Day 11 - Bluff to Monument Valley
Highways today were west on US Hwy 191, into the Sand Island Petroglyph site and back to US 191, then US 163 to the loop through Valley of the Gods, and south on State Hwy 261 back to US 163. We continued west on US 163, turned right into Gouldings, then back across US 163 into Monument Valley Tribal Park County Road 42. Google Map
Twin Rocks Cafe
First things first. Off to the Twin Rocks Cafe for breakfast. We also ordered lunch to go. The Cafe serves indigenous Native American dishes, including fry bread, chicken soup with homemade noodles, and Navajo tacos.
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| Twin Rocks - The Navajo Twins (2007) |
Adjacent to the Cafe is the wonderful Twin Rocks Trading Post gift shop featuring Native American jewelry, baskets, rugs and housewares. Irresistible.
The Navajo Twins
Twin Rocks Cafe is named for the two towering Twin Rocks behind the Cafe. These geologic masterpieces are named for the mythical Hero Twins of Navajo legend. Sculpted by wind and water throughout many millennia, these towers have stood guard over numerous civilizations, the earliest of which was established in approximately 650 A.D. These silent sentinels now watch over a town of 250 modern day pioneers who choose to call Bluff home. Four Corners Region - National Geographic
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| Sand Island Petroglyphs (Visit Utah) |
Sand Island Petroglyphs
The Sand Island panel stretches more than 100 yards, and is covered with ancient Anasazi markings, handprints, horned animals, hunters and numerous Kokopelli.
They are estimated to be anywhere from 800 to 2,500 years old. The petroglyphs span nearly the whole time humans were known to inhabit the Four Corners area.
Hobbs Wash Historical Marker - Bluff, Utah
About 6 miles west of Bluff, we stopped at the Hobbs Wash Historical Marker.
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| Hobbs Wash (2013) |
Inscription:
As winter storm approached, four nearly starved scouts, George Hobbs, George Morrill, Lemuel Redd, Sr. and George Sevey, sought shelter for the night in this area on December 27, 1879.
The scouts were exploring for a feasible route for the 250 Mormon (Hole-in-the-Rock) pioneers to follow from their encampments above the Colorado River gorge 100 miles west of here. George Hobbs: "Night overtook us, we camped in this small canyon, this being our third day without food. I cut my name in the rock with the date I was there, not knowing that I would survive the journey." Erected by Hobbs Family. Hobbs Wash - Historical Marker Database.
Comb Ridge Historical Marker - Bluff Utah
One mile further down Hwy 163 we stopped at the Comb Ridge Historical Marker.
In 1880 Comb Ridge presented a major obstacle for the Mormon pioneers who were blazing a wagon road through the terribly rugged terrain between Escalante, Utah and the Four Corners Area. The 250 men, women and children of the expedition were fulfilling a "call" from their church to establish a settlement along the banks of the San Juan River.
When they reached the base of Comb Ridge, the Pioneers traveled south down Comb Wash to the San Juan River. At the juncture of the San Juan River (four miles south of here) they labored on a road over the southern slope of Comb Ridge which they named San Juan Hill. Weakened by past barriers and nearly six months under the most trying of circumstances, Comb Ridge proved nearly too much for their worn out wagons and teams. Within days of crossing over Comb Ridge, the pioneers began to establish their settlement, Bluff City. Erected by Hole-in-the-rock Association. Comb Ridge - Historical Marker Database
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| Valley of the Gods (2010) |
Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods is a scenic sandstone valley near Mexican Hat. It's tall, reddish brown mesas, buttes, towers and mushroom rocks are similar to those rock formations found in Monument Valley, but that is where the likeness ends.
The Valley of the Gods 17-mile loop has no gimmicks, tacky gift shops, stores, gas stations, signs, human inhabitants or tourist facilities - just a unblemished display of an extraordinarily beautiful landscape.
Redesignation Dispute
Valley of the Gods was was formerly part of Bears Ears National Monument. On December 4, 2017, Trump issued a proclamation (which is still under dispute) reducing the area of Bears Ears National Monument, proclaimed by President Barack Obama in December 2016. The new boundary excluded the Valley of the Gods. The area, however, remains protected public land administered as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and managed by the Bureau of Land Management, as it was before the monument designation. Bears Ears National Monument - Wikipedia
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| (2007) Valley of the Gods (2008) |
US Highway 163
US Highway 163 runs 64 miles from the junction with US 191 just west of Bluff, Utah to the junction with US Highway 160 on the south side of Kayenta, Arizona. The southernmost 44 miles of its length are within the Navajo Nation. The highway forms part of the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway. US Highway 163 cuts through the heart of Monument Valley.
Over the years, Monument Valley has been the setting for more Western movies than any other site in the United States. Many movies have footage in Monument Valley, including, just to name a few Thelma & Louise, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Easy Rider, Back to the Future III, Forrest Grump, and Mission Impossible.
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| Hwy 163 Monument Valley (2008) |
Forrest Gump View Point - Hwy 163
The view of Hwy 163 heading west toward Monument Pass is probably one of the most photographed roads in the southwest. It is now known as Forrest Gump View Point.
