Monument Valley ~ Arizona & Utah
May 13-15, 2007

Monument Valley is located about 440 miles northeast of our Tucson home.  At an elevation of 5,600 feet, the mid-May temperatures ranged from 55F to 85F degrees, which was very comfortable for both of us.  While in Monument Valley we stayed at Goulding's Lodge ~ the food was great, the views were outstanding, the prices were reasonable, and the Navajo staff were all very friendly.  Click here if you'd like to learn more about Goulding's Lodge and/or make reservations.

Monument Valley lies on Arizona's northeast border, about 100 miles west of the Four Corners area.  Although Goulding's Lodge is located just across the Arizona border in Utah, it was difficult for us to tell which state had more rock formations.  This is why I've given Arizona and Utah equal billing in the above title!  J

The following 80 photographs represent the best of the 797 pictures that were taken by Bonnie and I . . . enjoy!

(Click on picture to enlarge)

May 13 we drove north to Goulding's Lodge, which is only a mile or so past the Utah border.	Our first view of Goulding's.
This was the Golding's house ~ it has since been converted into a museum.	John Wayne made 5 movies in Monument Valley!	John Wayne's cabin.
		This was the view from our room!	Rock formation by Goulding's Lodge at sunset.
	May 14 we took an all day tour of Monument Valley, including the Navajo reservation ~ normally "no trespassing" for tourists!	This is Carol, our Navajo guide.	A Navajo Hogan.
Navajo lady making a rug.	Various smaller rock formations.
			Dragon's head.
That's Bonnie waving.	According to Carol, the pile of wood in the picture is the remains of a Navajo Hogan that was vacated over 100 years ago!	Interesting colors!
			Piñon pine.
	Desert sand dune.	The sand is fine like beach sand, but it is a copper color!	These cliff dwellings were inhabited by ancient Indians who vacated the area 700-800 years ago.
		This hole is an ancient Indian "oven".	Ancient Indian art .
			Natural arches.
	The "eye".
		Larger rock formations.	The "Mittens".
			The "Three Sisters".
			The spire to the left is the "Totem" ~ 400 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the top.
The Totem was featured in the 1975 Clint Eastwood movie "The Eiger Sanction".	It wouldn't be the west without cowboys!  J
Desert flowers.			May 15 we left Monument Valley.
The trip back took us through the center of Arizona's Painted Desert.
		We're leaving the Painted Desert.	Driving toward Flagstaff we passed Humphreys Peak, the highest elevation in Arizona at 12,633 feet.