Camera, Action! Monument Valley and Surrounds

Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry, the Lone Ranger–am I dating myself? Remember Forest Gump? Monument Valley and surrounds have been used in many forms of media for decades, but it all started with Zane Grey’s silent western, The Vanishing American, in 1925. Southern Utah became the new Wild West for many films through the 1930s, 1940s, into the early 70s. John Wayne fell in love with South Utah’s landscape, filming 11 westerns in the Monument Valley area all directed by John Ford. So let’s see what is so very special.

It was the release in 1924 of the silent movie The Covered Wagon that began the Wild West movie era. Filmed on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake and then rugged areas in Millard County, about four hours southwest. The locations sparked interest among both movie stars and producers to further explore southern Utah. It became the hot spot for Western films earning it the name “Little Hollywood”. The entire state of Utah is still popular today with all types of media using scenes and backdrops to enrich productions. The dramatic landscapes in Monument Valley area has never stopped being in demand–take a look.

OK, here we go! Hold onto your (cowboy) hat. We are heading down US-163. To the west is Eagle Mesa and smaller Setting Hen Butte. Notice those few houses between the two formations? Why are there not more in this spectacular place? Where are the usual huge developments (gag) in such a beautiful area? The answer is very simple. We are in the Navajo Nation and they value land as it is.

Driving 25 miles southwest from our cabin in Bluff we enter the Navajo Nation. Monument Valley is actually a very small part of the Nation. Officially it is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, one of six Tribal Parks across the Navajo Nation. Up near the compass on this map you see Bluff, UT. Much of our time in Monument Valley and the Tribal Park will be in Arizona.

The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian reservation in the United States and one of the few reservations that overlap their original homeland. It covers about 17,544,500 acres (27,413 sq mi), larger than 10 US states. OK, we are not going down the rabbit hole of using the term Indian v.s Native v.s. Indigenous. Even Native Americans can’t decide which they prefer with individuals having personal preferences. Here it is easy, they are Navajo singular and plural.

Diné is the traditional name of these people, but in 1994 the Tribal Council rejected officially renaming the Navajo Nation the Diné Nation. They felt it would create confusion both within and outside the Nation. But I like their final reasoning:  Some people said that Diné represented the people in their time of suffering before the Long Walk, and that Navajo is the appropriate designation for the future. We might learn from their wisdom in these troubling times.

Along US-163, still in Utah. Right to left: Brighams Tomb Mesa, referring to Utah Territory’s first governor (1851-1858), Brigham Young. This name change took place in 1987. It was originally called Saddleback and some maps still show that name. From there we see King-on-his-Throne Butte; Castle Rock Butte; smaller sub-divided formation is Bear and Rabbit Butte; lastly Stagecoach Butte.

I probably should have put this disclaimer (or excuse for stupid timing) at the beginning, but we are visiting about 2pm, lots of direct overhead sun, clouds coming and going. THE worst time of day for pictures here. The best times? Sunrise and sunset plus an hour or so on either side, all times of year. Well, here we are mid-May at mid-day making it work best I can. Bear with me . . .

After a short wait at the Tribal Park entrance, paying the $8 per person fee, checking out the Visitor Center, we begin the rugged 17-mile loop road into the park. First view is the iconic Mittens you may have seen before. East Mitten Butte at right, West Mitten Butte close.

Photographers are always excited to get this shot as the sun sets over Monument Valley. It takes dedicated planning to be in the right place at the right time. The shadow appears so perfectly only twice a year, late March and mid September, and for only a few days each time. Am I likely to go back for this event? No, but maybe you will?

The Three Sisters next to Mitchell Mesa which is huge.

Rain God Mesa. Think the name has anything to do with the eroded holes seen on very few formations in the Valley?

Let’s take a minute. So many buttes, so many mesas. What’ s the difference? Looking at the pics, you can probably figure it out but just in case. A Mesa (Spanish for “table”) is a large flat-topped formation with steep to vertical sides. Geologically defined, it is a large flat-topped landform that is wider than it is tall. A butte, although also having steep sides and often a small flat top, is characteristically taller than it is wide. Both are often eroded remains of a portion of a plateau. It just so happens we are still traveling on the Colorado Plateau which covers the northern half of Arizona. So much of the beauty we’ve seen in southern Utah has been about erosion on the Colorado Plateau. Whether from water or wind, erosion gives us stunning canyons, buttes and mesas.

