Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Most of the natural monuments in the Valley are remnants of sandstone eroded by wind and water. Agathla Peak and some lesser summits are roots of ancient volcanoes.

The valley lies at an elevation of 5,564 and has an annual rainfall average of 8.5 inches.

Monument Valley was established as the first Navajo Tribal Park by the Navajo Tribal Council on July 11, 1958. It encompasses 29,816 acres, and contains over 100 Anasazi Indian ruins. There are over 40 named "monuments" in the valley.

Geology

Monument Valley is young as geological time goes. During the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, parts of the North American continent, including the area we known today as the Four Corners region, were periodically submerged beneath the waters of ancient seas. 70 million years ago the last great flood occurred, covering more that 50% of the North American continent, including this area of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Materials eroded from the Early Rocky Mountains were deposited over earlier layers here and cemented sandstones. Natural forces (wind & water) eroded the land. Then an uplift generated by ceaseless pressure from below caused the surface to bulge and crack. The cracks deepened and widened into gullies and canyons. The natural forces still continue to shape the land, today.

Historical Background

In 1906 John Wetherhill and his wife Louisa set up the first trading post in this remote area, in Oljeta. They were followed in 1923 by Harry Goulding and his wife, Mike, who opened a trading post on the Arizona-Utah stateline, taking an active interest in helping the Navajos make the sometimes painful adjustment to the 20th century. They not only purchased wool blankets and arts and crafts created by Navajo artisans, but settled disputes among the people and acted as a liaison between the Indians and the federal government.

During the Great Depression, times were hard and unemployment was high. Harry took it upon himself to entice the movie industry to come to Monument Valley to film western, which had been filmed in the hills around Hollywood.

Harry headed for Hollywood with spectacular pictures of Monument Valley. When it became difficult to get an appointment with the famous director, John Ford, the persistent trader hauled his bedroll into the receptionist's office and spread it out on the floor, saying firmly that he would camp there until Mr. Ford was available. Ford looked at the photos, made a trip to Monument Valley and, as they say, the rest is history.

Hundreds of Navajos were cast as Apaches, Cheyenne, Comanche and other Indians in Stagecoach, but they always spoke Navajo. Noted for their keen sense of humor, some of the lines would have never made it pass a Navajo speaking censor.

Harry Goulding died in 1981. He was called T'pay-eh-nez, or Long Sheep" by the Navajos, either because he was tall and owned sheep when he came to the valley, or because he had many sheep.

Many movies have been filmed here, beginning in 1938 with Stagecoach. A few major productions filmed here include: My Darling Clementine, The Searchers, How the West was Won, The Trial of Billy Jack, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, The Eiger Sanction, Back to the Future III, and The Wild Wild West.

Driving Tour

Junction with State Route to turn-off

Alhambra Peak

Monument Pass

Setting Hen

Eagle Rock (550 ft/152 m) is located on the northwest section of Eagle Mesa.

Eagle Mesa is a sacred place. The Navajo believe the when a person dies, their spirit goes here after burial. They say that you can hear the voices of babies and adults in this area and see their bones and footprints on the mesa.

Meridian Butte is so-called because it is located on the 110th meridian.

Brigham's Tomb is also known as Saddleback

King on his Throne (440 ft/134 m)

Stagecoach

Bear and Rabbit (485 ft/148 m) The Rabbit formation resembles a rabbit's head.

Castle Rock (650 ft/197 m) also known as: Shangri-La

Big Indian (480 ft/146 m) also known as: Indian Chief and Big Chief

Park Entrance and Scenic Drive

Sentinel Mesa Sentinel = Watchtower

Mitchell Butte (500 ft/152 m) is the burial site of a silver prospector named Mitchell. After he was purportedly shot by Paiute Indians in the valley, he managed to drag himself 3 miles to this butte where he died.

Gray Whiskers (500 ft/152 m)

Mitchell Mesa (700 ft/213 m) is named for Mitchell of the infamous Mitchell and Merrick prospecting duo with the elusive first names.

The Mittens, according to the Navajo, are two hands that lie dormant, left behind by the gods as signs that some day the holy beings will return and rule with power from Monument Valley.

Merrick Butte is named for Mitchell's prospecting partner, who was killed here in .

Elephant Butte is suppose to resemble an elephant.

