Looking for the best things to do at Monument Valley in the US? You’ve come to the right place! Find out how to visit Monument Valley in one day and all the tips to plan a visit to one of the most beautiful places in the US!

If you’re planning a trip to the Southwest in the United States, then visiting Monument Valley should be on your itinerary. This was one of my favorite places on my road trip through the American Southwest and it’s incredible!

Oljato-Monument Valley is known for its film-worthy rock formations! In fact, it was its presence in some films (such as Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, Rio Grande, Fort Apache by John Ford or, more recently, Mission Impossible II, Forrest Gump) that made this place famous.

Located between the Utah and Arizona border, Monument Valley is part of the Colorado Plateau, where you’ll find rock formations up to 1,000 feet (300 metres) high. These are either called mesas, buttes or spires, depending on their stage of erosion.

This valley is located on a Navajo Indian reservation and the most frequently visited part is called Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

Throughout this post, you’ll find information on the best things to do at Monument Valley, but also other tips such as:

• Best time to visit Monument Valley
• How much time do you need to visit Monument Valley?
• Nearest airport to Monument Valley
• Hiking in Monument Valley
• Best place to stay near Monument Valley

Monument Valley is located between the border of the US states of Utah and Arizona and is part of the Navajo Indian territory. It’s not that close to any major US city and these are the distances by car from the nearest cities:

• Phoenix – 513 km/319 mi (4h50)
• Albuquerque – 513 km/319 mi (5h)
• Salt Lake City – 615 km/382 mi (6h20)
• La Vegas – 637 km/396 mi (6h20)

💡 EXTRA TIP: Some of the closest and most popular attractions to Monument Valley include Page (just 2h away by car) or the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (about 3h away). Thus, these places can easily be visited together.

Monument Valley was probably one of my favourite places on my road trip through the Southwest. The landscapes are superb and it’s a really fun place to visit, especially if you do the Scenic Drive loop.

This is one of the most iconic places in the United States, so it’s definitely worth a visit 🥰.

Weather in Monument Valley varies greatly throughout the year, with typically cold winters and hot summers. For example, minimum temperatures in winter can reach -5°C (23 ºF) and maximum temperatures in summer can reach 34°C (93 ºF).

In addition, in July and August, there is a higher chance of flash flooding and the park may even close, so this is a time of the year to avoid. When it is raining heavily or has rained recently, Monument Valley’s famous Scenic Drive may even be closed.

Thus, spring and autumn are two of the best seasons to visit Monument Valley. As well as the temperatures being more pleasant in these months, there are fewer tourists.

The truth is that in half a day you can get to know Monument Valley reasonably and pass through the main points of interest, including the Tribal Park Loop – one of the main attractions in Monument Valley.

However, some areas of Monument Valley can only be accessed by guided tours and, if you choose to take one of these excursions, it’s best to reserve a whole day for visiting Monument Valley.

💡EXTRA TIP: Sunrise at Monument Valley is particularly magical, so it could be a great idea to stay overnight near the park’s entrance to watch this beautiful moment.

Being a bit far from the nearest major cities, the closest airport to Monument Valley is Flagstaff, which is 282 km/175 mi (2h45) away.

However, Flagstaff’s airport has few connections, so it rarely pays off to fly there, and you’ll probably save some time by flying to one of these airports:

• Phoenix – 518 km/322 mi (4h50)
• Albuquerque – 524 km/326 mi (5h)
• Salt Lake City – 622 km/387 mi (6h20)
• Las Vegas – 682 km/424 mi (6h30)

After arriving at one of these airports, the best option is to rent a car and drive to Monument Valley.

💡 EXTRA TIP: When I visited Monument Valley, I was doing a road trip through several national parks in the United States. There’s no doubt that renting a car was the best option, as it gave me a lot of freedom to prepare my itinerary. I rented a Toyota Rav4 from Avis in Los Angeles and I really enjoyed the service. I made the right decision when I decided to rent a jeep since it was very practical for driving the famous Monument Valley Scenic Loop.

If you don’t have a car but would like to visit Monument Valley, an interesting option is to take a tour for a few days, some of which depart from Las Vegas. Usually, in addition to visiting Monument Valley, these tours include visits to other nearby sites, such as the Grand Canyon or Antelope Canyon. These are some examples of tours to Monument Valley from Las Vegas:

Entry to Monument Valley costs 8 USD per person for each day you visit the park. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance (card accepted) or, alternatively, you can buy them in advance at the official Monument Valley website. The America the Beautiful pass doesn’t work here!

However, I must warn you that some parts of Monument Valley can only be visited with guided tours, in which case you will also have to pay for the tour.

As you have to pay to enter Monument Valley, there are specific times to enter the park. This is something to bear in mind, especially if you’re planning to drive the loop Scenic Drive at Monument Valley.

