Not sure what to say, but it was CRAZY when we approached the spot & tried to drive past it on…read moreUS-163!! It's located near Mile Marker 13. So, in the movie Forrest Gump, he ran along here in Monument Valley. There is a sign for it but we didn't stop at it. This stretch was full of people IN the middle of the road, even sitting in it! There is a caution sign saying that the area ahead is congested. We were not prepared to see people sitting in the road taking pictures! We had no choice but to stop until we could get past everyone trying to acquire that "perfect" picture. Once past, we drove a little further south and had an awesome view with nobody in our pictures! While other cars were held up by the crowd, I took the opportunity to quickly walk to the center of the highway and take a few pictures. I'd recommend coming either earlier or later in the day to avoid crowds. We were on a road trip, like I imagine anyone passing through here is, and so timing couldn't really be arranged. We got here when we got here, which is when lots of others did too! Anyways, if you are on US-163 near Monument Valley, you'll be in for a treat! The views are monumental!

I didn't even know this place was a thing until I was mapping out our Spring Break road trip! It…read morejust so happened we were going to be driving right by here, so we decided to make a stop. My oldest had just recently watched the movie, so she remembered the scene. They have signs to clearly mark where to stop based on the movie. And there is parking available along the road in several spots so you can stop and take your photos. There are also some vendors with booths selling items for the Navajo Nation. It was VERY windy when we were there. Also, be careful with all the cars driving through.

Absolutely stunning scenery and a true icon of the American West: Monument Valley is a must-see,…read morebut it's not without its quirks! The place gets extremely crowded, especially with tour buses (including a lot of Taurus-branded ones), which can make the visitor center feel hectic. Be prepared to pay a separate entrance fee since the park is on Navajo reservation land, and your National Parks pass won't work here. If you want to experience everything, you'll definitely need a 4x4 vehicle. The main loop is a rugged, unpaved dirt and gravel road, and there are some sketchy spots that really call for higher clearance and four-wheel drive. Regular cars can technically make it, but you'll be glad for the extra power and stability if you hit rough patches or deep sand. Inside the park, there are a few restaurants, but the food is just okay and pretty pricey. Still, the real draw is the landscape: jaw-dropping buttes and mesas that have starred in countless movies and photos. Every corner offers another incredible view, and there are endless opportunities for amazing pictures. Despite the crowds and rough roads, it's a five-star destination for anyone who loves dramatic scenery and film history!

I was unable to check in. There was no internet at the time. We never get tired of visiting…read moreMonument Valley. The scenery is breathtaking with the monuments reaching for the sky. Most of the photos are taken at the Forrest Gump area. It is possibly the most visited area for photos. Visit if you're able. There are no facilities until you exit the park. Make sure you have water and the vehicle is gassed up.

A must see/stop on your way to Four Corners Monument. Just off US 160. Such a wonder to behold…read more Time and the elements have sculpted this natural masterpiece. I can only behold of its beauty in amazement.

You drive past it and Mother earth delivers us with Baby Rocks! About 5 min from Kayenta you'll…read moresee these sandstone formations from your car. Named for the wind and rain eroded walls that seemingly have formed thousands of "babies" hanging onto them. I also read it "tells of a Navajo legend of a girl who refused to share bread with her sister. She is now one of the standing spires of this collection of Morrison and Zuni sandstone images." The settlement inside baby rocks was a neat surprise, baby rocks as their backyard!

