traditional rug weaving. This escape into the wild includes the foll owing locations: Echo Cave Ruins, Sun's Eye, Big Hogan, Moccasin Arch, and Ear of the Wind. 

Professional or novice photographers get ready for a tour experience where your photos can become an exclusive canvas in your home. Your tour guide operator is also a professional photographer. Throughout the tour, you will have a unique perspective of the landscapes, buttes, canyons, clean air, diversity of plants and wildlife, and areas of beauty and solitude.  Monument Valley photography offers unique opportunities like archeological sites and sand ripples from the wind blowing across the desert. 

Movie Locations

Our open guided jeep tours starts in a movie location and sweep you into the spaces that have become icon parts of movie stories. Some you may recognize right away, and others will surprise you. Get ready to jump into your own cinematic experience. Perhaps you will connect to locations of far-away planets or well-known westerns—sci-fi action films like The Transformers or award-winning films.

Sunrise or Sunset

Join us in welcoming a new day with our sunrise tour. One of the quietest times when your soul connects back to mother earth. An experience of genuine reflection.  

End the day with our sunset open guided jeep tours and experience the incredible colors that wash across the rocks. Each second is worthy of capturing the ever-changing colors as the sun slowly seeps down into the earth. 

We always make sure you get an iconic shot for your Instagram moment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at [email protected] if you cannot find an answer to your question.

• Guests will pay the separate park entry fee and meet for their tours at the Monument Valley Welcome Center. The entrance fee to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is $8 per person. The fee is valid for one day only. The park only takes credit card.

Monument Valley is located on the Arizona-Utah state line, near the Four Corners area in the Navajo Nation Reservation that is over 92,817 acres. Explore Monument Valley jeep tours will go through UT and AZ.  Navajo Nation governs Navajo Tribal Parks, Monuments, and recreation areas. All non-Navajo travelers and visitors must comply with Navajo Nation laws, regulations, and policies.

Explore Monument Valley has found that 2.5 hours is the most popular jeep tour time. No matter which tour you choose we strive to have it be culturally enriching and take you off the beaten path and discover locations that cars can't access.   

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Explore Monument Valley

Welcome Center, Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536

+ 1 (928) 429-1959 [email protected]

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Monument Valley: Everything You Need To Plan Your Visit (2024)

If you’re traveling through the southwestern United States, visiting Monument Valley is a must. There’s a reason this unique area has been featured in countless Hollywood films and it’s well worth a day or two of any road trip.

The southwestern states are home to some of the USA’s most dramatic landscapes, and one of the best places to visit when you are traveling through the region is Monument Valley, Utah.

Found within the vast expanse of land that forms the Navajo Nation, Monument Valley is known for the imposing rock formations that rise sharply from the otherwise flat plateau.

This is arid, desert-like land too, and it’s Monument Valley that has been featured more than any other location in Hollywood movies set in the Wild West. 

While its landscapes might have been romanticized by famous Westerns, and more recently by Instagrammers living the Van Life and road-tripping west, Monument Valley will always be unnervingly beautiful to see firsthand.

It’s one of the best stops in the southwest, and to inspire your journey, here’s our ultimate guide to Monument Valley. 

Don’t leave home without:  Lonely Planet Southwest USA (Travel Guide)

Where is Monument Valley?

Table of Contents

Monument Valley is located within the Navajo Nation, and it straddles the border between the states of Utah in the north and Arizona in the south.

The valley is just a small part of the vast Colorado Plateau, and Monument Valley itself stretches for around 17 miles in length, through a protected area known as the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.  

How to Get to Monument Valley

Monument Valley is best accessed on a self-drive tour. If you don’t drive, then your best option is to join a multi-day excursion on an organized tour through the southwest because Monument Valley is in a remote location – it’s not exactly the day-tripping kind of destination! 

Monument Valley is located along Highway 163, which passes through the valley itself on its way from Utah south into Arizona. The highway is around 60 miles long, and starts in Bluff, Utah, and continues south to Kayenta in Arizona.

The entire highway is a beautiful place to road trip, as it passes not only through Monument Valley but through this spectacular desert-like part of the southwest. 

But part of the beauty of Monument Valley lies in its veritable isolation from the rest of the world. This is not a place you can simply visit on a whim, purely because it’s a long way from any major cities.

For this reason, you will want to consider putting together a longer road trip , that takes in many more of the sights in the Utah-Arizona area and across the Colorado Plateau. 

In fact, the nearest major cities are a long way from Monument Valley, and the closest large airport is almost 200 miles to the south in Arizona, in the provincial city of Flagstaff.

There are few connections here – certainly no international ones anyway – and you will need to pass through larger hubs such as Phoenix, Las Vegas, or Salt Lake City anyway, giving you yet another reason to simply turn this into one large road trip through the southwest.

Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City are all at least a 6 hour drive in different directions , but they are great places to start or end your trip, as you can easily pick up hire cars or campervans at the airports.

Depending on how much time you have, you can even start or end your trip on the Pacific coast, in Los Angeles , San Diego , or San Francisco, but be prepared for a lot of driving. 

There are a lot of great places to see in the area, and you can incorporate monumental destinations such as the Grand Canyon , Horseshoe Bend , and Antelope Canyon into your itinerary if you are traveling through Arizona.

To the north of Monument Valley, in Utah, you can call into the Canyonlands, into Moab or you can see the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, amongst many more sights and attractions too. 

Best Time to Visit Monument Valley

As with most other places in the American Southwest, the best time to visit Monument Valley is during the late Spring and early Fall. That is if you want to avoid the peak season crowds and heat that come with the summer months of June through September. 

If you want a totally unique visit, consider the off-season, which runs from late Fall to early Spring. There will be very few people and you will have a high degree of weather fluctuation. The days will be mostly sunny but that intense heat from summer will be gone. 

During these seasons you can also expect cold evenings, overnights, and mornings. Our visit to Monument Valley was in mid-March, during our road trip from Las Vegas to Denver. I can attest to both colder weather and small crowds. 

When we went to dinner in the evening, we had to wear sweaters. When we got up for a sunrise backcountry tour to photograph the sunrise, we had to wear down jackets . It was freezing cold until later morning when the sun was fully up. 

If you are really looking for a unique experience, consider visiting Monument Valley during the winter, when the valley is occasionally blanketed in snow. 

Things to do in Monument Valley, Utah

Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park and is administered and cared for directly by the Navajo Nation. For this reason, you must pay $8 per person to enter the park. National park passes are not accepted.

The Navajo Nation also arranges more in-depth tours, as some areas of Monument Valley can only be accessed with local guides. 