Monument Valley’s opening hours from Monday to Sunday are as follows:

• Ticket booth at the entrance: 8 am to 5 pm all year round
• Scenic Drive by car: 8 am to 5 pm, last entry at 2.30 pm in winter (October to April) and 7 am to 7 pm, last entry at 4.30 pm in summer (May to September).

In any case, I recommend checking the most up-to-date information on the official website.

Similar to many US National Parks, there are only a few options to have food inside or near Monument Valley and they aren’t that great and mostly overpriced.

In my case, for example, as I only visited Monument Valley for half a day, I ended up having lunch in Mexican Hat, about 30 minutes drive from the reserve, where there is only one restaurant. However, it was closed that day and I ended up eating some sandwiches at the gas station 🙃.

However, you can find more restaurant options closer to Monument Valley, such as Goulding’s Stageoach Dining Room and The View Restaurant.

Given the not-so-good and expensive options, one of the best plans is to pack a picnic!

One of the best hotel options near Monument Valley and the only one inside the park is The View Hotel, where some of the rooms overlook the valley’s rock formations. Waking up to this view is an unbelievable experience 😍.

Alternatively, you can also look for accommodation at the Goulding’s Lodge, which is located outside Monument Valley Tribal Park, but just an 11-minute drive from the park’s entrance. After The View Hotel, it’s one of the most popular options.

The truth is that there aren’t many options for accommodation and Mexican Hat and Kayenta are the two closest cities where you can try and look for accommodation options.

💡 EXTRA TIP: As there are few accommodations near Monument Valley, it’s best to book in advance, especially if you plan on staying at The View Hotel.

Finally, you can always try camping at Monument Valley, which is the cheapest option. There are a few camping options available in Monument Valley:

• Mitten View Campground: It operates on a first-come, first-served basis all year round and is suitable for both caravans and tents.
• The View Campground: has options for wild camping or caravans
• Monument Valley KOA: for caravans
• Goulding’s RV & Campgorund

Yes, one of the most popular and fun activities is the 17-mile loop drive (Tribal Park Loop, 27 km) that you can do in Monument Valley, starting at the Visitor Centre.

This route passes by some of the main rock formations in Monument Valley and is really worthwhile!

When you enter Monument Valley you’ll receive a brochure with a map of the site and some useful tips. The map is very intuitive and it is all you need to guide yourself through the Tribal Park Loop, for example. Anyway, I’m sharing a copy of the Monument Valley Scenic Drive map in case you want to take a look.

Most people who visit Monument Valley only do the Tribal Park Loop. Also known as the Valley Drive, this is a loop route through Monument Valley’s main rock formations and is 27 kilometres (17 miles) long.

Depending on the number of stops you make to explore and on how many photos you take, I recommend between 2 and 3 hours for this part of the visit. Trust me: you’ll stop many times for photos 😄!

This loop is a dirt road and, sometimes, there is even sand. It’s doable driving there without a high-clearance vehicle. Nonetheless, in my case, for example, I had a jeep and I felt it was quite handy while driving there. This is a super fun experience!

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you don’t feel comfortable driving on this type of road, you can book a tour with a Navajo guide once you arrive at the Visitor Centre.

This is one of the few parts of Monument Valley that can be visited without a guide and is therefore one of the most popular. If you have limited time, this is the activity you should focus on, as it’s one of the most interesting. Please note that it is not possible to drive this road with a caravan or a motorbike.

The road starts and finishes at the Visitor Centre and the first part of the route to Camel Butte is a two-way road. However, from then on, it’s only possible to drive in one direction.

At the first stop, you can immediately admire three of Monument Valley’s most iconic rock formations. They are East Mitten Butte, West Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. The landscapes are absolutely magnificent!

Another place you should definitely visit on this Scenic Drive is John Ford’s Point. This was one of my favourite spots in Monument Valley and is the perfect place for photos.

Most of the attractions on the map are well-marked and so, you’ll have no trouble finding them. Some of the formations have names that allude to their shape, but I must admit that I often found it difficult to make the association 😁.

Another unmissable spot when visiting Monument Valley is the Navajo Code Talker’s Outpost, also known as Artists’ Viewpoint. This is one of the best places to soak up the beauty of Monument Valley.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Although it is possible to enter the valley later, the Scenic Drive closes a bit earlier to ensure that visitors have time to complete the loop drive. You can check the most up-to-date opening hours here.

Another option to add to your Monument Valley itinerary is the Wildcat Trail. This is one of the few trails you can do independently in the valley.

The trail starts and finishes near The View Hotel and consists of a loop path around the West Mitten. The total distance of the trail is 5.3 kilometres (3.3 miles) and the recommended duration is 2h to 2h30. This is an excellent option for getting closer to the rock formations.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Another option is the Lee Cly Trail, which is also a loop and is 3.3 km (2.1 mi) long. This trail heads towards Mitchel Mesa and also starts next to The View Hotel.

Although this is an activity outside the Navajo nation’s land, it is one of the most memorable experiences in this region. Forrest Gump Point is a lookout point with privileged views over Monument Valley.