We made a reservation through HipCamp in June 2017 to spend one night at the Mustang Valley…read moreCampground while on a road trip through Colorado and Arizona. As some background, we're experienced campers and well traveled. We were ultimately so disappointed with the Mustang Valley Campground that we left and did not end up spending the night. The photos on HipCamp looked great and we read the reviews about the site being close to the road but figured we'd give the campground a try. Mark, the campground host, was nice enough and responsive via text messages. However the campground had the aesthetic of squatting along the roadside in tents. The showers and outhouse were ramshackle shed-like structures with only partial doors and minimal privacy. The tents available weren't well maintained and had vents/doors broken. One of the Mark's two dogs was aggressive with ours (a 10 lb Boston Terrier puppy kept on leash at all times) and it was apparent his dogs just roamed the site. Yes, it's right near Monument Valley and the view of the formations are beautiful. Yes, Mark seems like a nice person minus the after drama I'll go into below. However would not recommend this campground. We'd recommend you support other Navajo owned businesses and stay elsewhere. As a follow up, over the past year I've had to deal twice with Mark writing responses to my review on HipCamp filled with lies. Calling us difficult or demanding and accusing our dog of being off leash and terrorizing children. None of which are true. We made a reservation that included a tent and the tents were not in good condition. We were told his dogs wouldn't be roaming and they were. One of which was not friendly to our puppy who was kept on-leash at all times. We didn't feel safe or comfortable here as two women. HipCamp ultimately refunded our camping fee after I spoke with a representative after the first issue with false comments. We would personally not recommend this campground to anyone.

We had a reservation for one night at one of Mustang Valley's Navajo hogans. We texted the owners…read moreat 3:30pm to notify them that we would be arriving roughly between 4:30-4:45. We arrived at 4:51pm and were told that because we were late, the host, Mark, had already left the property to run errands. I asked why he had not waited just a bit longer since we *had* notified them of our arrival and we were only a matter of 6 minutes late. The attendant gave us a obnoxious response of "He's doing laundry. Have you ever done laundry before? Usually people like clean sheets." We went to a nearby restaurant (Goulding's, a lovely little inn with a beautiful view and decent food) to wait and after about a half hour we received notice that Mark had returned to the campground. Our food had just been brought to the table so I asked the attendant if she could provide the coordinates for the Hogan we had booked so that we could meet Mark there once we were finished with our meal. I received a scathing response back saying that it would be better if I just cancelled the reservation. She said that I was trying to break their established rules by asking to go to the Hogan on our own (this was incorrect, since I had asked to meet Mark there -- not go there on our own. The attendant seemed too irate to notice the difference.) At this point, of course, we did not feel safe continuing with a reservation at a place where we were clearly unwelcome so we collected our refund and continued on to our next destination.

Great drive up the side of a Mesa. Wonderful views and a great spot to spend the night.read more