Our Top Recommended Tours in Monument Valley:

• Monument Valley Guided Tour
• Monument Valley Daytime Tour
• Sunset Tour of Monument Valley
• Monument Valley Extended Back-country Tour

Tribal Park Loop

The main thing to do in Monument Valley is to drive the beautiful Tribal Park Loop. This 17-mile long road passes through the best natural sights that the valley has to offer, including the iconic rock formations and rock pillars, and past excellent viewpoints.

In fact, if you are only paying the $20 entrance fee, this is the only part of the tribal park that you can actually access in your vehicle, as anywhere else requires you to be on a tour with a Navajo guide.

The Tribal Park Loop is the best way to see the highlights on an independent trip though, and if this is all you can afford or all you have time for, then don’t worry too much, because you’ll experience the best of Monument Valley anyway!

The Tribal Park Loop starts and ends at the local visitor’s center at the entrance to Monument Valley. While the road is a dirt track, it’s very well maintained and a four-by-four vehicle is not necessary to drive the loop.

West and East Mitten Buttes

One of the most iconic sights that you’ll see on the Tribal Park Loop, is the sight of the West and East Mitten Buttes.

These are the tall, imposing rock formations that rise dramatically from the otherwise flat valley floor, and it’s these rock formations that always seem to make it into scenes from Hollywood Westerns, they even formed an integral backdrop to the HBO TV series, Westworld, a few years ago. 

These enormous rocks are so named because they appear to look like hands wrapped in mittens, pointing toward the sky!

Wildcat Trail

The Wildcat Trail is a fantastic, short hiking trail that takes you around the base of West Mitten Butte. There are few trails in the park that you can hike without a Navajo guide, but the Wildcat Trail is one that you can self-walk.

It’s around 4 miles long, and quite literally takes you into the shadow of the butte, offering you the best view of the rocks. Remember to take lots of water, as the sun can be brutal in summer in Monument Valley. The hike will take around two hours, with plenty of time for taking photographs along the way. 

Lower Monument Valley

If you have more time to explore Monument Valley, then it’s worth joining a tour with a local guide to visit Lower Monument Valley. This area of the tribal park isn’t accessible by the public unless they are accompanied by a Navajo Guide. 

You will not only be given a four-by-four tour of more remote areas, but you’ll also have the chance to learn about Navajo history and culture at the same time.

The highlight of Lower Monument Valley is the Totem Pole, a tall, fragile, and thin-looking piece of rock that rises sharply from its base in the valley – like a Totem Pole.

Most tours last around three hours from start to finish and offer you the opportunity to experience not only a Monument Valley ‘safari’, as they call them, but parts of the park that you cannot visit on your own accord, and that consequently, are much quieter than points on the standard Tribal Park Loop. 

Forrest Gump Point

Monument Valley formed the backdrop to an iconic scene in the quirky movie, Forrest Gump. Partway through the movie, Forrest Gump begins running across the USA, and there’s a famed clip of the character, played by Tom Hanks, running along Highway 163, with the monumental rock formations of the Mitten Buttes in the background.

In fact, Forrest Gump Point, which is around 8 miles north of the state border, has become one of the most photographed spots in the valley, as the highway runs almost perfectly straight towards the rocks in the distance.

If you see a picture of Monument Valley from any road trip, on any Instagram account, it’s going to be from Forrest Gump Point. 

Take a Sunrise Photography Tour

We simply could not resist the opportunity to take a specialized sunrise tour into the backcountry of Monument Valley. We had the opportunity to see and photograph places in the park that are completely inaccessible to the general public. 

The tours generally start around 3 AM (or around there depending on the time of year and sunrise times) from the lobby of the View Hotel . So if you’re not staying there, you will need to make sure you have a rental car or have arranged a ride there from one of the other hotels nearby. 

The tour we did lasted 4 hours and took us to many iconic spots located in the private Navajo areas of the park. The guide was knowledgeable and great about showing us the famous angles for each stop. 

Plan Your Monument Valley Itinerary

One of the biggest challenges you’ll face is just how much time you should give yourself for this massive site. Truth be told, the more time you can give it the more enriching experience you will have. 

At the very least, try to give yourself 2 full days if you can. This would mean spending two nights, with a later in the day arrival before the first night. As we were pressed for time on our road trip and wanted to pack in several famous sites, we only spent one night. 

What it really comes down to is planning ahead and then making the most of your time while there. This is how we put together our itinerary in Monument Valley.

Day 1: Arrival at Monument Valley by car from Page, Arizona just after lunch. Drove the Tribal Park Loop for the afternoon, stopping at various lookouts for photographs. Checked into Goulding’s Lodge then drove up to Forest Gump Point. Dinner at Goulding’s Stagecoach Restaurant.  

Day 2: Early Sunrise Photography tour in the backcountry followed by breakfast at The View Restaurant. We then took a tour of the Lower Monument Valley before leaving Monument Valley and heading East to the Four Corners National Monument.

Where to Stay When Visiting Monument Valley

While you might pass through Monument Valley and spend a few hours exploring and driving around, before continuing your road trip north or south on the highway, you can also take the time to stay nearby and spend longer in the area. 

This is a great idea if you want to catch that early morning sunrise over Highway 163, over the epic rock formations, or if you want to join more in-depth tours with Navajo guides across the valley, rather than simply driving the usual loop.

The nearest towns are Kayenta, which is just under 30 miles to the south, while Bluff is around 50 miles to the north. The intriguingly named town of Mexican Hat is a little closer to the north, but there are fewer hotels or accommodations here than in Bluff.

In Bluff and Kayenta you can find an array of hotels, while you can also find a few camping areas along the highway. These are our recommendations for accommodation during your visit:

• Goulding’s Lodge : (we stayed here in a cabin) Located 2km outside of the park entrance, this hotel offers both standard room and cabin options. The cabins have stunning views over the valley. They have an onsite restaurant too. 
• The View Hotel : Offers comfortable accommodation with onsite dining. This hotel offers insane valley views. They also offer premium cabins too. 

Places to Eat Near Monument Valley

Your options here are limited if you are planning to stay at one of the two places we recommend above. Each of the hotels offers its own onsite restaurant. The options are limited and expensive but you can’t really trade the convenience.

The day we arrived, we ate dinner at the Goulding’s Lodge Stagecoach Restaurant . They were offering a salad bar and a menu with a variety of entrees. The salad bar reminded me of a typical dinner club salad bar, much as we have in Wisconsin. Fresh ingredients and a decent variety.

I would highly recommend that you give the Navajo Tacos a try! They are delicious. 

