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Monument Valley has been on my bucket list for quite a long time. I’ve stared at pictures of the majestic landscape and often dreamed about visiting. I was terribly excited for this stop, but also anxious that it wouldn’t live up to my imagination’s expectations. This stop ending up being my absolute favorite and far exceeded my hopes and dreams for how vast, stunning, and spiritual a landscape could be.

First off, please note that Monument Valley Tribal Park resides on Navajo tribal land so rules may be slightly different than other national or state parks. Additionally, the Navajo often allow their animals to roam free as they do not believe in containing them. This was evident at the campground where a friendly dog came to ask to share some of our hot dogs. Without a collar or tag it was difficult to know if he was a stray or just wandering.

The Monument Valley website above provides some information about admission and driving the scenic road yourself. While most vehicles are capable, this is definitely not a smooth, paved road. It is a 17 mile bumpy, dusty dirt road. When you enter Monument Valley, be sure to stop by the Visitor’s Center which has some spectacular exhibits and information.

We decided early on that we wanted to get the full experience of Monument Valley as a native would present it, so rather than take ourselves on the scenic drive, we hired Navajo Spirit Tours and ended up doing a private guided tour so Bailey could join us rather than trying to squeeze her in on a group tour. We selected the private photography tour that was approximately three hours in duration and scheduled it to end around sunset at the perfect spot to capture the scene. Our fantastic tour guide had a large SUV with air-conditioning for us and provided us with so much wonderful insight on the history of the land and the people. We learned so much in addition to experiencing the jawdropping landscapes. I highly recommend taking your tour with Navajo Spirit Tours and their amazing guides to learn and experience as much as possible.

Day 6 Campground:
Goulding’s Monument Valley – Rating: ★★★★★

Sites here were not huge, but the campground was clean and well taken care of. The bathroom and shower facilities were great and, though we didn’t have time to try it, there’s even an indoor pool to cool off in. The small convenience store is well stocked with some basic groceries, drinks, and other essentials as well as some neat gifts and mementos of the area. We would definitely stay here again as it is one of the nicest lodging options near Monument Valley itself.

Link: https://gouldings.com/