Well, I guess...for those who are looking into visiting Muley Point Overlook...it does get combined…read morewith driving the 3 mile road - Moki Dugway. I was a fan of Moki Dugway and making my way up to the top of Cedar Mesa. But...Muley Point fell pretty flat for me. I have by far seen much better overlooks during my time. It's the truth. Muley Point was scenic, but I wasn't blown away by it. There was potential maybe for it to be great....but my biggest problem was that I wasn't able to capture that "wow moment". When I arrived here, btw....after driving up Moki Dugway, I found Muley Point by making my first left at the top of the dugway and then driving the simple 5 mile dirt road to the end...as far as I could go. Although there weren't any signs for it, at the end of the roadway I simply got out of my car and I knew I was there. This overlook was just frustrating for me. I wasn't able to put myself in any of the pictures because I was standing high up on top of rocks and boulders while trying to peer down and out into the distance. The angling down for pictures had no potential. Basically it's a straight drop down below. The viewing platform was very high up and the terrain of the windswept "goosenecks" valley was very low...especially trying to fit myself into any photos. I know I'm being quite picky, but I was disappointed with the experience. I was able to take pictures to the best of my ability capturing the sweeping landscape, but ultimately it was WAY TOO DANGEROUS to step too far out on the ledge just for the perfect pics. I had to stand from afar (to be safe) and this was a real buzzkill for me. I'll just say when you're here...you'll understand what I'm trying to relay. But certainly Muley Point had potential. If I had to relate and put into comparison of what the scenery was all about, I'd say it had a lot of aspects like Goosenecks State Park (which is not too far away) and some Canyonlands National Park type terrain. It wasn't colorful whatsoever....but the natural sweeping canyons and halls of cliffs made it understandable why tourists could be thinking it's great. But (for those who are still reading this, lol) Goosenecks State Park just a few miles down the road....had much much more of an accessible ledge to put myself into the pictures without hindering the balance and comparison between the landscape and my squatting body, lol. In all, I refuse to take selfie pictures...so if that's what you want...then it is what it is. I'm just saying Goosenecks afforded me a lot vantage points and opportunities along the overlook and ledge to make for memorable photos....just like at Horseshoe Bend (another place w/ similar geography)....who doesn't want to be in their photos, appreciating and peering out into the majestic distance? Basically saying...I just value putting myself in pictures, hehehe. Also, Muley Point did have "Canyonlands-esque" NP aspects to it, but Canyonlands was made for visitors and tourists to capture essential and beautiful moments...but just not here at desolate Muley Point. After walking back and forth and in and out of all the cracks and crevices looking for a proper spot to grab the essence of this overlook, I gave up. And...lots of the sections of Muley Point had me facing straight into the sun which altogether negated any ideal photography. In the end...I snapped a few pics and returned back along the 5 mile road to the end of Moki Dugway. Although there was virtually no one present at this overlook, I will say that you are allowed to camp here and for free! That's actually a great aspect of Muley Point. I did see 2 tents set up and somehow an RV camper as well though I'm not sure how the camper traveled up Moki Dugway which discourages large vehicles to make the trek. Maybe the RV was coming from the opposite direction where there's no elevated upgrades and or switchbacks climbing any mountains. Overall though, I guess if you're going to drive up Moki Dugway, you might as well go a little further and drive here to Muley Point....especially if you're looking to camp out for the evening. I could envision camping out during a pretty sunset and underneath the Southern Utah stars being quite pleasant. So, yeah...sorry for a being a downer about Muley Point. And sorry for being so detailed and pinpointed about my visit here. I guess I had high expectations about this viewpoint especially since I appreciated so much Goosenecks State Park and Valley of the Gods from earlier in the day. Just....I have witnessed much much better and more accessible overlooks along my travels.

This unique rock formation is located just north of the town of Mexican Hat, UT. You can pull off…read moreUS-163 onto a dirt road. There is a sign saying this is private property, so we weren't sure how far we should go. We drove a little ways, stopped, and took a few pictures before turning around to leave. This is a 300 ft tall and 60-foot wide red sandstone formation. On one website it says it looks like an upside-down sombrero. Oh, now I "see" it!! I didn't really think it looked like a sombrero, but it makes sense that it is upside-down! If you find yourself driving by, it will be hard to miss. Take a few moments to take a look. It is pretty cool!

The Mexican Hat rock is cool, it's a quintessential thing to do if you're road tripping from Utah…read moreto Arizona and going towards the Oljato Monument valley for sure. You can even see the rock in the distance from the main freeway, but there is a turn off the highway that takes you maybe 10-15 minutes down a fairly smooth dirt/dust road that gets you closer. I think some people get out of the car and maybe even try to walk closer, but I didn't want to do that since I think some of the area is private property and there's not really any specific place to "park." The road does eventually end at a little turn around that takes you back the way you came to the freeway. Re: the rock itself, it's neat to see the little thing balancing/looking like it could fall any minute because of the narrow base. I tried taking some pics but from the road it's so small by the camera's eye that I think photos just don't do it justice. It's an easy pit stop and takes just a few minutes so I'd definitely say it's worth it to drop by!

