Turkey Tales and Frog Fables: Monument Valley Part 2

Wednesday, July 9

After lunch at the restaurant at Goulding's we were off for the short trip (essentially across the street) to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. It is 4 miles from the highway turn off to the complex that contains a visitor center, trading post, restaurant, RV park, and the relatively new View Hotel (our home for the night). This complex sits on a bluff that is about 600 feet above the valley floor and, as the name of the hotel implies, has fantastic views across the valley. The views are so good it almost does not seem real.

West Mitten from the parking lot. I am not sure, but I think part of the Wildcat Trail, a 3.3 mile hiking trail around West Mitten Butte, is visible near the center of the picture.

It was just before noon, much too early to check into the hotel, so we set off on the self-guided driving tour through the valley. This is a 17 mile drive on dirt road through a large section of the valley. Although there were swarms of tourists at the top of the bluff, including many foreign tourists on tour buses, things quieted considerably once we got onto the valley road. Access is either by personal vehicle or by one of the many four wheel drive open tour jeeps or SUVs for hire.

This is the map provided at the entrance to the tribal park. In trying to identify features in the pictures, it became clear that the locations on this map are only approximate. The gps track on a topo map was significantly different in some cases in identifying features in the distance.

Despite reading many warnings ahead of time about the poor quality of the unpaved valley road and its potential hazards to personal autos, it turned out to be one of the more fun things we did on our vacation. The speed limit was 15 mph, but we could rarely go that fast. That was especially true at the very rough, potholed drop into the valley at the beginning. The main issues were potholes, which I had dealt with many times before (although mostly with the jeep) on caching adventures, and deep loose sand in some places. The 4 wheel drive and somewhat higher clearance of the Rav4 were definite assets and we had no problems.

Beginning of the 17-mile self-guided tour with East Mitten in the distance

I cannot adequately describe the beauty of this place. I will have to let the pictures speak for themselves. As far as being there during midday, it was hot but less so than we had expected. That is probably due to the altitude (about 5600 feet on the mesa at the hotel). However, like almost everywhere on this trip, the sun was intense and it was extremely dry. We were very glad to have the cooler filled with ice cold water.

The buttes are so large that the distances in the valley are deceptive. In the picture above, East Mitten looks relatively close, but a check of the gps track shows that it is 2.4 miles away.

The valley floor near the beginning of the road with the Three Sisters in the distance.

This is at the Elephant Butte pullout, but it is Merrick Butte in the picture.

TheTurkey at John Ford's Point. Formations (and distances in miles) from left to right: Sentinel Mesa (3.7 mi), West Mitten (2.6), Big Chief Butte (4.7), Merrick Butte(1.9), Castle Butte (5.6), Camel and Elephant Buttes in the foreground (variable), East Mitten Butte (2.6). The light colored horizontal line behind me is the valley road in the distance.

As with many of the pull-outs along the valley road, there were native American vendors at this location. At most locations they sold jewelry or other crafts. Here you could pay $1 to have someone in a cowboy outfit walk out on the point and pose. For $5 he would ride his horse out to the point and pose. We did not avail ourselves of either of those options. I walked out and posed for free.

This is still at John Ford's Point, but panning to the left. Mitchell Mesa is on the left and Sentinel Mesa is on the right. The low flat horizontal strip on the horizon just to the left of center is the View Hotel (about 2.4 miles away)

Three Sisters

Rain God Mesa on the left with Totem Pole in the distance

Totem Pole

The Totem Pole is a seriously eroded 470 foot tall spire, the tallest of the spires in this group. Rock climbing is forbidden within Monument Valley, although there are numerous reports online of clandestine climbing attempts within the park. Totem Pole was actually climbed legally by Clint Eastwood as part of the 1975 movie "The Eiger Sanction". We saw some pictures of that at Goulding's. I know absolutely nothing about the movie, but here is a link about the making of the movie which includes the relevant film clip. Apparently he learned climbing and did the climbing himself rather than using a stunt double. I have seen it reported multiple places that this shoot marked the last time anyone was allowed to climb the Totem Pole. In return for permission to film there, climbers with the production had to remove all of the pitons which had accumulated over the years on their way down.

The Frog at Artist's Point. The formations from left to right and their distances in miles: Merrick Butte (2.2 mi ), West Mitten is apparently hidden behind Merrick Butte, Sentinel Mesa (4.0), Eagle Mesa (7 mi - across US 163), Big Chief Butte (4.8), low unidentified formation in the distance, East Mitten (2.3), several of the formations in the north part of the valley including Castle Butte (5.4)

Fortunately there was no one else around when we were at Artist's Point. I felt like I was getting broiled by the sun, but I hated sitting in the car. I pulled out the golf umbrella for some impromptu shade, but fighting the umbrella in the wind while taking a picture with my cell phone in the other hand was a bit tricky. Given all of that silliness, the picture turned out pretty good.

Merrick Butte from Artists' Point

Through the North Window

Tree and East Mitten Butte along the valley road south of the North Window overlook. Castle Butte and Bear and Rabbit peaks are in the distance on the left