We didn’t plan on going to Monument Valley before we headed to the USA. It was always an option ‘just in case’. But because of the distance, we weren’t actually planning on going. I was also very hesitant because people weren’t completely positive about the place. They said it was expensive ($80), not something special, just a few rocks, … But was most ‘scared us’ was that some said that you couldn’t drive the Valley Drive inside the Valley with your own car. You had to book a tour with the natives (hence the expensive price – because if you want to enter Monument Valley, you have to pay $20. The America The Beautiful Pass does not count here, as Monument Valley belongs to the Navajo Tribal Park). So we still drove towards the park, still deciding whether or not to visit it.

In the end – as you can imagine – we decided to go for it. We did the Valley Drive with our rental car (a SUV – but sedans were driving there as well, although I would NOT recommend doing the same). We only paid the $20 and we LOVED it! It started with the beautiful view you have from the visitor center, which is actually the view you know from pictures and so on. And the valley drive, well, the state of the road was actually part of the fun for us :-). Hobbling through the Monuments, searching for the buttes, the mountains and so on. The main sceneries are:

  • The panorama from the visitor center = the three famous buttes (West, East & Elephant)
  • Three Sisters
  • Totem Pole
  • Artist’s Point
  • The North Window
  • Spearhead Mesa

Don’t hesitate! And if you have enough time to stay the night here, I wouldn’t hesitate neither. We didn’t had the time, but I think sunrise and sunset are way cooler here than in the Grand Canyon, including the starry night sky.  Enjoy the ride!

View from the Visitor Center
Three Sisters
Totem Pole (on the right)