Moki Dugway for those who are possibly wondering exactly what is a Moki Dugway....it's…read moresimple....this is a very short, yet windy and steep uphill drive for 3 miles and 1200 feet reaching the top of Cedar Mesa. So what makes it so special??? Well, for me, it was just the drive. For the 3 miles, it's on dirt road. The speed limit and it's posted is 5 MPH. Yes...go slow and take your time. I have a fear of heights so driving up...on the right hand side is the view of the surrounding desert area of Southeastern, Utah. And the drive up wasn't anything difficult or dangerous, but from time to time I had to sort of move over towards the left of the road just in case, lol...to be safe. That's all. But...I came here to Moki Dugway in early afternoon right after I completed exploring Valley of the Gods. And I'd basically say Valley of the Gods is a miniature version (or even on the same level) as highly acclaimed Monument Valley! I exited Valley of the Gods on the west side along Highway 261 and literally the start to Moki Dugway was like 1 - 2 miles down the road. There really weren't any official signs saying this was Moki Dugway, but signs were posted that you'll be driving uphill on a much elevated degree along a dirt road for the next few miles. So...you'll know you're on Moki Dugway when you see it. I found there to be plenty of little roadside pullovers to stop, get out of my car and not only appreciate the fresh air, but the scenic and wide open views among the heart of the desert of secluded Mexican Hat, Utah. And...I drove Moki Dugway up to the top of Cedar Mesa and didn't stop from there. Combined with Moki Dugway was heading to Muley Point. To arrive at Muley Point I made a left onto the first road at the top of the Dugway. There wasn't a sign for Muley Point. You just have to trust that it'll be the immediate first left up at the top. Then...it's an easy 5 mile drive along a gravel road to the overlook. Once again...there weren't any signs for Muley Point when I arrived...but I knew what it was because there was no road left to drive. From there, I exited my car and headed to see what Muley point was all about. Just a few extra points...there were posted signs at the start of Moki Dugway that no RV's were allowed to drive up it. And I can understand that. They're just too big. Also, my basic mid-sized car had no issues traversing it. When I visited here in early afternoon back in September....the good news about witnessing Moki Dugway is that I had the sun facing my back so my photographs came out nice, clear and vibrant. I'd recommend coming here in the afternoon instead of possibly fighting the sun in morning time. Some may think that Moki Dugway and Muley Point are completely remote, yet that's not true. I actually started my day hanging out at Goosenecks State Park nearby...then drove 17 mile Valley of the Gods for a few hours and ultimately headed towards Bluff, Utah and Natural Bridges National Monument the following day. Also, when I did drive up...maybe I passed just a few cars headed in the opposite down the Dugway. Point is...it's not a crowded landmark. I had cell phone reception from time to time from what I remember. Lastly I'd say about 3/4's of the way to the top of Moki Dugway, I found the best opportunities to pull my car off to the side, step out and grab good pictures. So, as you'd expect the higher I went and definitely towards the top of Cedar Mesa...were the ideal views and opportunities for photos. Although Moki Dugway wasn't 5 stars for me...(I mean the views were good, not totally off the charts) it was still certainly worthwhile to come drive it while I was in the area. Combined with other attractions around Mexican Hat, I'm a fan of it.

Reading blogs online made my scared to do this drive. But after telling my husband about it there…read morewas no turning back. It was so much FUN. And in decent weather, it was easy in our SUV. We saw an RV coming down the pass which looked ridiculous and scary but we had a blast!!!

I loved exploring the Goulding's Museum in Monument Valley, Utah…read more This museum is in Goulding, right next to the Goulding's Hotel, at the upper level driveway. There are so many amazing items there! Just like in the old western movies! It's a two story building. No entry fee, but the sign says "Donation is welcome" ~ pay whatever amount you feel like, by your discretion.

What a well curated museum! The Goulding's were amazing and the reason why the movies came to the…read moremonuments. If you're interested the book "Tall Sheep" talks about their journey to the Valley, what it was like getting started, when the movies came and more. When you first enter, they've tried to preserve what the general store the Gouldings ran looked like, then the next rooms display the films, tv, music videos and commercials filmed in the valley. Upstairs is the apartment the Goulding's lived in. It's almost as if they invited you up for dessert and coffee.

