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The two most common ways to get to Monument Valley are to turn north from Flagstaff, AZ on Hwy 89 for about 68 miles until you come to Hwy 160. Turn northeast here for approximately 82 miles to the town of Kayenta. The town is a good place to get gas and eat. Highway 163 heads directly north from Kayenta to Monument Valley. If you are coming from the east on Interstate 40, you can turn north at Chambers, AZ on Hwy 191 to Ganado which is 44 miles north. At Ganado, turn west again on Hwy 264 for a few miles until you see Hwy 191 split off and head north again towards Chinle and the Canyon de Chelly national monument. This canyon is an entire trip on its own. Gas, food, and hotels are available at Chinle. Head north again until you come to Hwy 59 which splits off from 191 and winds through the hills on a northwest track. This road enters Hwy 160 just east of Kayenta. Turn left (west) and head for Kayenta.
As you proceed northward towards Monument Valley, you will see what geologists describe as the Comb Monocline which is a series of hills made up of Navajo sandstone. To the east, you see old volcanic "necks" which are what's left of a volcano when the surrounding cinder cone erodes leaving only the lava center. This sandstone contains fossil footprints along with fossil "windprints" from when this area was much wetter than now.
| The buttes tower over the surrounding valley as giants guarding the ancient lands. Some reach heights of 1000 feet above the floor. The sandstone is forever being transformed by wind and rain into these magnificent sentinals of the high desert. |  |
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Vistas seem to go on forever. The valley presents an excellent place for the photographer to ply their trade. |
NOTE: If you love to hike and explore the land on your own 2 feet, Monument Valley is not for you. Although there is a campground at the entrance, hiking is forbidden and there are no hiking trails. The Navajo nation maintains that the valley is "Private Property" and is not open to explore. This is a tremendous loss to those of us that like to walk and see nature as it is intended to be seen. For a fee, the Navajos will take you on a guided jeep ride but that is as close to leaving the others behind as you are going to get. If you like to go hiking and want to be in a park, I would recommend the Grand Canyon.
