You may not know the name Monument Valley, but you’ve probably seen it in movies or TV shows. It is 17-mile loop with 11 scenic stops, mostly tall buttes overlooking big sky. Monument Valley was one of the few sights we visited that had an entrance fee and did not take the America the Beautiful Pass.
Monument Valley
2018 Price: $20
If you do not want to drive the loop, there is a visitor’s center with a viewing platform that overlooks the valley including its well-known trio of buttes seen below.
At the start of our drive, we were excited to find a trio of wild horses and watched them make their way along a ravine. There were also several antelope ground squirrels scurrying in the sagebrush.
If you are planning to go to Monument Valley, I would suggest either having a Jeep/SUV for a rental car or signing up for a guided tour of the park. The road is unpaved and bumpy, often driving over large, uneven rocks. The bottom of our car got scratched badly and I was worried we were going to have a leak somewhere.
Valley of the Gods
While we were supposed to visit Valley of the Gods on our way to Colorado, were not able to go. It was raining and there was a sign at the entrance warning about low-clearance vehicles and flooding. We also saw a car turn around and come back to the entrance as we arrived, so we chose to skip it.
The photos online look amazing – they call it a mini-Monument Valley. It is a 17-mile dirt and gravel road winding through the valley. This is another one I would recommend driving a Jeep or SUV due to the rough terrain.
