Monument Valley
Monument Valley is one of the most majestic and most photographed points on earth.
This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet. framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.
The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs, trees and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley. All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience.
Monument is what most people picture in their minds when they think of the American West. Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films. The Navajo name for the valley is Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii, meaning valley of the rocks.
Admission & Hours
Entry Fees
General Admission – $20.00
Ages 6 or younger – Free
Per vehicle fee: $20.00, up to four people
Additional person(s), $6.00 each
Commercial fees: 1-6 passengers (additional $6.00 each), $35.00 7-15 passengers, $100.00
16-25 passengers, $125.00
26-+ passengers, $300.00
**National Parks and Golden Eagle Passes are not accepted.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Visitor Center Hours
Peak Season (April 1 – Sept 30) 6:00am – 8:00pm, 7 Days a week
Off Season (Oct 1 – Mar 30) until 8:00am – 5:00pm, 7 Days a week
Thanksgiving Day – 8:00am – noon
New Years Day – closed
Christmas Day – closed
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Scenic Drive Hours**park will close due to inclement weather
Peak Season (Apr 1-Sept 30) 6:00am – 7:00pm
Off Season (Oct – Mar 30) 8:00am – 4:30pm
**Scenic Valley Drive CLOSED at 7:00pm**
Much of Monument Valley can only be seen on tours conducted by official Navajo guides. This policy protects the traditional land-use patterns of Navajo families who have lived in the valley and surrounding areas for generations. But it also guarantees a richer and more complete experience to visitors from around the world – unusual views at the best times of day, stories and legends of the Navajo people, ancient ruins, and an insider’s view of the most spectacular landscape in the Navajo Nation.
Getting There:
Driving Directions
The monument is reached via US-163 from the north or south. It’s 148 miles, or 3 hours, from Moab Monument Valley. Bluff to Monument Valley, on Highway 163, is 48 miles or 50 minutes.
GPS coordinates of park visitor center: 37.002449, -110.172615
Get directions on Google Maps.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Facilities
The visitor center at the View Hotel has bathrooms, a gift shop, and restaurant.
Location Contact Information:
PO Box 360289
Monument Valley, Utah 84536
call (435) 727-5874/ 5879/ 5870
fax (435) 727-5875
Nearest City or Town:
Mexican Hat Utah
Links
Monument Vallely Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Arizona:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
Leave a Reply