5 Interesting facts about Monument Valley Tribal Park, Utah

Monument Valley is home to the Mittens and a handful of Navajo families

Thanks to John Ford, the director of legendary westerns like Stagecoach and The Searchers, Monument Valley is one of the most recognizable panoramas in the world.

Known for its majestic sandstone mounds, this sprawling 92,000-acre valley attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year. Visitors come to this remote region on the Arizona-Utah border to hike, drive, photograph, or just experience its changing natural beauty.

But contrary to popular belief, Monument Valley is not on public land. Unlike many neighboring national parks in Arizona and Utah, Monument Valley is a tribal park owned and managed by the Navajo Nation.

“We are a tribal entity,” said Nelson Parrish, Supervisor of Monument Valley. “Within the boundaries of the park, you are on Navajo land. ”

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Here are five other things you might not know about Monument Valley:

Here are five other things you might not know about Monument Valley:

Fact No. 1 – Breathtaking Landscapes

The visitors have not always appreciated the breathtaking landscapes. In fact, the first American soldiers to explore the area in 1849 were disgusted by it.

The valley was “as desolate and disgusting a country as one can imagine,” wrote Captain John G. Walker. “As far as the eye can see, to the southwest, west, and northwest, is a vast mass of sandstone hills without any cover or vegetation except for a scanty cedar shoot. ”

Fact No. 2 – John Ford “discovered” the area in the 1930s

John Ford “discovered” the area in the 1930s and began shooting western films there, propelling the landscape to international fame and defining “what moviegoers think for decades when they imagine the American West, ”Keith Phipps wrote in a 2009 article in Slate.

Monument Valley is still a favorite spot for filmmakers. Blockbusters like Back to the Future, Mission Impossible, The Lone Ranger, and Transformers: Age of Extinction were filmed there. The Valley even appears in The Lego Movie from 2014.

Fact No.3 – Navajo name for the park

The Navajo name for the park is Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii or Valley of the Rocks. Ten families live in the park, without running water or electricity, and depend on agriculture and grazing for their income.

A 27 km loop road takes visitors through the park. Locals ask visitors to respect their privacy and stay on marked trails and roads.

“As the people live in the valley, they want their peace,” Mr. Parrish said. “We ask that visitors come out before sunset. ”

Handcrafted traditional Native American figurines on display for sale in a souvenir shop at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. In the background, you can see the famous red rock formations of the valley.

Fact No. 4 – Two hiking trails and 11 viewpoints.

In addition to the loop road, the park offers two hiking trails and 11 viewpoints. The most popular attraction is The Mittens, or two huge butts that look like mittens with the thumbs turned inward.

Mittens are visible from the Visitor Center and from guest rooms at The View Hotel. An easy three-mile hiking trail winds around the West Mitten.

Another popular destination is John Ford’s Point, a promontory on the edge of a plateau overlooking the desert. Visitors can recreate the iconic image of a lone rider on a horse near the edge of the viewpoint.

John Ford’s Point is a popular spot for visitors to Monument Valley.

But don’t stop there. Stunning desert views and vistas are found throughout the park.