After our sunrise tour, we opted to try breakfast at The View Restaurant . They offered the typical breakfast options that you would find in any diner across the states. The food was good but as I said, options are limited so you’re going to be left with little choice. 

The alternative is making the drive to either nearby Kayenta or Bluff, where you can find a wider variety of options, gas stations, and some fast food. 

Monument Valley, Utah FAQs

Yes. Anyone can pay to enter Monument Valley and drive the scenic road, as well as partake in a few short hikes. Note that certain areas are off-limit unless you are with a Navajo guide.

Absolutely! It’s a very unique destination and even if you’re visiting other landmarks in the West, Monument Valley still stands out.

Mexican Hat is technically the closest town, though you’ll find little there. Bluff and Kayenta are where most people choose to spend the night.

It will take about 2 to 4 hours, depending on how frequently you stop. There are many different outlooks and photo opportunities, plus some short hikes, so take your time and enjoy!

It costs $8 per person to enter Monument Valley, plus additional fees for any tours with Navajo guides. Note that they do NOT accept national park passes.

The road in Monument Valley that you see in the movies (including Forrest Gump!) and on postcards is Highway 163 Scenic Drive.

Almost all cars can drive the scenic road through the valley. It is not paved but it is well kept, so in most cases, an SUV or even 4×4 is not necessary.

Yes, you can drive Highway 163 Scenic Drive without a Navajo guide. You just need to pay the $8 per person entry fee.

You might also like:

• What to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park Story
• 15 Amazing Arches National Park Hikes You Cannot Miss
• What to Do in Zion National Park – 15 Trails, Drives & Overlooks
• What to Do in Kanab, Utah (Attractions, Hiking, Canyons & More)
• St George, Utah Guide (What to Do, See & Eat)
• 13 Best Cities to Visit in the USA

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Elevation:   5,200 feet (1,585 meters) Location:   San Juan County, UT and Navajo County, AZ

The Monument Valley terrain is ancient, resilient, and breathtaking in its beauty. This distinctive landscape—a hallmark of the Utah desert—came into being through the erosion of the Rocky Mountains' sandstone deposits and geologic uplift, and it was further shaped by the relentless forces of wind and water over many centuries. 

Monument Valley's prominent buttes reveal three main layers—Organ Rock shale, de Chelly sandstone, and Moenkopi shale. The tallest of these stand-alone formations ascends 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Encompassing 91,696 acres, Monument Valley forms part of the expansive Colorado Plateau.

While commonly referred to as Monument Valley Park, the area's Navajo name, T sé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii, offers a more authentic reflection of its character, which roughly translates into 'the valley of the rocks.'

Contrary to what some might assume, Monument Valley is not a National Park, but rather a Tribal Park, as it lies within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation. The Tribal Park’s designation is important in order to preserve its unique heritage and geological wonders.

Monument Valley History

The formation of Monument Valley started 300 million years ago as a low basin. Slowly, the sandstone layers were deposited in this basin, which later became the buttes of Monument Valley. 

Over time, the forces of wind, water, ice, and temperature variations slowly eroded away the softer materials, leaving behind the massive sandstone buttes we see today.

The Navajo Nation

The earliest known inhabitants of the Monument Valley area were the Ancestral Pueblo, who lived there from about 1 AD to 1300.

After the Ancestral Pueblo, the Navajo people later inhabited the area. The Navajo, known as Diné, moved into the American Southwest around the 15th to 16th century. 

They established a pastoral society and lived in harmony with the environment. The land of Monument Valley is sacred for the Navajo people and featured in many of their creative narratives.

European contact  

The first recorded European contact was in 1776 with Spanish explorers. However, Monument Valley remained largely unknown to people other than the Navajo until the late 19th century. 

In the 20th century, the creation of the Monument Valley Tribal Park in 1958 by the Navajo Nation helped to protect the area and promote tourism.

Modern history and popular culture

The area really came into the spotlight in the 1920s when the Goulding family began operating a trading post in Monument Valley. They sold the local population groceries and other supplies, serving as a hub of commerce in the area. Their establishment lasted through the 1960s. 

During their time in this remote area of Utah, Harry Goulding caught wind of a new Western film in the works out in Hollywood. He and his wife packed up their things, went to Hollywood, and managed to arrange a meeting with the film’s location manager. 

They showed him photographs of Monument Valley. Not long after that, the movie  Stagecoach (1939), featuring America’s original cowboy, John Wayne, was filmed with Monument Valley as the setting. Since then, numerous major motion picture films have been shot in the area, along with countless commercials, music videos, and other productions.

Perhaps the most famous of all is the film  Forrest Gump (1994). Monument Valley features in an iconic scene where Forrest Gump and his band of running followers jogged along U.S. Route 163. Fans of the movie often visit this stretch of the highway to recreate the scene or just take a few photos.

Monument Valley embodies the Old West with its iconic red sandstone buttes standing tall against the clear blue sky. However, no film can truly do it justice. Only by experiencing this majestic landscape firsthand can one fully embrace its awe-inspiring spirit!

Visiting Monument Valley

Straddling the border of Utah and Arizona, the magnificent allure of Monument Valley captivates visitors throughout the year. The giant sandstone formations that tower over the desert floor are unique structures you don’t see every day! They aren’t mere mountains, or canyons, or even just big rocks, but something totally different–they are monuments to the power of nature.

These formations have been given interesting names like Mittens, Elephant Butte, Totem Pole, and North Window. But describing them doesn’t do it justice. You need to visit Monument Valley yourself to truly appreciate this magical place!

The most ethereal moments in the valley are perhaps during sunrise and sunset. The play of light and shadow drenches the landscape in an otherworldly glow that compels professional photographers or weekend Instagrammers to capture the breathtaking vistas.

Admission is $8 per person, per entry, per location and National Park Passes are not accepted . 

Things to See and Do in Monument Valley

Goulding’s trading post and museum.

As perhaps the most influential people in putting Monument Valley on the map, the Goulding family’s contribution and heritage are on display at the location where they operated their little trading post and dwelled for years.

The  museum is filled with artifacts and photographs of a past age when a small community brought goods and wares to sell and trade among each other and their Native American neighbors.

Driving Through Monument Valley

One of the most popular ways to experience Monument Valley is from the road! As you follow “The Valley Drive” through the desert, the wide-open spaces and towering rock structures allow for easy viewing of all the natural beauty around you.

This scenic drive takes you across the Utah border and into the Arizona side of Monument Valley, but you can easily return to your hotel on the Utah side when you’re done—it doesn’t take all day! Feel free to pull off to the side of the road and capture the perfect photo or appreciate the skyline from a different angle.