And it’s particularly popular because it was here that one of the famous scenes from the film Forrest Gump was filmed. This viewpoint is located on Route 163 (location here), just a 20-minute drive from the visitor centre. Apart from the viewpoint, driving along this road is also very worthwhile!

There are a few places where you can easily park to take the famous photo on this road. However, I must warn you that this is a highway and cars drive at high speed, so take care when taking photos.

Sunset in Monument Valley (and sunrise too!) is a memorable moment, as the rocks’ colours become more lively. This is therefore a very popular time of the day for Monument Valley tours.

The best way to visit Monument Valley at these times is on a guided tour, as the reserve is closed in the early morning or late afternoon. These are two of my recommendations for Monument Valley guided tours to watch the sunrise or sunset:

• Sunset tour with Navajo guide: lasts around 3 hours and includes a tour of some of the main points of interest on the reserve, but also Big Hogan, Moccasin Arch and Sun’s Eye
• Sunrise Tour: lasts 3 hours and includes stops at the Mittens, Totem Pole, John Ford Point and the Anasazi petroglyphs.

If you have more time available, you can take the opportunity to explore the backcountry of Monument Valley, which is only accessible by guided tour. In addition, the tours are carried out with Navajo guides, which will allow you to learn a little more about their culture and history.

Most backcountry tours include a visit to less accessible sites such as Sleeping Dragon, Big Hogan, Moccasin Arch, Sun’s Eye, and Ear of the Wind, as well as the most popular and visible sites on the Scenic Drive.

These are some tours that offer this type of service:

Other less visited sites that require a guided tour are Mystery Valley and Teardrop Arch. For example, this tour lasts all day and, in addition to visiting the most popular places in the reserve, it also includes a stop at Mystery Valley.

You can also check out the tour to Hunt’s Mesa, where you’ll get one of the best views of Monument Valley. These tours usually take an entire day and are some of the most expensive.

💡 EXTRA TIP: There are several tour operators in Monument Valley, and you can find out more about which ones are available on the official website.

Monument Valley can be visited in a few hours or a whole day. As it’s not exactly close to any other major attraction, if you want to spend a whole day in Monument Valley, I suggest staying overnight in one of the available lodges nearby. That way, you’ll also have the chance to watch the sun rise over this magical place.

In my case, this was my itinerary the day I visited Monument Valley:

• Woke up in Moab
• Explored the Valley of Gods in the morning
• Had a quick lunch at Mexican Hat
• Went to Forrest Gump Point
• Did the Scenic Drive at Monument Valley in about 3 hours
• Slept in Page

As I spent many hours driving that day, I ended up just doing the Scenic Drive and visiting Forrest Gump Point. If you’re short on time, these are two must-visit spots that you can visit in half a day.

However, if you have a full day in Monument Valley, in addition to these 2 points, I would also include a sunrise tour with access to the backcountry and the Wildcat trail, for example.

Visiting Monument Valley is a fun and worthwhile experience, but there are a few things you should bear in mind when visiting:

• Only explore the open roads. Some roads are only accessible via tours with local guides.
• Do not climb any of the rock formations.
• Summer temperatures can be quite high. Prepare accordingly by taking a hat, sun cream and plenty of water.
• Do not drink water from the water sources in the backcountry areas.
• Pay attention to sudden changes in weather, especially in the summer months when flash flooding is more likely.
• The maximum driving speed on the Scenic Drive is 24 km/h (15 mi/h).
• Monument Valley is in the MTZ time zone. When planning your visits (especially if you book tours), keep this detail in mind. In the winter months, the time zone is the same as Arizona’s, but in the summer it’s different, being the same as Utah’s time zone.

There are some interesting places you can explore relatively close to Monument Valley if you have some time to spare:

• Welcome to Utah sign: a sign near the state line between Arizona and Utah. It’s a popular Insta photo spot and it’s located right near the entrance to Monument Valley. Have a look at the location here.
• Valley of the Gods: self-driving loop through some rock formations. And this one is free to enter! I thought it was beautiful when I was there, but after visiting Monument Valley, I have no doubt that Monument Valley is way more majestic.
• Mexican Hat: a small town that has a rock formation that looks like a Mexican sombrero (hence the name 😁). The rock is visible from the road, but you can see it from closer up. In my opinion, it’s not that amazing, but I am sharing it anyway in case you’re interested in checking it out.
• Goosenecks State Park: a park where the San Juan River meanders through a canyon. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit.
• Moki Dugway: I didn’t visit either due to lack of time, but it’s an unpaved road with sharp switchbacks that has superb views over the Valley of the Gods. You can also take the opportunity to visit the Muley Point viewpoint, which seems to have lovely views.

I hope this blog post has made you want to visit Monument Valley!!! This is truly a Mother Nature’s masterpiece and something you shouldn’t miss in the American Southwest.

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