Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

About

The buttes rise 400 to 1,000 feet off a red sand floor, and from the visitor center terrace the Mittens sit close enough that the scale finally registers. This is Navajo Nation land, not a national park, so the America the Beautiful pass buys nothing at the gate. Expect a per person fee plus a vehicle charge, and check the current rate before you go. Valley Drive is the self-drive option, a 17 mile unpaved loop past John Ford's Point, about two hours with stops. Deep sand and washboard ruts keep it slow. A sedan usually manages when dry. RVs and motorcycles are barred. Wildcat Trail, a loop of three to four miles around West Mitten Butte, is the only walk you take unaccompanied, and it has no shade and no water. Everything beyond needs a licensed Navajo guide. July to September monsoon storms flood the washes and close the road without warning, and the valley floor gets punishing hot.

Highlights

Getting there