Scenic Pics of Navajo Tribal Park, Monument Valley, Utah

**dakuda** · 1st November 13, 09:13 AM

Is this near Park City Utah ???

thanks, Rory

**tundramanq** · 1st November 13, 09:22 AM

John Ford and John Wayne both fell in love with Arizona, New Mexico and the Monument Valley ( It extends into Utah ). I don't think they did any westerns together without at least one scene in Monument Valley. The wide screen demands great scenery.

**Tartan Tess** · 1st November 13, 09:41 AM

To me, one of the most spiritual places on earth.

**Riverkilt** · 1st November 13, 12:35 PM

Its a full days drive from Monument Valley to Park City Utah...a long beautiful mountainous canyon filled drive.

**MacMillans son** · 2nd November 13, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Think there may be a campground over at Gouldings too..

Yes there is Ron, I camped there the first time through the area in 2005ish. It's up beyond the store. There are sites for both motor homes and tents.

Nice photos by the way! I've taken that route a few times now, but always seem to hit the valley around sun down so have not taken the off the highway tour. Perhaps next time.

**Riverkilt** · 2nd November 13, 07:10 AM

That 17 mile loop self-tour is beautiful. A 2WD car can make it but it will be slow. Basic unpaved dirt rez road but the scenery is worth it and its a photographer's dream. 4WD is fine. Just watch out for flash floods if its rainy. AND....if you can afford it (about $80) I highly recommend the Mystery Valley tour. Mystery Valley is just west of Monument Valley and it's full of Anasazi ruins you can walk up to and some you can go inside. Need a Navajo tour guide. I recommend Willy Blackwater's tours but Goulding's hauls folks by the truckload too. Its one of those tours that seems very expensive on the front end but when its over you're raving about what a bargain it was and all the great things you saw. For sure gets away from the tourist crowd and you feel like you've gone back in time about 800 years. Go ahead...try to find something to eat in this country....a stray tuber, a lizard, a rabbit if you're fast....

**BKPowell** · 2nd November 13, 08:34 PM

Great photos. I was there in 2007 when the Red Bull air races were being held there. Flew in with a Navy pilot in his 182 Cessna, to the Arizona side and took a shuttle into the Utah side. All while wearing a U-kilt. The local natives thought I was from Scotland. They were quite impressed with the kilt, since their native dress including a lad doing the hoop dance wearing a wrap-around "skirt". The near-by Hopis have similar traditions.
By the way, I met John Wayne in 1963 while he was making "The Comancheros" in the Moab, Utah, area. He did a lot of his movies in the red rock country of the southwest.

BKPowell

**Riverkilt** · 2nd November 13, 09:15 PM

You should drop down for another visit. Goulding's Lodge has a John Wayne museum set up and part of it is the hut he used to stay in when making movies there.

**Steve Ashton** · 3rd November 13, 12:40 AM

If anyone is interested, and have Google Earth on your computer, type in -

36° 58' 57.70" N, 110° 06' 42.25" W to go to the visitor center where Ron started this tour.

The views in this thread are looking from about the visitor center towards the ENE.

**Riverkilt** · 3rd November 13, 08:33 AM

Love that GPS stuff!

There's a faint effort to get the Navajos on the rez to let us figure out their GPS "Address." Like all rural "addresses" we get "Two miles east of the Chapter House" or "first left after Mile Post 341, then keep right at the first Y and left at the second Y then the second green trailer on your left." I've tried using Google Satellite to have them "drive" me to a picture of their place....not much luck.

I still believe that someday, giving a GPS address for cops, fire, paramedics, and friends will be common....someday.