| Monument Valley, Utah Navajo Nation |
Monument Valley lies entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation on the
Utah/Arizona border near the southeastern corner of Utah. The state line
passes through the most famous landmarks, which are concentrated
near the small town of Goulding. This isolated settlement was established
in 1923 as an Indian trading post, but it now has a comprehensive range
of visitor services. The town is 175-miles (250 km) from Flagstaff,
Arizona, the nearest city.
There is only one main road, US163, which links Kayenta, AZ with US191
in Utah. The stretch approaching the Arizona/Utah border from the north
offers the most famous image of the Valley - a long straight empty road
stretching across flat desert towards the 1000-foot high stark red cliffs on
the horizon. Although much can be appreciated from the main road, a lot
more of the landscape remains hidden from view behind long straight
cliffs (the Mitchell and Wetherill Mesas), east of the road. More scenery is
contained within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (entrance fee
$2.50), on a short side road opposite the turn-off to Goulding.
Utah/Arizona border near the southeastern corner of Utah. The state line
passes through the most famous landmarks, which are concentrated
near the small town of Goulding. This isolated settlement was established
in 1923 as an Indian trading post, but it now has a comprehensive range
of visitor services. The town is 175-miles (250 km) from Flagstaff,
Arizona, the nearest city.
There is only one main road, US163, which links Kayenta, AZ with US191
in Utah. The stretch approaching the Arizona/Utah border from the north
offers the most famous image of the Valley - a long straight empty road
stretching across flat desert towards the 1000-foot high stark red cliffs on
the horizon. Although much can be appreciated from the main road, a lot
more of the landscape remains hidden from view behind long straight
cliffs (the Mitchell and Wetherill Mesas), east of the road. More scenery is
contained within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (entrance fee
$2.50), on a short side road opposite the turn-off to Goulding.