The Valley Drive is a dirt road that runs through Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park when you cross over to the Arizona side of the valley. This scenic route stretches about 17 miles and passes by eleven designated stopping points for visitors. To help with your navigation, each stopping point is marked with a numbered sign and the name of the formation.

The Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte

When envisioning Monument Valley's iconic landscapes in the American Southwest, one cannot help but conjure images of the renowned trio of buttes: the East Mitten Butte, the West Mitten Butte, and the Merrick Butte.

Named for their uncanny resemblance to enormous mittens emerging from the desert expanse, the East and West Mitten Buttes form a striking visual spectacle. As you pause to admire these formations, your gaze naturally extends to Merrick Butte, positioned just to the south of the Mitten pair. The arrangement of these rocky sentinels appears almost deliberate, crafting a harmonious triangle that embodies a rare marvel of natural symmetry.

The Biannual Mitten Shadow Event

Twice a year, a remarkable phenomenon graces Monument Valley – the 'Monument Valley Mitten Shadow.' This awe-inspiring event occurs during sunset, as the West Mitten Butte casts its flawless shadow onto the East Mitten Butte, drawing photographers and wanderers from across the globe to bear witness.

The magic of this biannual spectacle unfolds in late March, reaching its zenith around the 30th of the month, and then once more in September, reaching its peak around the 13th. Weather permitting, this event stands as an unmissable attraction for those embarking on a journey to Monument Valley. Yet, irrespective of the time of year, the trio of these majestic buttes is certain to leave you utterly mesmerized.

Source : MacNeal Crank

Elephant Butte

It doesn’t look exactly like an elephant, but it kind of does when you use your imagination, right? Either way, it’s another stop on the drive worth pulling over for.

Three Sisters

As the name suggests, the Three Sisters formations are three tall and narrow fingers close together off the edge of a large plateau. You won’t have any trouble finding the Three Sisters from the road. Below the pillars, you can see the crumbling sediment and layers of shale coming down the slope that has been worn away to form these unique structures.

John Ford’s Point

Another stop you’ll come to on the drive, and one you definitely don’t want to skip, is John Ford’s Point. During the mid-1900s, Hollywood film director John Ford used this location for many of his movie scenes. This location helped establish the image of “the American West” in the minds of the rest of the world. John Ford’s Point is still used now and again in  films .

The point serves as a stage overlooking a vast expanse of desert, highway, and sky. It’s widely considered the best view of Monument Valley, so don’t miss out on it when you visit. There is a parking lot where you can leave your car while you go to take in the view. Watch your step! The terrain has been left as rugged and wild as Mother Nature formed it.

Camel Butte

Another stone formation right along the side of the road as you take the Valley Drive, is Camel Butte. Being able to drive up close to the butte allows you to see the detailed erosion and layers that form these rocky “monuments” and it makes you more fully appreciate just how big they are!

The Hub is another geological formation in the valley with a unique appearance. It's a massive, isolated sandstone formation that rises from the valley floor and it resembles a hub or pivot point around which other geological formations seem to revolve.

While the natural beauty and grandeur of The Hub are enough to make it a point of interest, it's also significant in Native American culture and creative narrative. Like other parts of Monument Valley, The Hub has many stories and great spiritual significance associated with it.

Totem Pole and Yei be Chei

When you look at the Totem Pole, you’ll know why it was given that name! The tall spire shoots up from the ground next to a collection of chunkier formations called Yei be Chei.

Totem Pole and Sand Spring

Sand Spring is an area where the red-orange hue of the sandy desert floor can be seen in all directions. From this stopping point, the Totem Pole can be seen from a different angle.

Artist’s Point

Artist’s Point is another overlook in Monument Valley that makes for great photography and breathtaking views. From here, you’ll be able to see a great distance over the open desert and some of the formations you’ve passed, all in one view.

North Window

North Window is a spot on Monument Valley Drive where you can get a clear view of East Mitten Butte, which stands between Elephant Butte and a smaller formation called Cly Butte. This is one of the more popular destinations along the drive.

This stone monument is a little different from the others. The rounded shape of this formation is what gives it its name. The Thumb is the last officially-marked structure on the Monument Valley driving tour.

Monument Valley Tours

Scenic drive tours

While a self-drive is one way to immerse yourself in the beauty of Monument Valley, we  highly recommend a guided tour option.  Not only is the road extremely rough and rugged, your experience will be heightened by a Navajo guide that will provide information on the Navajo history and culture of the area. 

These tours typically follow the 17-mile scenic drive through the park and the additional insights and narratives you receive will enhance your trip that you otherwise wouldn't get from driving the route yourself.

If you want to explore Monument Valley's trails and off-road sites, check out our  list of Navajo-guided tours and outfitters here . 

Mystery Valley

Another great way to explore Monument Valley is to go off the beaten track and visit Mystery Valley. This valley is known for its stunning rock formations, Native American archaeological sites, and petroglyphs.

While the more famous Monument Valley is noted for its dramatic and large-scale buttes, Mystery Valley offers a more secluded experience with natural rock formations, including natural arches, and the site holds a number of Ancestral Pueblo Cultural Sites. 

Mystery Valley is less trafficked than Monument Valley, mainly because access to this area requires a local guide, which helps preserve the delicate Cultural Sites and rock formations.

Visitors can explore ancient dwellings, see pictographs from the Ancestral Pueblo people, and enjoy amazing views. It's an opportunity to learn about the region's rich cultural and geological history and the Navajo people's sacred connection to the land.

Hiking tours 

If you don't want to drive, there are other ways to explore Monument Valley. There are hiking trails outside of the Tribal Park that are unmarked and considered backcountry. Access requires obtaining a $5 day-use permit from the visitor center.

➡️ Self-guided hikes: The Wildcat Trail is the only self-guided walking trail in Monument Valley, located within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. It's a 3.2-mile (5.1 kilometers) loop that offers a more intimate view of the iconic West Mitten Butte sandstone formations than the scenic drive does.

➡️ Guided hikes: For more in-depth experiences, Navajo guides can take visitors to areas not typically accessible by car. They can guide treks around specific formations or longer hikes through more remote parts of the park.   

Plan a Trip to Monument Valley

Monument Valley is an iconic U.S. site that should be on every tourist’s bucket list!

We in San Juan County, Utah, want to help make your visit exciting and memorable. While it’s likely that you’ll want to spend a good amount of time exploring the unique landscape just over the border in Arizona, many travelers prefer to set up “base camp” in Utah, where there are plenty of places to stay, eat, and  enjoy other attractions .

Utah’s Canyon Country is chock full of amazing activities, parks, canyons, and history! Check out some of our  travel guides and itineraries to plan an incredible vacation in Canyon Country.

