Monument Valley Utah, technically speaking, is not a valley but consists of sequence of spectacular rock formations carved out of the Colorado Plateau by the action of river currents, probably over millions of years. It is at an elevation of 1,500 to 1,800 m above sea level. The valley is situated on the Arizona – Utah border near the Four Corners area and lies within the Navajo National Reservation in Southeast Utah.
- Things to know about Mountain Valley:
- How to reach there – It is located on Highway 163
- Best season to visit – April to November. Monument Valley experiences a desert climate with cold winters and hot summers. Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drops quickly after sunset.
- Nearest town to Mountain Valley – Bluff, Utah is located 105 Km.
- Things not be missed – Guided Tour to the hidden areas.
- What you should know – Rock climbing is strictly forbidden.
- The shale, sandstone and siltstone formations rise 300m up from the desert floor and these formations are in layers of browns, reds and greys and are amongst the most iconic sights of America’s wild west and have appeared in countless films. The floor is largely made up of siltstone or sand derived from it, deposited by the rivers that carved the valley. The valley’s vivid red color comes from iron oxide exposed in the weathered siltstone. The darker, blue-gray rocks in the valley get their color from manganese oxide.
- Among the most popular features are the East Mitten & the West Mitten buttes, the North Window, John Ford’s viewpoint, the thumb, the Totem Pole, the Three Sisters and the East of Wind arch.
- The buttes are very distinctly stratified, with three main layers – The lowest layer is the Shale, the middle is Sandstone, and the top layer is the Moenkopi Formation. The valley includes large stone structures including the famed “Eye of the Sun”.
- The most beautiful and scenic areas in Mountain Valley are in the Navajo Tribal Park. Although much of the valley can be seen from the Valley Drive, which is a 27 Km long road, it is recommended to experience it by guided tour, hike or horseback trail, especially as some areas such as mastery valley are accessible only through a Navajo guide.
- The Navajos have lived here for centuries, but the ancient cliff dwellings of their predecessors, the Anasazi, and age old petroglyphs can also be seen.
- This colorful, desolate landscape leaves most visitors awestruck at its scale and beauty.