Monument Valley (Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park)

Member Name: moronboy

Product:	Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Date:	13/10/00 (95 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing scenery

Disadvantages: Somewhat remote

Monument Valley is in the very north of Arizona; driving from places like Phoenix or Flagstaff, you actually sneak into Utah on the main road before turning off back into Arizona. It is a bit remote (driving from Flagstaff took an age), and there isn't much in the way of habitation once you get there.

Nevertheless, if you're in the SouthWest USA, and you can get here from anywhere, do it. Monument Valley appears in a lot of John Ford westerns (most notably 'The Searchers'), and is a group of massive rock formations, deep red rocks standing as if carved by giants.

Rather like the Grand Canyon, it's not easy to explain precisely what is so impressive about them , but standing in the middle of a red desert, they dominate the landscape and are unforgettable. Driving around is somewhat precarious, as the track that you have to use to circle around them is unsurfaced, rocky and bumpy. You can go on 4WD trucks, but they determine how fast you travel, and I always prefer to go it alone, so assuming you're in a hire car, grit you teeth and go with it.

When we drove there, we ended up stopping off at Tuba City to eat on the way back - there aren't many towns around, so you just need a full tank of gas and a decent map and you will be richly rewarded.

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