Getting to Monument Valley 

Monument Valley's majestic landscape can be accessed via several routes. The northern approach from the Utah cities of Bluff, Blanding, Mexican Hat, and Monticello is particularly striking. Taking US Highway-191 as it merges into Highway-163 is the main thoroughfare into Arizona that winds through Monument Valley, you will be treated to iconic views. This route presents a picturesque tableau of a long stretch of highway flanked by the deep red desert, culminating in the towering mesas of Monument Pass on the distant horizon.

Alternatively, Monument Valley can be accessed from Page, Arizona, situated on the Arizona-Utah border. A journey of approximately 125 miles, usually completed in around two hours by car, offers an alternative route to the valley. Starting from Page, take the U.S.-89 South. Roughly 46 miles into the journey, turn right onto U.S.-160 East near the city of Kayenta. Continue on U.S.-160 East for an additional 23 miles, before taking a left onto U.S.-163 North, which leads directly into the heart of Monument Valley.

Lodging Near Monument Valley 

Mexican hat.

Just a 25-minute drive away, Mexican Hat offers charming lodging options and restaurants and serves as the closest lodging option to Monument Valley outside of staying within the park or Goulding’s Lodge. 

Receiving its namesake from the popular rock formation located right outside of town, Mexican Hat is a wonderful option as a basecamp for your exploration due to its rich Native American history accessible from short hikes or when floating along the  San Juan River . 

Bluff, Utah, serves as a remarkable base camp for valley explorations, offering a range of lodging and dining options.

For the history aficionados, Bluff is a great opportunity to start your educational adventure by checking out the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel, and Bluff Fort before setting off on a short hour-long drive to Monument Valley.

Blanding and Monticello

Venturing further north along US Highway-191, the towns of Blanding and Monticello also offer accommodation and dining options.

For those looking to enrich their Native American educational experience, we highly recommend checking out the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum located in Blanding. For those looking to cross off multiple parks in one trip, Monticello offers a great base camp to travel south to Monument Valley, and north to Canyonlands National Park. 

Monument Valley Climate and Weather

As you plan your trip to Monument Valley it's important to keep in mind the area's seasonal weather variations.

Winters can be chilly with temperatures often dropping significantly, and summer temperatures, while hot, are typically moderated by the valley's higher elevation. Despite the heat, summer temperatures are usually less intense than they would be at lower elevations, which results  in a hot, dry climate.

While snow does make an appearance in Monument Valley's winters, it's generally infrequent and light.

Awareness of these seasonal changes can help you prepare for your visit and enjoy Monument Valley's natural beauty to the fullest, regardless of the time of year.

Other Attractions near Monument Valley

Moki dugway scenic drive / valley of the gods.

The cliff-side view from the  Moki Dugway road provides a fantastic look at the wilderness area known as the Valley of the Gods. This scenic area is north of Mexican Hat, Utah, on UT-261.  

ℹ️  Distance:  37 miles,  45 min

Muley Point 

From the remote location of  Muley Point , visitors can see views of Monument Valley, Four Corners, Valley of the Gods, and Goosenecks State Park.  

ℹ️  Distance: 45 miles, 1hour

Goosenecks State Park 

Check out the view over the winding San Juan River, 1,000 feet down at the bottom of a colorful canyon. Camping options are available at  Goosenecks State Park .

ℹ️  Distance:  35 miles, 45 min. 

Four Corners Monument

Managed by the Navajo Nation, this unique landmark offers visitors the opportunity to stand in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado—all at the same time.

ℹ️  Distance:  105 miles, 1.5 hours

Grand Canyon 

The Grand Canyon, located in Arizona, is one of the world's most iconic and breathtaking natural wonders, stretching over 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep. 

ℹ️  Distance:  180 miles, 3 hours

Nearby Lodging Options

➡️ Goulding's Lodge

➡️ Firetree Bed & Breakfast

➡️ Goulding's Good Sam Park

➡️ Monument Valley KOA  

Click  HERE for a list of guides for Monument Valley Tribal Park. 

For more information on Monument Valley and San Juan County, UT sign up for our newsletter here .

Road Trip to Monument Valley: Where to Stay, the Best Tour + Sunrise AND Sunset

It’s been on my travel bucket list to go to Monument Valley FOREVER. 

I don’t even remember the first time I saw photos of Monument Valley. Probably in a classic old western…John Wayne and Clint Eastwood both filmed a handful of movies here. Ansel Adams took the most famous photographs. And of course there was Forrest Gump. 

Monument Valley is incredibly iconic. Maybe one of the most iconic American landscapes out there. In a land of exceptional landscapes (the American Southwest is one of the dreamiest places on the planet), Monument Valley stands out as truly special. 

And I finally got to see it!

Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park on the Navajo Reservation along the Utah and Arizona border. 

Surprisingly it’s not a National Park. But after doing Utah’s “Big 5” plus the Grand Canyon, I can honestly say that Monument Valley is every bit as impressive (maybe more so) than the legendary National Parks that surround it. 

It’s also pretty remote. This isn’t a spot where you’re going to fly into a major airport and pop over for a quick visit. It takes some planning. 

The best way to see Monument Valley is on a road trip through the southwest. 

Monument Valley Road Trip 

Here’s everything you need to know about adding Monument Valley to your epic southwest road trip: 

How to Get to Monument Valley

Like I said, Monument Valley is kind of in the middle of nowhere. It’s about 2.5 hours from Moab, UT, about 3 hours from Gallup, NM, and about 2 hours from Page, AZ. 

If you’re doing a southwest road trip, the best way to squeeze it in is probably while driving between Moab, UT and Page, AZ. 

If you’re plotting out a big road trip of all the best sights in southern UT and northern AZ while flying in and out of Las Vegas, my perfect itinerary would look like: 

Las Vegas > Valley of Fire State Park > Zion > Bryce Canyon > Capitol Reef > Moab (Arches & Canyonland) > Monument Valley > Page (Antelope Canyon) > Grand Canyon > Las Vegas

How Long Do You Need at Monument Valley?

If you’re not doing a big loop, it’s still doable as a day trip from either Moab or Page. 

Driving south on Highway 163 from Utah to Arizona is where you’ll stop for “Forrest Gump Point.” 

Mobs of cars (and even tour buses) pull over on the side of the road for people to take pictures. It’s actually pretty chaotic with people running out into the middle of the road for photos. But you’ve gotta get that shot! 

This is a 15 minute photo stop, max. And it’s not even actually the heart of Monument Valley. 

Many Navajo actually live on the valley floor, so access beyond the highway is somewhat limited. There’s a 17-mile scenic loop that’s the main attraction. 

