Visiting Monument Valley
When you think of the United States, you likely picture the American West. It is a landscape of sun-scorched, arid red earth stretching as far as the eye can see. This is Monument Valley.
A Majestic Landscape
This surreal 371-square-kilometer stretch on the Colorado Plateau has been sculpted by the elements for 50 million years. While the terrain appears relatively flat, the average elevation at the base of the rock spires is 1,650 meters (about 5,413 feet). That is higher than the base elevation of many ski resorts in the Alps. Do not count on seeing much snow, though. Even when it does fall, it typically disappears within two days.
Temperatures here are intense, climbing up to 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer and rarely dropping below 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) at night. Be prepared, however, for winter nights in December when the mercury can plunge below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit). These harsh conditions define the sparse vegetation. When you consider the average annual precipitation is only 115 millimeters (about 4.5 inches), compared to an average of 650 millimeters in the driest parts of France, the barren beauty of the landscape makes sense.
The Monument Valley Park
Even though the park entrance is in Utah, two-thirds of the site sits in Arizona. Officially, the area is managed by the Navajo Nation. Inside the park, the only businesses you will find are Navajo-owned. From the food to the handmade goods, you get a direct look at the tribe's culture.
Many of the rock formations were named by the tribe and are worth taking the time to observe. Totem Pole, North Window, The Thumb, Three Sisters, Elephant Butte, and many others have stood in place for millennia.
A Hollywood Backdrop
This park has served as the set for countless films. From Stagecoach directed by John Ford to Transformers: Age of Extinction, the list includes classics like Thelma and Louise, Forrest Gump, Back to the Future Part III, and Easy Rider. It is an essential chapter in the history of American cinema.
Opening hours
*Information subject to change
The sublime setting of iconic westerns! From the visitor center, the tour is done via a car loop of about two hours. Make sure you have a good vehicle, because the rugged dirt roads are uneven and shake you up a lot. This is far from the pavement of the Grand Canyon. Hiking is possible, but I did not venture out there with the heat. The trails are actually closed during the summer months.
The car route allows you to make stops near the most beautiful viewpoints, notably the East and West Mitten Buttes and The Three Sisters. My favorite is still John Ford's Point, with its famous promontory that offers a remarkable panorama of the valley.
I finished the day with a horseback ride (DD MTA Horses) alongside the Navajos. It is not the best way to see the scenery, but it is very pleasant if you like to ride. To enjoy the sunrise, I stayed at The View, the only hotel located inside the park, right on the cliffside. I really recommend spending a night there.