MONUMENT VALLEY - WOW!!

When planning a trip with my friend MARY ANN to drive part of RT 66 (since I turned 66 this year), we ran into a snag. The companion airline ticket we wanted to use was limited to flying in and out of the SAME CITY.

Our original plan was to fly to CA and drive RT 66 to ALBUQUERQUE, NM. Instead, we flew in and out of ALBUQUERQUE and I mapped out a big circular drive that included THE GRAND CANYON and MONUMENT VALLEY, both in ARIZONA. "Things Happen for a Reason", right?!

"MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK" is a BIG WOW!!! 

It was years ago when HELEN, an AUSTRALIAN friend of mine said that her most memorable and favorite place that she visited in the USA was MONUMENT VALLEY. I immediately added it to my "LIST". 

I highly recommend that you take a GUIDED TOUR with a NATIVE NAVAJO INDIAN guide when you visit. The PUBLIC road (17 miles) takes you only so far into the "Valley of Rocks", but a NAVAJO GUIDE has permission to venture DEEP into the VALLEY where the REAL BEAUTY is - truly JAW-DROPPING, AWE-INSPIRING beauty!

AND WE'RE OFF!!
These next few photos are of some natural rocks that they call "THE THREE SISTERS"!

At the end of the PUBLIC ROAD there's an area where you can buy handmade SOUVENIRS (but of course).

 

After this stop, our JOURNEY took us deep into the "PRIVATE" MONUMENT VALLEY.

 

We were invited into a HANDMADE CLAY and WOOD HOME where we watched a NAVAJO WOMAN PREPARE and SPIN WOOL used to make BLANKETS and CLOTHING.

And on we went, FURTHER INTO MONUMENT VALLEY......... 
Take a moment to imagine the IMMENSE SIZE of these ROCKS-BUTTES-NATURAL WONDERS......

We were thrilled to see PREHISTORIC PETROGLYPHS!!!

This video will give you an idea of how BUMPY the ride is - but SO, SO WORTH IT!  

Our next stop was my FAVORITE spot - an area with SPECTACULAR SAND DUNES.  Can you believe the COLORS?!!!

After several hours, we're back at the entrance where you can see "LEFT MITTEN" and "RIGHT MITTEN"..........

.......AND a view of our HOTEL from "down below".

After the tour, we enjoyed LUNCH nearby, where they had some FUN MEMORABILIA from the WILD WEST DAYS.

I hope this has INSPIRED you to PLAN A TRIP TO MONUMENT VALLEY, with a NAVAJO GUIDED TOUR, if you haven't had the OPPORTUNITY to visit there yet.


JOAN