It’s $8/person to enter and it’s recommended you have 4WD or at least a high clearance vehicle (I saw a few small cars). Most people spend 2-4 hours driving the loop. With your admission you can also access a visitor center and trading post at the View hotel and it’s a MAGNIFICENT VIEW. 

So, you can really see most of Monument Valley in about 3-4 hours (there’s very limited hiking in the area so it’s mostly just the drive). 

The caveat here is that sunrises and sunsets are SPECTACULAR at Monument Valley so if you’re coming all the way then you really should spend the night so you can experience both. 

You can watch both from the viewing decks built around The View hotel. Everyone is welcome for sunset, but sunrise is just for hotel guests (the gates to the park don’t open until 8 AM). 

Where to Stay at Monument Valley

Opens are pretty limited if you want to stay right near Monument Valley. 

By far the best option is The View . This place was built to offer you, hands down, the best view of Monument Valley. You’ll see the most famous view of Monument Valley right from your balcony!!

There’s a restaurant onsite (with free breakfast) plus this is where the big trading post is. Besides people staying at the hotel, this is the main tourism hub for people coming to do the 17-mile scenic loop drive. 

Now, it’s not cheap…in mid September I paid about $400/night for an upper floor monument view room, but I think it’s worth it. 

The rooms are nice (but dated), but you’re 100% here for the view. It is magnificent. 

**Wait to do your shopping at the trading post until after you check in because they’ll give you a 20% off coupon. 

Goulding’s Lodge is another good option. Harry and Mike Goulding bought the land in Monument Valley in the 1920s and started a trading post with the local Navajo. They were instrumental in bringing Hollywood to Monument Valley and built the first tourism amenities in the area. It’s not quite as nice at the View (and the view isn’t quite as good), but it’s still the best option if you can’t get a room at the View.

There’s also a KOA campground just north of Monument Valley. 

If you want more of a resort experience that’s a base camp to explore the surrounding area, I would take a look at the Bluff Dwellings Resort & Spa . It’s about an hour from Monument Valley, but it looks really nice. 

Do You Need a Tour? 

Tours aren’t required to drive the 17-mile scenic loop, but there are guided tours that will take you beyond the scenic loop into the back country. 

We had a Jeep and I felt confident in being able to do the full scenic loop, but after doing some research, we decided to do a guided tour instead. 

I booked the extended three hour sunset tour with Monument Valley Tribal Tours and it included a lot of the scenic drive loop plus a trip to the back country. And I think it was totally worth it. 

Honestly, you’ll be able to see the most iconic parts of Monument Valley just on the beginning of the scenic drive but some of the most special parts are in the back country. 

All of the pictures below are things you’ll only see on a back country tour. 

In mid September, the sunset tour was from 3 PM to 7 PM. We got to Monument Valley about noon and had plenty of time to take pictures at Forrest Gump Point, shop at the trading post, get checked into the View, see Goulding’s, and have lunch (the View has minimal offerings at lunch but there are food trucks over by Goulding’s) before our tour. 

It’s a good idea to have cash and small bills with you. The photo op on the horse at John Ford’s point is $10/person plus you’ll want to tip your tour guide and maybe even leave some donations at the hogan and other places. 

Airplane Tour

Monument valley & canyonlands combo tour, book your tour.

Adults: $599 per person Children (2-12): $449.25

BOOK A PRIVATE TOUR

• 1-hour tour for up to 9 people in one aircraft
• Can accommodate groups of up to 36 in multiple aircrafts
• Contact us to customize your experience!

VISIT TWO REMOTE AND EXPANSIVE RED ROCK PARKS ON A SINGLE TOUR

Monument Valley and Canyonlands National Park are two of the most isolated and untouched areas in the West. With over 150 miles between the parks, these remote, hard-to-reach areas would take days to see from the ground. When you embark on our combo tour, you’ll soar over both of these expansive parks in under two hours.

ENJOY A SCENIC COMMUTE OVER CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK AS YOU HEAD TOWARDS MONUMENT VALLEY

On the flight from Moab to Monument Valley, your pilot will take a scenic route, soaring over some of the most stunning views in Canyonlands National Park, Dark Canyon Wilderness Area, Natural Bridges National Monument, Cedar Mesa/Grand Gulch, and Valley of the Gods. You’ll see all of the most famous features around these areas in the time it would take to reach a single feature by foot.

WITNESS THE MAGIC OF MONUMENT VALLEY BY AIR AND BY FOOT

Monument Valley was made internationally famous by the John Wayne Westerns, and over 130 Hollywood productions have been filmed in the area. These films have been widely viewed, pulling Monument Valley’s iconic rock features and vistas on the global map as the symbol for the American West. Our plane will touch down briefly so you can enjoy an extended view of The Famous Mittens – a sight that very few have seen from multiple perspectives.

ENGAGING GUIDES, EXPERT PILOTS, AND LIFETIME MOAB ENTHUSIASTS

Our expert airplane pilots fly over every must-see view in these awe-inspiring parks, pointing out every notable sight you may have missed if you stayed on the ground. While you soar over the distinct terrain of each park, your seasoned pilot will identify and describe the different features, share comparisons of the parks’ characteristics, and explain how each of these parks are integral to the famous and timeless beauty of Southeastern Utah.

What Our Guests Are Saying

• "Our sunset flight was amazing! The views and information were priceless! I have travelled to Moab over a dozen times and have never seen the views or had my questions answered about the amazing history and geology like we did tonight! Dan was absolutely wonderful! Expectations were beyond met, best money spent as a tourist in Utah!" AKM
• "We took our first helicopter ride ever here on the day of our wedding and it was so absolutely wonderful!! Our pilot was so knowledgeable and pointed out so many awesome points, he knew so much about the history of the region and other fun facts. All the staff at check-in were also so kind and welcoming making us feel special on our special day! Definitely recommend to anyone looking for an adventure!" Benjamin
• "If you are planning a trip to Moab to see the National Parks, you absolutely HAVE TO take a flight tour with Redtail. Sure the beauty of the red rocks in person are breathtaking but seeing them from above gives it all a whole new perspective! Jenny, in sales got us booked on a 30 minute flight over Arches for my daughters birthday. We showed up and checked in, staff was amazing, and friendly, made check in super easy. They gave my daughter a cute birthday bag of delicious cookies! We didnt wait long, and the Pilot, Dan, came and introduced himself, gave us some history of the airplanes and a wonderful tour. He was very thorough, and made it so fun for all of us. We got some amazing pictures, and we definitely will be recommending this to everyone!" Rebecca
• "Excellent aerial tour over Canyonlands and Arches NP. Pilot was great handling plane and as tour guide. Great way to get perspectives on the parks and to see things you wouldn’t otherwise unless you hiked for several days." Joseph

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SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

We follow all FAA guidelines and restrictions on all our air tour operations.  Safety is our number one priority for our guests and team members.

