Monument Valley.....what a beautiful place to see and visit.....the Navajo
Nation holds truly one of the crown jewels of the west......this is a Navajo
Nation Park, not a national park, where the Navajo or Dine Nation has done a
fine job to service this area for your visit and tourist traffic......I was
some what leery as to what would be there, we all have seen the countless
pictures of the huge rock formations called the Mittens as well as many
movies or commercials filmed there.....but to actually visit and see this
vast area is truly awesome.....I am not sure of the exact cost of much of
the
things such as park entrance and camping fees, me being Navajo, I didn't get
charged these fees..... but they were very small compared to many National
Parks such as Mesa Verde and such.........
We camped at the Monument Valley camp ground which is right there at the
park
entrance.....from each camp pad you have a fantastic view of the top half of
the main Mitten formations towering above the canyon rim....soft powdery
sand make tent sites feel good for sleeping.....each site has a covered
picnic table and a fire pit or grill.....located within walking distance of
all sites
is a large bath house with hot water, showers and toilets....also
provided is a sink area for cleaning camp dishes with running hot
water too.....as well as tent camping there are RV pads there also, in fact
quite a number of pads are available for all types of camping....the only
problems I found to be is that you must first purchase tokens to work the
showers at the main park gift shop, a quarter machine would have been nicer
for the early riser or late night bather when the park shop is
closed......and it is dark, real dark in the camping area even with moon
light...of course this is excellent to be blanketed with a brilliant star
field above, just don't be tricked into believing this is adequate light to
find your way back from the bathhouse late at night...Gouldings Lodge and
Trading Post has been located about 10 miles west of the park entrance for
more than a century and a half..they offer rooms and pads for RV or tent
camping ..located also there is an old western movie studio from yester
year..the closest city is Keyenta, about 25 miles south of the park...here
are the major hotel chains such as Best Western and Holiday Inn...grocery
stores and gas available here too...this is a good place to fill up you
vehicle due to no other gas stations can be found for hours in either
direction...
Traveling in a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4, we didn't feel we would have any
problems on the roads down in the valley it self.....you drop several
hundred feet down a winding switchback road to a rough, rutted and sometimes
washed out road on the valley floor.. this road which winds thru this valley
can be hard on some low slung cars though I saw some cars and vans down
there navigating quite well.....but for the most part the road is fine, just
dusty.....but don't fear not being able to drive the valley, there are four
wheel drive trucks with seats on back which you can pay a small fee to a
Navajo guide service to travel the beaten path as well as hidden gems
forbidden to the general public traffic.....these guides are truly friendly
guys, joking and laughing with the passengers as well as giving information
on each stop about the formations around them.....there are a lot of sacred
places out there, even the huge Mitton formations are
sacred to the Navajo and that is why you must keep to the road or have a
guide show you other formations deep in the valley.....I wish I could paint
a mental picture to all about the many magnificent sights to be seen, yet
even
photos can't relay the feeling one gets enveloped by this beautiful
valley....
Highlights were stopping at John Ford's Lookout Point where you can gaze out
on the valley with the same perspective that Ford's countless western films
conveyed to the movie goer, even though the screen actors often refered that
they are
in Texas and such.LOL....here they have a couple of Navajo guys that will
help
you up on a horse, place a cowboy hat on your head and a fake rifle to
cradle in your arms so they can take a picture of you with this magnificent
background for a small fee....this is hilarious, European or Japanese
tourist trying to be cowboys
and attempting to climb on a horse....down right entertaining to say the
least.....actually the whole area is a Kodak moment, we shot 4 rolls of film
down there....I ran into a special Navajo photo guide who drove his cliental
around
in a fine new Suburban.....he or others like him are great to hire for the
serious photographer......he was kind enough to give me pointers and
perspectives as well....all in all, everyone goes out of their way to serve
the tourist as I saw it......