This is the point where Forrest Gump, after running for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days and 16 hours, suddenly stops and declares ""I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now." If you know the area, you realize he's heading in the wrong direction - but who are we to question movie settings.
We once saw a movie scene that featured a runaway semi truck barrelling out of control down the Moki Dugway on Hwy 261 (which in itself would be next to impossible) and finally splashing into the Colorado River at the bottom. The true bottom of the Moki Dugway is Valley of the Gods and the closest river is the San Juan - ten miles away. It is nowhere near the Colorado River - certainly not within "splashing" distance.
Goulding's Museum & Trading Post
We stopped at Gouldings and toured the Museum and Trading Post. Goulding's is in the heart of Monument Valley. The backyard is a towering red wall that protects the buildings. It looks like pieces of it could crumble at any moment and crush what lies beneath. A museum is housed in the original Trading Post and home of Harry and Mike Goulding. The Gouldings made lifelong friends of the Navajo people.
Goulding's Trading Post Museum is comprised of several different areas: The Trading Post Bull Pen, The Ware Room filled with historical photographs and crafts, The Josef Muench Room featuring the artwork and photography of Mr. Muench, and The Movie Room filled with movie stills, call sheets, posters, and other items from Hollywood's Golden Age. Goulding's Trading Post and Museum
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| Karen's Favourite Picture Goulding's (2008) |
The upstairs living quarters have been restored to how Harry and Mike Goulding's home appeared in the late 1940's and 1950's. John Wayne's Cabin which was used as the personal quarters for the commanding officer in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
Monument Valley Tribal Park
The parking lot hums with tour guides in vehicles. For the unsuspecting, it appears that you need some sort of all terrain vehicle or at least a beat up truck. However, brave as we are, we struck out unguided and hit the first wild, bumpy, rutted, steep and (maybe we shouldn't be doing this) road. Of course, we loved every minute of it. It wasn't long before everything smoothed out and we toured on the park's 17 mile road for several hours. Map of Monument Valley Loop
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| The Mittens and Merrick Butte (2008) |
The Mittens
Probably the most photographed view in Monument Valley is that of the Mittens. When viewed from the south, they appear to be two giant mittens with their thumbs facing inwards. West Mitten Butte is 1 mile from park headquarters.
The summit of West Mitten Butte is 6,176 feet and East Mitten Butte is 6,226 feet in elevation. The Mittens form a triangle with Merrick Butte.
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| John Ford Point (2008) |
John Ford Point
Harry invited movie director John Ford to Monument Valley to view the landscape for use in films. John Ford Point was used in a scene from The Searchers where an American Indian village is attacked.
Film director John Ford used Monument Valley as a location for many Westerns between 1939 (Stagecoach) and 1960.
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| North Window (2008) |
North Window
Elephant Butte and Cly Butte create a picture frame for East Mitten Butte, 3 miles to the north. The parking area is just off the main road and there is a short hike to the gap.
From this angle, you cannot see the thumb of the Mitten. North Window is another most photographed stop on the loop.
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| Monument Valley (2008) Doreen's Favourite Picture |
Dreamcatcher Evening Experience
We decided to book this tour. This was something new for us. After all the years whizzing by the Park, we decided to stay and take in the Dreamcatcher Evening Experience.
For the most part, the first two hours of the tour followed what we did this afternoon with the exception of Big Hogan Arch, the Sun's Eye Arch, the Ear of the Wind Arch, petroglyphs, and the Totem Pole. At the Navajo Hogan there was a demonstration of how the Navajo prepare their wool and their craft of rug weaving.
Once the sun started to set, we had a sit down Navajo dinner near Rain God Mesa and then Navajo dancing performance and storytelling around the campfire. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.
Gouldings Lodge
Another new treat for us. We are actually staying in Monument Valley for the night. By the time we did the two tours through Monuments Valley, we were ready to head back to the hotel and relax. It took me forever to download the pictures that Karen took today. I think she beat her 2008 record.
We sat out on the balcony off our room and just "listened to the silence" and "star gazed". It was too dark to see the Valley, but we knew it was out there. We will have the perfect view in the morning.
 Post Note - Day Eleven:
Today was just so easy. We've been on US Hwy 163 between Bluff, Valley of the Gods, and Monument Valley so many times we could almost describe it mile by mile. While searching through our pictures for this virtual trip, I stumbled on the picture we have of Karen standing on the passenger seat straight up through the sun roof to capture the view heading toward Monument Pass - now known as Forrest Gump View Point. The picture she took from that vantage point is the one I used for our Hwy 163 picture today.
There are a couple of new things we "virtually" did. First of all staying at Goulding Lodge for the night is something we've talked about but never done. The second difference is booking ourselves into a tour. We rarely take tours unless we feel we could not see everything without it. Also, it seemed rather unrealistic to repeat in the evening tour what we just did in the afternoon, but the rug weaving demonstration, Navajo dinner, dance show, and campfire just seemed like a good way to end the day.
On a side note. The picture at the top of this website is from our 2008 visit to Monument Valley.
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