THE LOWEST PRICE. PERIOD.

Book directly on flyredtail.com or call our office to get the best price on our tours. Find it cheaper? We’ll refund the difference!

FREE CANCELLATIONS

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a FULL refund. We know that plans can change, and that’s why we offer one of the most generous cancellation policies in the industry.

GREAT TOUR GUARANTEE

If you don’t have a great tour, let us know and we promise to make it right with a voucher for a future flight.

Why Redtail Air

Redtail Air is Moab’s only air tour operator permitted to fly directly above Southeast Utah’s national parks. From the air, you will enjoy the sights that very few have seen—gaining a greater appreciation for the improbable beauty of this unique area, including the iconic Delicate Arch and the world’s longest natural arch, Landscape Arch.

Whether you are on a national park scenic airplane tour , flying over iconic arches on a scenic helicopter tour , or returning from a whitewater adventure on a river airplane shuttle through Cataract Canyon, opportunities for spectacular photography abound.

ANSWERS TO ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS

DO WE ACTUALLY FLY OVER THE NATIONAL PARK?

Yes! You will fly directly over the Arches National Park , Canyonlands National Park , and even Monument Valley .

WHAT SHOULD WE BRING?

Water, a light jacket, camera, and a smile.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AGE?

All ages are welcome on our flights! Children over 24 months must sit in their own seat on the plane. Booster pillows are provided by Redtail Air. Children under the age of 12 fly for 25% off the price on all flights.

HOW BIG IS THE PLANE? HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN FIT?

Up to 9 in a single plane, multiple planes for larger groups

A Brand You Can Trust

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A minimalist look at the American Southwest, Monument Valley has big rocks, big sky, and…nope. That’s it.

The brisk march of progress passed right by Monument Valley. Which is great, because in places like this, “progress” has nothing to offer. The southeast corner of Utah looks about like it did 300 years ago, which looked like it did 3,000 years ago: vast, wild and sunbaked, with deep canyons and towering buttes variegating the desert plain. You’ll see the sky, bigger and bluer than you remembered. You’ll see the earth, red, rough and unpredictable. And you won’t see anything else. Monument Valley is what wind and water can make with enough time and creative license. Stand stranded at its center, struck by astounding simplicity. It will never happen again.

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Where is monument valley.

Good question. Maps aren’t exactly ALL CAPS-ing its name. And part of the charm of Monument Valley National Park is its remoteness, about 60 miles west of the zero-dimensional Utah–New Mexico border on U.S. Highway 163. (You should probably go ahead and check Four Corners off your bucket list while you’re in the neighborhood.)

How to Get There

Most major airlines fly into Salt Lake City, and there are several regional airports across Utah. All of them are several hours from Monument Valley, Utah, so you’ll need a vehicle to drive the rest of the way. But there’s plenty of scenery to see along the jaunt, including Arches National Park . Consider the entire trek a part of your adventure.

• Salt Lake International Airport: 407 miles, 7 hours
• Provo Airport : 359 miles, 6.5 hours 
• Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas) : 437 miles, 7 hours
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: 334 miles, 5.5 hours
• St. George Regional Airport : 295 miles, 5 hours
• Canyonlands Field Airport : 178 miles, 3.3 hours

When you arrive, you’ll find a tiny town with a lodge, camping, outfitters and a few restaurants. Some comfy hotels are located nearby. The visitor center is open seven days a week.

• May to September : 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
• October to April: 8 a.m-4 p.m.

Oljato-Monument Valley

If you’re driving north to Monument Valley via Highway 163, you’ll pass by the town of Oljato-Monument Valley, on the Arizona side of the Utah-Arizona border. It’s about 30 minutes from Utah’s section of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

Exploring Monument Valley

A 14-mile graded dirt road will show you around most of the major monuments — The Mittens, Three Sisters, John Ford’s Point, Totem Pole, Yei Bi Chai and Ear of the Wind. Navajo guides can lead you deeper, into Mystery Valley, Hunts Mesa and more. A handful of outfits will show you through the area on horseback, just the way people have been exploring it for hundreds of years. Book early for peak season .

There are plenty of things to see in Monument Valley, including natural bridges and a wealth of Ancestral Pueblo ruins. Find them on one of a dozen hikes nearby (mostly easy with a few that get tricky).

History and Culture

​​The earliest people to mark the area were Ancestral Puebloans (formerly referred to as Anasazi), who settled in around 1200 BCE. Their art and building structures remain, hinting at an ancient resourcefulness that found promise in a foreboding desert.

The Navajo culture took root centuries before Spaniards entered the area in 1581, and 250,000 of their descendants still live on the 16-million-acre Navajo Nation . Monument Valley is a window into their culture. Explore their history, their way of life, their cuisine and their art. You can even take a little home in the form of handmade jewelry or a dyed wool rug.

Monument Valley isn't a national park. It's not even a national monument. But it's as American as it gets.

Movie Magic

Monument Valley captured a larger audience’s attention via director John Ford’s Westerns. Beginning with 1939’s “Stagecoach,” starring John Wayne, Ford’s many happy returns to Monument Valley shaped how much of the outside world pictures the American West. 

It has since been featured as a backdrop in countless movies, including 1994’s “Forrest Gump.” Put on your smiley face T-shirt and a trucker hat to pose at the finish line — you know, where the title character said he was tired. Groupies not required. 

Monument Valley Itinerary

After you’re awestruck by the scenic drive, there are other things to do in Monument Valley.

Trading Post

Hollywood’s interest in Monument Valley was piqued by local trading post owner Harry Goulding. He went to Los Angeles armed with photos of the unique landscape, hoping to convince directors to come here to film their Westerns. Today, you can see the persuasive photos, as well as artwork, pottery and family mementos at the Goulding Trading Post Museum. They also serve a mean Navajo taco.

Mexican Hat

Several adventure tour companies are located in Mexican Hat , about 30 miles northeast of Monument Valley. The town’s namesake rock formation — an upside down sombrero —  is about 1.5 miles away and is popular with rock climbers. There’s also lodging, food and fuel.

Goosenecks State Park

Travel north along scenic Highway 163 , then west on State Route 261, to reach Goosenecks State Park , a must see while you’re near Monument Valley. There you’ll get a stunning aerial view of the winding San Juan River. And we mean winding — 7 miles of twists and turns via water, but less than 2 as the bird flies. Talk about taking the long way around.