The Navajo sell jewelry at many outlooks.....please take time to look over
these beautiful items and know you are purchasing quality items from the
craft's person themselves.....this is important in that the money goes to
them and not to a dealer that pays them pennies on the dollar value.....they
are proud of their work and need this income to continue their craft and
every day expenses...
All in all, I am proud of my Navajo Nation....they have turned a beautiful
area into a financial resource that supplements many while it serves to
introduce thousands of visitors to our beautiful land and culture......
Just after I had photoed the sun emerging in all its glories colors and
saying my prayers out on the balcony of the visitor center, one of the
Navajo guides there who had been watching asked me what was I doing there,
acting like a tourist.....I replied " This place is even more beautiful than
my area of the rez outside of Gallup that starts the Painted Desert....I'm
an engineer in Dallas Fort Worth area now, where everything beautiful there
is man made..from the architecture, arts, even the trees that are planted,
everything has man's artificial touch to make something beautiful...I just
had to see with my own eyes the beauty the Holy Ones created for the Dine
people, a place where harmony envelopes all my senses..I have been away from
home too long " ..the guide smiled, a knowing nod of his head told me he
knew exactly what I meant...
"Rodney Boles" wrote in message
news:f3752b67.0408181953.5a4b27f2@posting.google.com...
> I just made a reservation at Phantom Ranch for September 23 (thurs)
> this past weekend. I'm starting to throw together plans for the entire
> week. I'll probably fly into Las Vegas on either Friday night or Sat
> morning and head up I-15 to 89. From there, I have no idea at this
> point until I get to the Grand Canyon (South Rim) the night before my
> hike down. Was thinking of doing either Antelope Canyon or Betatakin
> on Wednesday so I'd be close to the South Rim afterwards to sightsee
> on the rim before crashing early before my big hike down.
>
> The things I MUST do between Saturday morning and Wednesday are
> Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, and Betatakin. I'd also really like
> to spend some time exploring 89 West of Page (the Paria/Vermillion
> Cliffs area). I've been to the Utah National Parks, so don't plan on
> doing those again, exept perhaps stopping by the Kolub Canyon area of
> Zion (skipped that last time).
>
> I'm really interested in Canyon de Chelly, the various sites between
> Mexican Hat and Blanding, and Mesa Verde. The latter seems too far to
> easily fit in, so I've all but ruled it out. I don't want to be
> driving a ton (unless the drive is drop dead stunningly beautiful).
>
> Please help with days 1-4:
>
> 1) Depart Vegas, then what? Kolob Canyon? Vermillion Cliffs? Paria?
> Drive all day to somewhere?
>
> 2, 3, 4) Open
>
> Would like to arrive at Monument Valley one afternoon and camp
> overnight with plenty of time next AM for photos.
>
> 4) Need to camp somewhere convenient to Antelope Canyon or Betatakin.
>
> The last part of the trip, I feel like I've got a good grip on where
> I'll be (due to my firm plans on day 6):
>
> 5) Betatakin hike or Antelope Canyon in morning. Drive to South Rim.
> sunset photos then early bed
> 6) Hike to Phantom Ranch via South Kaibab. overnight at PR
> 7) Return hike via Bright Angel trail. probably stay at South Rim
> again? Don't know that I'd be up for driving far after the hike.
> 8) (SATURDAY) Drive back to Vegas. Visit Hoover Dam on the way. gamble
> and drink
> 9) either return home or maybe one more night in Vegas
>
> Oh, one more thing. I LOVE hiking, but don't want to overdue it before
> Thursday. Some short hikes 2-3 miles are fine most days, but don't
> want to be doing big hikes every day. The Betatakin hike sounds too
> good to pass up, though. I'll mainly be taking in the beauty and
> snapping photos. Really want to relax and focus on the camera and
> getting the "perfect" shot. Maximizing good light will be VERY
> important to me.
>
> Also, looking for any good tent camping suggestions. Love staying at
> scenic campgrounds (Kodachrome SP in Utah was perfect, for instace).
>
> MUCH thanks for any advice.
>
> Rodney
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