Monument Valley is absolutely incredible. This is a Navajo Tribal Park, meaning it's on Navajo…read moreland, tribal land, so there is a fee to enter and explore the park that's independent of any tour fees you may have. It's $20 for 1-4 people in one car and additional people will be $5 (not 100% sure if that's per person or just anything over 4, I'm guessing it's per person though). If you come during the day (between 8 am and 2 pm), you could drive around about 50% of the park by yourself on a self guided tour. Be careful though because the roads are all dirt roads and your car will be covered in a layer of red dust by the time you leave the park. We could easily tell just from the cars parked in the parking lot who had just come from the park and who hadn't gone yet. For my family and I, we booked a guided tour, which I would HIGHLY recommend if you're interested in learning about the meaning behind all the mesas, buttes, and spires you'll see throughout the park and especially if you're interested in learning about Navajo history and get a small glimpse into their way of life. If you're here just for the photos of the cool rock formations though, then I'd say you probably wouldn't enjoy the tour as much and would recommend that you just get here early enough (probably 12 pm at the latest because the park closes to self guided tours by 2 pm) to drive through the park yourself. I love learning about the meaning behind everything though, how Monument Valley even came to be, why each rock formation is named what they're named, how the Navajo people live in this area, etc., so the guided tour was very worth it to me. PLUS, on the Navajo-guided tours, they can bring you into the park after 2 pm, so you can do sunset tours with them and ALSO have full access to the park, which is 50% more than what is accessible on a self-guided tour. Part of the reason is because a lot of these roads go through land upon which Navajo currently reside, so they only want guided tours have access to these roads and the other reason is because a lot of these pathways are much more difficult to drive through and require the skills of those who are used to driving them day in and day out. All in all, Monument Valley is 100% worth a visit. We were coming from Page, and it is really close by from there and was definitely worth the 2 hour drive over. Monument Valley is located right on the border between Arizona and Utah, so if you're anywhere within that vicinity, stop by and check it out! You will not be disappointed! :)

It's a huge area with giant rocks that have cultural ties to the indigenous people in the area…read more It's worth it to stop and see!

Anthropology was my major. Dinosaur anything makes me all warm and fuzzy…read more This place is sooooooo hidden and so worth take the time to walk. I wish we had more time to spend. We arrived after having major car trouble. A Guide met us in the parking lot, and before we even got out of the car, told us we can make a donation of whatever we feel like after he took us to see some really amazing tracks. We saw raptor, t-Rex, eggs, and skulls. This was the biggest highlight of the entire road trip for me. No where else in the world will you be able to experience this. There is a small table of souvenirs, toy dinos, some Navajo jewelry and stones.... One really nice thing was a man making tomahawks and chatting with him about life and our trip. Take some time and just soak the moment in. There's a lot here to take away with you in your memories. It is rustic, off a dirt access road in the middle of nowhere. You don't think you're going anywhere and there's a stand that's if! Nothing fancy, but it's legit! I prefer the way it's run because it's not over done, fake and over priced. This was taking me back to college archeology class and being on a location excavation... without the hard work!

We randomly saw this on Google Maps and we're going to go to Tuba, AZ and decided to go for it…read more Most Navajo outlooks and stands close at 5 pm so we didn't know if we'd get in but we saw other families still there. We parked and were approached by a Navajo man named Joe who explained we would offer a donation and they'd show us around. We gave him cash and he showed us lots of fossils and dinosaur tracks that had solidified by the limestone. Also saw some fossilized eggs and plants. I asked who had discovered the dinosaurs here and he explained it was a British paleontologist named John West Wells who is one of the major dinosaur hunters in history. After about 20 minutes, we took photos, gave an extra tip and drove off. Most of the sales carts that were selling jewelry and other craft items had closed for the day, but no one was anything which was nice. Worth it just for views and a fun different experience. Also happy to support the nova nation.