Keep following Highway 163 northeast and you’ll come to Valley of the Gods , a cousin to Monument Valley, with similar wide open ranges and random rock castles — just fewer of them. But because it's Bureau of Land Management land, you can climb the rock formations and camp in the area, both activities that are strictly prohibited within the Navajo Park. There are no services nearby, so plan ahead.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located in a remote area on the Utah/Arizona border. Here's an idea of how far it is from notable destinations:

• Lake Powell : 143 miles
• Moab : 160 miles
• Grand Staircase-Escalante : 163 miles
• Grand Canyon North Rim : 260 miles
• St. George : 289 miles

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7 top tips for photographing Monument Valley

F or many, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is the American West. It’s been the backdrop to countless movies and the subject of some spectacular landscape photography over many decades, Monument Valley on the Arizona Utah border is a destination that requires some research if you are to get the most out of it. 

The classic view in Monument Valley is of three Navajo Sandstone buttes called West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. There are many other compositions to try your hand at, but the view of these three buttes – as captured while standing next to the visitor center, of course – is the image most photographers want to capture. The joy is to get that image on your own terms, both at sunrise and sunset, and possibly at night, too, without ignoring the rest of the richly photogenic area. 

1. Understand the region

Monument Valley is within the Navajo Nation, the largest land area held by a Native American tribe in the U.S. that covers parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. As you stand beside the visitors center in Monument Valley Tribal Park and look at the three buttes you’re looking east and southeast. The position of the rising sun will differ depending on when you go, but at sunrise, you’ll get the three buttes in silhouette, with all three lit up and looking orange in the late afternoon ‘golden hour’ before sunset. It costs $8 per person per day to enter Monument Valley Tribal Park, where official opening hours vary throughout the year. In practice, it sometimes opens at 7:00 a.m. despite that not being advertised. 

2. Find a room with a view

If you want to guarantee being in the right place for sunrise and sunset then stay in the park itself. The View is a hotel beside the visitors center on the edge of the valley with a great view of West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. Even if you get a room with a perfect view for photography, you are yards away from a ringside seat. The best place to stay, however, is a cluster of simple rentable cabins slightly away from the crowds at the top of the valley side that has a stupendous view. Just as good is a basic campground in the sand dunes at the top of the Wildcat Trail. All are managed by The View, a Najavo-owned business.

If you can't get a room/cabin/tent in Monument Valley Tribal Park itself then you'll have to stay outside the park, which generally means staying around four miles away back down Monument Valley Road. The most accessible place to stay is Goulding's Monument Valley, a historic trading post that is now a hotel on one site and, slightly further away, an RV and campsite at another site. Gas stations and grocery stores are available, as is a basic restaurant, though you’re not going to get a view of Monument Valley – and you’ll need to get up that bit earlier to drive into the park. You can book a range of tours at Goulding’s. 

3. Tackle the Loop Road yourself

Most visitors to Monument Valley appear just to take in the view from the visitor center, you can get far deeper into the park without getting out of your car. The Valley Drive is a 17-mile dirt road that is best tackled slowly – particularly the first steep descent – though a 4x4 will help. It’s pretty rough all the way around, though mostly flat, and there are soft sand sections. You can book a tour and see it all on the back of a safari-style truck. Most of those tours do take you down private roads not accessible to those who take their own car, but compared to driving yourself you’ll have a lot less time for photography. While the tourist trucks stop in every third viewpoint or so of the dozen pullouts between the buttes and mesas, if you have your own car you can spend as long as you like. It’s generally agreed that it takes two hours to The Valley Drive, but photographers should plan on four or five hours. It’s best done as early in the morning as possible before the crowds arrive.

4. Take the ‘secret’ photography hike

Although you can stay in the park itself and have to yourself after the gates have closed and before they open, there is a budget option very close by that’s just as good. Before you reach the gates of Monument Valley Tribal Park there’s a Navajo Nation Monument. Take a left-hand turn onto a dirt road and, after a few hundred yards, you’ll reach a couple of campsites called Hummingbird, which you can book on Airbnb. As well as being far cheaper places to stay, whether you're camping or in an RV or campervan, there is a trail that leads from here to the edge of the valley that has genuinely stunning views. It’s the ideal place for a sunset if you’ve just arrived in the region and don’t want to pay the park’s daily entrance fee. It also offers a slightly different view of the three buttes, but is no less dramatic. 

5. Bring the right gear

When tackling a subject as vast as the landscapes of the American West, it's best to come prepared. If you can only bring one lens, make it a zoom lens that covers an effective focal length range of around 25 to 105mm. However, a telephoto stretching to 300-400mm can also be for isolating specific rock formations such as the Three Sisters, and Totem Pole and Yei bi Chei. A wide-angle lens is not so critical unless you are interested in astrophotography, though since The Loop is closed at night you’ll need to stick to the rim of the valley for that (though unless you’re here in early spring and prepared to stay up very late the Milky Way is not ideally positioned). In general, the light pollution and frequent car headlights in the area make Monument Valley less than ideal for astrophotography. 

6. Venture down the WildCat Trail

Few tourists do it, but the chance to get a close-up of one of the famous buttes is not to be missed. A 3.2-mile trail from the valley rim at the visitors center, the Wildcat Trail loops around West Mitten Butte and back up to the rim. It takes a couple of hours and is best done in the late afternoon when the shadows lengthen, with half the walk in its shadow and plenty of opportunities for starburst photography and silhouettes of the mighty butte. You need to sign out at the beginning of the trail and sign in when you return, but be sure to be back at the rim for sunset – it’s the perfect place. Just bear in mind that Monument Valley is 5,550 feet above sea level, so the hike back to the rim is best taken slowly. 

7. Explore the area

Although Monument Valley Tribal Park is the place to head, there are plenty of other spectacular views to be had in the general area. The most famous is a few miles northeast of Monument Valley on Highway 163 at what’s informally known as Forrest Gump Point. It’s actually three separate small parking areas, one of them unnamed and one called Monument Valley Overlook. For all three it’s possible to get an image of the highway snaking into the distance to Monument Valley. It’s an image that's on postcards literally millions of times and not surprisingly the highway is almost permanently covered in tourists trying to snap selfies. If you are a photographer you'll want to avoid all that, which you can do by going to the overlook closest to Monument Valley, which tends to be quieter. Other iconic red rock landscapes in the general area include Mexican hat about 25 miles further along Highway 163 and, about 10 miles further on than that, the fabulous 17-mile loop road called Valley of the Gods – though you’ll need a 4x4 to be safe. 

Check out guide to other great locations for photographers: the best places for photography around the world