The Three Sister are believed by the Navajo to be three Holy People who have turned to stone. The south sister stands 600 ft/183 m; the middle sister is 325 ft/99 m; and the northernmost sister stands 575 ft/175 m. Their names are Faith, who is praying; Hope, who is gazing up at Faith; and Charity, looking like Mother Superior. That's right, Harry Goulding, who named many of the monument in the valley thought that they looked like nuns.

John Ford's Point is named for that famous Hollywood director who made all those classic westerns in the Valley.

Camel Butte

Rain God Mesa has four springs located at its bottom in the four cardinal directions, and so medicine men collect water here for ceremonies associated with healing and rain making. The Navajos believe that this is the home of lightning.

The Hub

Thunderbird Mesa is the home of Thunder.

Sand Dunes and Sand Springs

Totem Pole (400 ft/122 m) is possibly the thinnest, tallest tower in the world, measuring only 40 ft thick and 14 ft across the top. It was first scaled in 1957 by William Meuerer, Mark Powell, Jerry Gallwas, and Don Wilson.

Yei Bi Chei (275 ft/84 m) are the prominent landforms just south of the Totem Pole. They resemble the Navajo fire dancers who appear on the ninth and last night of the tribal winter religious ceremony known as the Night Way. For the Yei Bi Chei towers there seems to be an endless variety of spellings. It seems that every postcard has a different spelling and even the literature available at the tribal park headquarters uses various spellings.

Spearhead Mesa

Artist Point

North Window

Cly Butte is named after Old Cly, a venerated chief who lived in the valley until his death in 1934. When he passed away, they buried him at the foot of Cly Butte. True to Indian custom, they took all his possessions and "knocked them in the head" so that their spirits would go along with the chief. his horse was killed, as were his sheep, goats and cattle, and his saddle and bridle were cut up and left there, so that he could use them for his longest journey.

The Thumb

Goulding's Lodge Area

Goulding's Trading Post was established by Harry and Mike Goulding in 1923, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Monument Valley Hospital, located in Rock Door Canyon, dates from 1950, when Marvin and Gwen Walter, Seventh Day Adventists missionaries, established a modest clinic here. In the years since, with assistance from the tribal council, the church, and others, the original traveling clinic has grown into full fledged hospital, with physicians, nurses, and modern equipment.

Oljeto Trading Post was established by the Wetherhill Family in 1906 and has been operated since the late 1940s by Ed and Virginia Smith. It is interesting for its old-time, rustic authenticity. In a back room is a valuable display of Navajo craftwork such as baskets and beadwork; old guns; and other relics.

Junction to Kayenta

Wetherhill Mesa is named for John Wetherhill who set up the first trading post in this part of Dinetah. Originally from the Cortez area of Colorado, John was a member of the Wetherhill Family which discovered some of the ruins at Mesa Verde. With the help of local Navajos, he rediscovered many of the Anasazi cliff dwellings in this area. He also led the expedition that discovered Rainbow Bridge.

Hoskinninni Mesa is named for the great Navajo chief who led the Dineh into hiding in Monument Valley during the Long Walk of the 1860s.

El Capitan or Agathla Peak (1300 ft/304 m) is an ancient volcanic neck or feeder pipe to a much larger structure that once rested in this area.

The Navajos call this structure Aghaa'la, or "Much Wool" or "Piles of Wool" because many years ago the Indians scraped deer and sheep hides on the rough rocks at the base of the peak, leaving an accumulation of hair or wool there.

This is also one of the four places where the Navajo believe that the sky is being held up. It is also said to act like a transmitter that beams information to the sun or to White Shell Woman, a Holy Person who lives near the ocean.

Navajo legend teaches that back during the period of creation, when the land was soft and creatures talked and acted like humans, the animals started on a journey from Navajo Mountain. Big Snake traveled with the others until they reached the area of Agathla. He complained of how tired he was and urged the group to eat and camp there. The next morning, when it was time to depart, Big Snake said that all this movement had worn his stomach raw and he could go no farther, and so he stayed behind as the others continued their journey. Prior to leaving, however, the group made a hole for him, a new home, at the base of the rock. Deer and antelope were plentiful and the serpent had no trouble luring them to his abode, where he ate them and piled the fur outside.

Owl Rock (250 ft/76 m), across the road from Agathla Peak, is Big Snake's wife, the owl, who remained with her husband, and still sits, waiting for the day when he is ready to continue on.

Chaistla Butte (400 ft/122 m), like Agathla, is of volcanic origin. The Navajos believe that is will fall down when the end of the world arrives. Chaistla means "Burnt Foot"