Monument Valley | Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation (2024)

Navajo Nation Park & Recreation

While visiting the Monument Valley, the 17-mile loop road has reopened. Currently, with the Winter hours in effect we want all travelers to know that all entry is based on “First come, First served” entry. We do not accept motorcycles into the loop drive, due to the rough terrain and deep sand dunes in the area. We ask that travelers prepared for long wait times and inclement weather during the peak season. Please obey all signs, stay on designated route; stay hydrated and stay safe. The safety of our public is our utmost importance.

Navajo Tribal Parks asks that everyone follow all NDOH and CDC Guidelines. Wear your mask at all times indoor/outdoor.

Welcome to the Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. You are experiencing one of the most majestic – and most photographed – points on earth. This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet, framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.

The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs and trees, and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley. All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience. Enjoy this beautiful land. While on your travel stop and take a look at some of our vendors on the loop road. Our vendors have beautiful hand crafted jewelry and more. You can buy direct from the artisan, which makes your travel experience so much more to have a momentous keepsake with you while at home.

Navajo Name: Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii – Monument Valley

Hiking Trails: Wildcat Trail 1.5 miles (Sign in/out at Visitor Center).

Monument Valley Regular Hours of Operation: Park Office:

8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Monday-Friday

Winter Hours

Scenic Drive: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Last Vehicle Entry at 2:30 pm.

Tour Booth: 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Monument Valley Closures:

We are Closed during all major Holidays in accordance with the Navajo Nation.

Thanksgiving Day – Nov 24
Christmas Day – Dec 25
New Year’s Day – Jan 1

Elevation: 5,564 feet above sea level

GPS Coordinates: N 37.00414 W 110.09889

Backcountry Permit: A Backcountry Permit can be obtained from the Visitor Center, and for San Juan River Permit it can be purchased at the Welcome Center. Please sign in/out prior to Hiking. Please proceed with extreme caution.

Navajo Parks and Recreation is not liable for any damage to vehicle while in loop drive or on Navajo Tribal Park land.

Special Use Permit: Needed for all other types of Land Usage. Photography, Filming, Weddings, and Paintings. Please stop by Visitor Center for more information.

Entry Fee: $8 per person, per day.

Additional Person: $8 per person, per day (Subject to change).

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History

Before human existence, the Park was once a lowland basin. For hundreds of millions of years, materials that eroded from the early Rock Mountains deposited layer upon layer of sediment which cemented a slow and gentle uplift, generated by ceaseless pressure from below the surface, elevating these horizontal strata quite uniformly one to three miles above sea level. What was once a basin became a plateau.

Natural forces of wind and water that eroded the land spent the last 50 million years cutting into and peeling away at the surface of the plateau. The simple wearing down of altering layers of soft and hard rock slowly revealed the natural wonders of Monument Valley today.

From the visitor center, you see the world-famous panorama of the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. You can also purchase guided tours from Navajo tour operators, who take you down into the valley in Jeeps for a narrated cruise through these mythical formations. Places such as Ear of the Wind and other landmarks can only be accessed via guided tours. During the summer months, the visitor center also features Haskenneini Restaurant, which specializes in both native Navajo and American cuisines, and a film/snack/souvenir shop. There are year-round restroom facilities. One mile before the center, numerous Navajo vendors sell arts, crafts, native food, and souvenirs at roadside stands.

Buy local, Buy Navajo!