So, are these buttes or mesa? Come on, you know . . . The tall formation at right is Totem Pole Butte. The formation at left is Yei-Bi-Chei. Many formations here are not named or randomly named locally, but clearly this name is Navajo. The formation resembles the men who perform the spiritual Yei-Bi-Chei dance during a sacred nine-day ceremony called the “Night Way Ceremony”.

The loop-road continues along Spearhead Mesa which rises 900 feet above the road. Follow the cars pictured. Remember I said a “rugged 17-mile loop road”? That was noted on the Park’s web site, also mentioning areas of deep sand. Speed limit: 15mph. We’ve handled those types of roads many times before and a slow speed limit can also mean keeping the dust down. This should be fun as well as beautiful.

The road we are driving is at the bottom of this picture. You need to be careful to go around sharp edges here BUT much of the road was terrible. Huge, deep holes impossible to drive around entirely. Some areas like below but the jagged rocks were sharp and higher. I needing to dodge the rock edges. Some areas the sand was deep, but made it through or around. There were places I was driving 2mph and it was too fast with car’s bottom hitting the ground as I tried to get around holes. Prayers for no serious damage. There was one small car being towed out with a broken axle. I’ve seen any number of videos taken by people like us driving this road and it looks in good shape. Today it was not.

How often do park personal repair the road? Got no answer, but it does happen throughout the year. Do seasonal rains/snow/monsoons make it worse? Of course, but it is not monsoon season and has not rained. Regardless, it is always a good idea to watch for rain clouds! Well, they warned us it’s a rugged road; just how RUGGED was unexpected. The devil is in the details and I think the devil was having a good laugh–I wasn’t.

Would I drive it again? I don’t think so. There are so many tours you can take, some leaving from the Visitor Center. The prices are reasonable and tours can take between one hour and all day with multiple day options. The tours can take you to areas in and around the park where private vehicles are not allowed. Yes, you can be fined for driving off the main road. Remember, you are in a “foreign” nation. There are also all types of tours like cultural, history, backcountry, and photography to name only a few. I think my SUV would be a LOT happier in the parking lot as I enjoy the views letting the tour company’s vehicle deal with the road!! And since so many of the tours are lead by people who grew up here, their wealth of information would be unmatched.

ONWARD . . . on our jagged-yet-inspiring-surrounds road . . .

This is the view from John Ford’s Point. The desert and stunning rock formations that helped inspire his filmmaking. It sure does feel like a western movie waiting to happen. Just soak it in my friend.

We have been seeing many of the named rock formations, but this mesa had no sign and is not shown on maps. On our way to the steep climb out of the Valley, I had to stop. Do you see what I see?

I named this the Prayer Warrior.

We made it back to the Visitor Center and PAVED ROADS. Phew! As we head north on US-163 not sure how we missed this feature. Standing alone and rising 700 feet is Big Indian Butte to our east.

There is one more place to stop before leaving the Navajo Nation. An area seen in Thelma and Louise, Forrest Gump, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. You can’t keep a great landscape unknown! This is Mexican Hat Rock and its surrounds. These dirt roads look much more inviting.

Driving down road at left, we get much closer. From here it looks more like a mushroom than a hat. What do you think?

Zooming in even more, I wonder how long the hat will remain as the rock holding it in place is cracked and eroding. It could fall tomorrow or 1,000 years from now. Don’t you just love geology. Oh, never mind.

Traveling down the road further we have another stunning scene. This is the San Juan River with gorgeous green along river’s edge. In the background is the most stunning of formations, the Raplee Ridge. Let’s get closer.

This is a geologist dream come true. Since I’m not a geologist, let’s just enjoy the colors and erosion patterns. We need a view further away to see the whole fantastic formation. That view is on the road to Goosenecks State Park , a stunning park we recently visited. Let’s head uphill.

WOW! As the locals say, these geometric shapes and colors look like patterns on beautiful Navajo blankets and rugs. Maybe it was their inspiration? Every one I met said the same thing staring with a smile, “It can’t be”. Interested in the geology? The Utah Geological Survey has a great website that makes geology a lot simpler!

Heading back northeast to Bluff, we see the beginning of Raplee Ridge with a “custom made” brightly colored mesa.

What a day! Until next time my friend . . .

The Journey is the Adventure!