Monument Valley State Park Things to Do Tips by windsorgirl

Stop at the Visitor's Center

One of the best views of the park, I think, was from the Visitor's Center. Here, there is an elevated terrace from which you have a great view of The Mittens and Merrick Butte. You can also see the winding Valley Drive below.

At the visitor center you can get information on a short 3 mile trail that you are allowed to hike without a guide. There is also restrooms, a restaurant and gift shop and you can organize your guided tour here either by vehicle or horseback.

The North Window

One of the last viewpoints on your drive through Monument Valley will be The North Window. Just hang a right at The Thumb and take the short detour off the loop road which will take you to an opening between two buttes for a view to the north. In my photo you can see Merrick Butte centered through the "window".

Name that Butte!

As you drive through Monument Valley, you will notice that many of the Buttes have been named and are identified by a numbered signpost at roadside. Some of the names are obvious, such as The Mittens and The Three Sisters, but others like Elephant Butte and Camel Butte are a bit more difficult to recognize. It is fun however to try and picture the shape of the animals in these large sandstone monoliths.

A Photographer's Dream Destination

If you are like me and enjoy photography, then you will love Monument Valley. Plan on spending two or more hours driving the scenic loop, since you will want to stop often for photos.

Since you are restricted to staying on the road, however, you will be limited in your photo opportunities. For example, when we visited, the Three Sisters were in shadow from the road side and since you are not permitted to hike around to the other side for a better vantage point, then this photo op is missed.

We toured the park from 2pm to 430pm and I am very happy with the resulting photos, however if I were to do it again, I would plan to return early the next morning, to capture all those missed images.

East and West Mitten Buttes

These must be the most recognizable buttes in the park. You can see both of them together and how easily they resemble right and left handed mittens. You will have a good view of the Mittens from the Visitor's Center and it is the first stop on the Valley Drive.

Take the Valley Drive

There is a 17 mile scenic drive along an unpaved road that winds amongst the towering red buttes of Monument Valley. The road can be a bit rough in places but we were fine in our small rented Neon.

The speed limit is posted at 15mph, but chances are you will not even drive that fast, the scenery is so wonderful and you will want to stop often for photographs. There are many pulloffs where you can park the car and get out for that perfect shot. Be advised that you are not permitted to walk off the road unless accompanied by a Navajo guide.

Also be careful of the small ditches and soft sand dunes at the sides of the road. If you are as distracted by the awesome sights as I was, you may find yourself stuck in a ditch!

Lastly, allow at least 2 hours for this drive.

Artist's Point

It is a short detour off the main loop road to Artist's Point. Here you will find a large parking area with this splendid view west toward the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte.

The Totem Poles

At the furthermost point on the self guided tour, you will come to the viewpoint for the Totem Poles. You can see that this grouping of tall slender buttes is quite different to the other large buttes. I suppose one day all the buttes will erode to this size and eventually disappear.