When I took the scenic route toward Monument Valley along US 191 from Moab down into Arizona, I had no idea of the surreal, almost magical drive that awaited me.
I’ve been to Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, the Grand Canyon and many other places in the area considered among the most beautiful, but none compared to the simple majesty of Monument Valley.
I think perhaps the beauty comes from the simplicity that we so seldom find in today’s world. There are no lines to wait in or marked hiking trails to share with others. No pass is required for entry and no sign to let you know that you’ve left.
In Monument Valley, there is you and a history as old as time. But, hidden within its folds are the Navajo people who protect it as the land protects them.
Long Drives in Special Valleys
In Utah, it’s become my habit always to choose the long drive. The entire state is glorious and traveling its roads a complete joy. But Monument Valley is unsurpassed.
I knew nothing about Monument Valley when I took US 191 through Utah, heading toward US 163 in Kayenta, Arizona. But, my surprise and delight could not have been greater.
It was early afternoon as I drove into that great place. The sun, my constant companion, was shining high above. I slowly made my way through the narrow valley town of Mexican Hat – so named for a stone formation that looks like a person wearing a sombrero. Here, you must navigate narrow roads with towering mesas alongside the road as if you are driving in a narrow canyon, which you are.
After not too many miles, it opens into the Valley of the Gods. There, the jagged mesas provide a stunning red-orange backdrop to multiple structures. Driving further on, the red sandstone buttes of Monument Valley began to appear.
Entering Monument Valley
This great Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley is a red-sand desert on the Arizona-Utah border. The area lies entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Before me, as I drove, the sandstone masterpieces towered at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet. Standing in grand relief, the monuments tower over the otherwise wholly flat land around them. The buttes were formed through erosion from water, wind, and ice. It took millions of years. They are what remains of what was once higher land.
The landscape was overwhelming. To see these fragile, gigantic monuments surrounded by miles of windblown sand – a mix of the many magnificent colors of the valley – was humbling.
It was an almost surreal experience being in that sacred land. Undoubtedly, something unusual occurred here. The energy still lingers here, quietly pulsing. The Navajo people hold it sacred and it’s easy to see why.
Jewelry Stands in Monument Valley
One mile before the center, numerous Navajo women sell arts and jewelry at roadside stands. I stopped at several and bought gifts to support them. As a minimalist, I don’t buy much or wear jewelry, but that changed in the valley.
I bought a few bracelets that spoke to me in a way material things seldom do. One is a turquoise bracelet. It’s small and fine and I love it quite a bit. It is small but feels very heavy and powerful on my wrist. Turquoise represents wisdom, tranquility, protection, good fortune, and hope.
If you Visit Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park and is protected land. It is on the border of Arizona and Utah within the 16 million-acre Navajo Reservation. The visitor’s center provides more information about visiting as well as permits and tour information.
Read more stories about Utah here.
Read more stories about Arizona here.
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