As we continue our nine-week road trip, this morning we leave Page, Arizona for Monument Valley, Utah. Dubbed an iconic symbol of the American West and the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation – this stop has a lot to live up to. After our visit, I think it is well-deserving of those designations.

Since we only have a two-hour drive ahead of us, we were able to sleep in a bit and we hit the road around 10:30 after another great breakfast at the hotel. Our drive was pretty uneventful, although random upheavals kept it interesting.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
< Visit the first post of this series – Escape the Tundra 2019

Since we looked upon this location with such antici… pation, we opted for a one-night stay at The View. This spectacular hotel overlooks the icons of Monument Valley and provides easy access to the park. We were able to arrive early in the day, pay our $20 fee, check out the scenic drive, and then check in and enjoy the sunset and sunrise. It was SO worth the splurge!

If so inclined, a person could make another pass at the scenic drive, but since most of it is one-way, once you’re in – you’re in! It took us FOUR hours to complete the loop – mostly because I take a lot of photos – but I’m sure you will too!

In the first photo below, The View is way up the hill on the left. The Visitor Center is in the center with it’s expansive overlook at the far right. They got the name right on this hotel!

The lobby is beautiful, with the southwest decor that I love so much. The restaurant on site was reasonably priced – given there were no other options close at hand. I opted for the fry bread that was absolutely fantastic (and huge), and we both had leftovers that we enjoyed for our next evening meal.

Our top floor balcony provided vast views of the valley, including the Mittens (east and west) and Merrick. These are three of the most-photographed mountains in this Navajo Tribal Park, and pretty much what I was expecting with our visit. Little did I know, this 17-mile scenic drive through the beautiful desert included many more mountains at which to gawk. The photos below show our view, and although the sunset was less than thrilling, we didn’t mind a bit.

You guessed it – the Visitor Center was our first stop, with great views and a nice gift shop with higher-quality Native American jewelry and a gallery of beautiful sand paintings and sculptures. Keeping it real this trip, only a magnet for our garage fridge and a snow-globe for the granddaughter made it into a bag.

The one-way loop is dusty and rutted in spots, so speed is not an option – as if you’d want to rush. From here on out, I’ll shut up and let you enjoy the views. Select the first photo and advance through the grouping by clicking on the right arrow.

Luckily I woke up in time to catch the sunrise. No cars and the cool, crisp morning air made me glad to be alive in this fabulous place.

Our next stop is Canyon de Chelly, but this morning we headed in the opposite direction for our last views of Monument Valley. On Hwy 163, we went several miles past this stop and then worked our way back to mile marker 13 heading back into Monument Valley. If you’ve seen Forrest Gump, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. “I’m pretty tired… I think I’ll go home now.”

Next up: “Deep in the Rock”

Happy trails,
Barb