US, Monument Valley: The Wild West in the Land of the Navajo

Monument Valley is located in the Navajo Native American Autonomous Region, and you will pay $ 20 for access to the area. The admission is valid for a car and 4 people. For each additional person, you pay $ 6.

The official name of the park is the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, and because it is not a national park, no tourist passports can be used which may be otherwise used in the parks administered by the government (America the Beautifu).

After paying the admission, we stop at the Visitor Center, where you can admire a beautiful view of the most famous rock formations. Did you know that the highest of them reaches the height of 300 meters? The summer sun gives the rocks a typical orange color and we hardly believe that they are covered with snow in the winter. There are also four seasons in this area.

The park can be explored either by yourself or by organizing an excursion and going for tour in a 4x4 jeep. Local guide takes you to places which regular visitor will not see. However, such an experience has its price which starts at $ 40.

If you want to park yourself, there is a 25-kilometer scenic Valley Drive that takes you through 11 viewpoints. This road starts at the Visitor Center, it is unpaved, dusty and ready to take the red sand in all the creases of your car. The cars come in different colors, but come out in only one color - orange.

The path leads through the rocks that you see from different angles. The Navaho know that tourists will love this area as it looks like straight out some western. Hence they offer their horses for rides or stylish photography. I resist this appeal. But as for the Indian, who offers beads and bracelets, this is something I can't resist.

Along the way, you can stop almost anywhere, which we make us of and make many  pictures in a row. There are also signs with the names of the formations  in front of you. Elephant Butte is a formation certainly easy recognazible. Other well-known formations include The Three Sisters or Camel Butte.

Monument Valley is an area that you should not miss out when travelling across the west of the US. While there you may make trips to other national parks such as Glen Canyon, Grand Canyon or Arches.

GPS: 36°59'54.3"N 110°05'56.2"W

Text and photos: Michal Hejl