Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Monument Valley | Rosie Gochnour Serago

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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, known by the Navajo as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii, is said to be one of the most photographed places on earth. The valley features towering sandstone rock formations, sculpted over 300 million years, that soar 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Combined with the surrounding mesas, buttes and desert environment, it truly is one of the world’s natural wonders. Established by the Navajo Tribal Council in 1958, the tribal park spans over 91,696 acres inside Navajo Nation along the Utah-Arizona border.

Due to its vastness, there are many things to do and see in Monument Valley. Explore the 17-mile scenic drive in a private vehicle (high-clearance only due to the rough, sandy road) or book a guided jeep tour of the backroads. Stay at Goulding’s Lodge. Hike the Wildcat Trail. Watch the Milky Way transform the night sky. Enjoy the majesty of big, blue skies outlining the park's celebrity monuments: The Mittens, Three Sisters, John Ford Point, Totem Pole, Yei Bi Chai and Ear of the Wind.

Above all, take time to admire the rhythms of this ancient, sacred land.

Winter in Monument Valley How to Visit Tribal Lands

Things to Do in Monument Valley

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A view of Monument Valley from U.S. Route 163.

Discover the Monument Valley Area

Goulding's Lodge is tucked under soaring rimrock cliffs two miles west of the Monument Valley.

Photo: Austen Diamond

Bluff Dwellings Resort & Spa pampers road trippers with a desert oasis built into sandstone cliffs.

Photo: Bluff Dwellings Resort

Where to Stay: Hotels, Lodging and Camping

Find 4-star hotels, bed and breakfasts, roadside motels and campgrounds for tents and RVs — pet-friendly and family-friendly, too.

Goulding's Lodge: Villas, RV Parks, Cabins

Goulding's Lodge, in Oljato-Monument Valley, offers villas with views, apartments with kitchenettes, a trading post, an indoor pool and an onsite restaurant serving authentic southwestern and Navajo cuisine. Tucked under soaring rimrock cliffs two miles west of the Monument Valley, Goulding's also boasts a campground with RV hookups, a pool and separate cabins. Explore their guided tour opportunities as well.

The View Hotel: Modern Cabins in Monument Valley

The View Hotel is the only lodging within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Make reservations well in advance to score premium modern cabins with sensational valley views.

Sleep in Mexican Hat or Bluff: The Nearest Utah Towns to Monument Valley

Mexican Hat, Utah, is a short 20-mile drive from the visitor center. Head northeast on U.S. Route 163 where you can stay at Hat Rock Inn, Mexican Hat Lodge or San Juan Inn and Trading Post. Stop for a bite to eat at Hat Rock Café, Singin’ Steaks or Old Bridge Grill Cafe.

Or drive 50 miles north to Bluff, where Bluff Dwellings Resort & Spa pampers road trippers with a desert oasis built into sandstone cliffs, or you can enjoy the bed and breakfast amenities at the Desert Rose Resort.

Camp at Goosenecks State Park

Prefer to camp? Goosenecks State Park (32 miles from Monument Valley Visitor Center) offers campsites for travelers en route to Monument Valley.

Monument Valley Fees, Permits & Hours

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located on the Navajo Nation, along the state line of Utah and Arizona. The tribal park is not a national park, and national park passes are not accepted for entry. Check Navajo Nation Tribal Park & Recreation for up-to-date conditions and entrance fees.

Fees: $8 per person per day
Park/Administrative Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., year-round.
Scenic Drive winter hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Scenic Drive summer hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed during all major holidays in accordance with the Navajo Nation: Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Permits are required for backcountry hiking, camping, filming and hosting weddings and private events.

Visitor Center

Monument Valley Weather

The best time to visit Monument Valley? Anytime, as each season unveils its unique display of sunlight, moonlight, desert breezes, rainfall and snow. Visitors come to Monument Valley year-round, but most come during spring and autumn to best enjoy the high-desert environment. The onset of searing summer heat usually begins in late May, and it can persist into mid-September. Temperatures may reach mid-90s F in July and August. Autumn provides some of the most stable weather of the year. Clear, warm, sunny days and cool nights make this one of the most delightful seasons to visit.

Winter in Monument Valley can be cold and windy, although there will be some nice days. Average highs in the winter are in the 40s, so you'll want to pack layers and water when you venture out to enjoy serene, sometimes snow-dusted, panoramas.

Utah Weather

Roadtrippers often extend their Monument Valley trek with adventures in other parks.

Photo: Michael Kunde

Most people spend about three hours driving Monument Valley’s 17-mile scenic loop road.

Photo: Austen Diamond

Where is Monument Valley?

Monument Valley Tribal Park spans over 90,000 miles within Navajo Nation along the Utah and Arizona border. It’s vast and remote, deserving plenty of time to explore. From the north, the Utah towns of Mexican Hat, Bluff, Blanding and Monticello provide gateway town amenities for lodging, dining, outfitters, gas and groceries. Kayenta is the closest Arizona town to Monument Valley’s south.

Getting to Monument Valley

The Monument Valley Tribal Park Visitor Center is about a seven hour drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport, seven hours from the Las Vegas airport, five hours from the Phoenix airport and five hours from the St. George Regional Airport in St. George, Utah.

Roadtrippers often extend their Monument Valley trek with adventures in other parks. The visitor center is within an hour's drive of Goosenecks State Park and Valley of the Gods, and under two hours from Bears Ears National Monument, Four Corners and Lake Powell’s Wahweap Marina. Less than three hours by car you'll find Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Plan on a four-hour car ride from Zion National Park and 4.5 hours from Bryce Canyon National Park.

How Long Does It Take to Drive the Loop?

Most people spend about three hours driving Monument Valley’s 17-mile scenic loop road. Don’t forget to factor in these five scenic stops along the way.

Why Visit Monument Valley Tribal Park?

Discover Nature’s Erosive Power

How did these incredible sandstone towers form? Like Arches and Canyonlands national parks to the north, Monument Valley showcases eons of nature's erosive power, yet has distinctive formations unlike anywhere else in the world.

For millions of years, layer upon layer of sediment settled and cemented in the basin. The basin lifted up and became a plateau; then the natural forces of water and wind slowly removed the softer materials and exposed what we see before us today. The spires, buttes and other formations are still slowly eroding but will remain long after we are gone.

Explore Navajo Culture

Inside the visitor center you'll find a museum, gift shop, restrooms, a restaurant, a lodge and much more. Guided tours of the park, led by local Navajo guides, are available by vehicle and horseback.

Recall Hollywood Moments

Monument Valley's landscape has been a backdrop to many Hollywood movies and television shows, beginning with several John Wayne films including "Stagecoach" in 1939 and "Forrest Gump" in 1994.

Honor Navajo Hospitality

The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department, which manages the park, shares this message with visitors: “The Navajo people have a custom that has endured. Whenever visitors come they are always treated as honored guests. They are offered shelter, warmth and nourishment so they can continue on with their journey. The same hospitality we offer to you, and we hope that you have a safe and pleasant visit to our land.”

How to visit with respect:

You are a guest on the reservation and tribal park land, and allowed on site with the permission of the tribe. Act accordingly. Learn more about Native Nations in Utah.
Avoid taking pictures of people or events unless you have permission. Remember, this is where people live and work. (Watch: Voices of Bears Ears — The Navajo).
Act respectfully at all times, but particularly at important sites and burial grounds.
Don’t remove pottery or other artifacts you may find — this is a violation of federal law. (Read: How to Visit Rock Imagery Sites)

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