Monument Valley: The Most Beautiful Place in the American West, Where We Slept Overlooking the Monuments

Monument Valley was definitely the most beautiful part of the western USA that we saw. Of course, we didn't see absolutely everything – we're still planning to visit Sequoia National Park, for example – but Monument Valley left such a deep impression on me that I'll remember it for a very long time.

And I admit that I originally didn't want to go there at all.

When I was planning our itinerary for the western USA, I wanted to visit Arches National Park. But while looking for accommodation near Arches, I happened to come across Monument Valley. At first, it didn't appeal to me much, but gradually I fell in love with it. I searched Reddit for good places to stay there, and one user enthusiastically recommended The View Campground – specifically their premium cabins overlooking the monuments. He wrote that it was by far the most beautiful accommodation in the entire valley.

I thought: why not? It cost about 13,000 Czech crowns per night, which isn't cheap even by American standards, but in the end I booked it and told myself, as the saying goes… let God's will be done. I hoped it would be worth it.

And it was.

A few interesting facts about Monument Valley you should know

Before I get into the experience itself, I'd like to mention a few things about Monument Valley that caught my attention and that I learned along the way.

Monument Valley – “Tsé Bii' Ndzisgaii" in the Navajo language, meaning “valley of the rocks" – stretches across the border between Arizona and Utah. It isn't a national park in the traditional sense. The entire valley is managed by the Navajo Nation as a tribal park, which means the rules here are set by the Indigenous people rather than the federal government.

The landscape you see there today began to form more than 300 million years ago. The area was once the bottom of an ancient sea, where layers of sand, mud, and clay accumulated over millions of years. Tectonic forces then lifted the entire plate above sea level, creating a plateau from which wind and water gradually eroded the softer rock. What remained are those enormous sandstone pillars – known as buttes – which now rise up to 300 meters above the valley. Their distinctive red color comes from iron oxide, essentially ordinary rust.

The most famous formations are West Mitten Butte and East Mitten Butte, which look like giant mittens, followed by Merrick Butte. These three monuments can be seen from practically everywhere and are the iconic silhouettes that come to mind when someone says “the American West."

Monument Valley is inextricably linked with Hollywood. Legendary director John Ford first came here in 1938 to shoot the Western Stagecoach, starring John Wayne. The film completely transformed the Western genre, and overnight Monument Valley became synonymous with the Wild West in the eyes of the entire world. Ford returned another eight times and shot, among other films, The Searchers, one of the greatest Western spectacles in cinematic history. And it wasn't just Ford – movies such as Easy Rider, Forrest Gump, Back to the Future Part III, Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West, and even Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey were also filmed here.

Incidentally, the valley receives roughly 350,000 visitors a year, but thanks to the vastness of the entire area, it never feels overcrowded. It's simply enormous, and the landscape completely envelops you.

Arrival and accommodation at The View Campground

We entered “The View Campground" into the GPS, and when we arrived, we were welcomed at reception, where they gave us our room key card. Our cabin – one of the premium cabins – was on a hill with a beautiful direct view of the monuments.

The cabins are small, but beautifully furnished and extremely clean. Inside, there was a standard double bed, a bunk bed in the second small room (ideal if you're traveling with children), and a small bathroom with a bathtub where you could take either a shower or a bath. There was a table where I worked the next morning – with a view through the panoramic window directly onto the monuments. I've never had a better office in my life.

Interior of a wooden cabin: double bed with a blanket, kitchenette, bunk bed, and bathroom. Interior of a wooden cabin: bed, kitchenette with a microwave, bunk bed, armchair, and bathroom. Small bathroom in a wooden cabin: bathtub with a curtain, toilet, and sink. Bunk bed in a wooden cabin, ladder, mirror, colorful blankets, and pillows Wooden cabins in the desert, with the rock monuments of Monument Valley in the background Wide view of the red Monument Valley desert with iconic rock towers beneath an overcast sky A man sitting on a wooden porch, with the rock monuments of Monument Valley behind him A person on a cabin porch looking at the rock monuments of Monument Valley A man with outstretched arms at a viewpoint, with the monuments of Monument Valley behind him Booted feet on red rock, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the distance A man and a little girl standing with their backs to the camera, looking at the rock towers of Monument Valley.

The view from the cabin's porch was already absolutely phenomenal. You sit down, look around, and see nothing but the red landscape stretching far and wide, with those enormous stone pillars on the horizon. In my opinion, the view from the cabins definitely surpasses the view from the hotel rooms – after all, even the campground's website says that many guests feel the same way.

Leia took my phone and, without any help from me, recorded a funny video. A child's imagination is amazing; I would never have thought of it!

Next to the cabins stands The View Hotel itself, where we went for meals. The hotel has a restaurant and a gift shop with souvenirs and magnets. Our little one bought a sheriff's badge there – Sheriff USA, Monument Valley – so naturally, she was overjoyed.

Buildings and a parking lot on the edge of Monument Valley, beneath a red rock wall

A smiling little girl in a restaurant holding a LAW BADGE SHERIFF U.S.A MONUMENT VALLEY badge.

A sunset beyond description

After checking in, we spent a little while playing, running around, and being silly by the cabin, and then we headed up to the hotel – the cabins were about 300–400 meters away from it. We decided to go and watch the sunset.

Meanwhile, our little one was building things with stones as we waited, and then it happened. The sun began to sink toward the horizon, the monuments turned orange, and the entire landscape seemed to be on fire. The sunset was extraordinarily beautiful – one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Of course, it cooled down after sunset, as it does in the desert, but it was worth every last second.

Sunset over Monument Valley, the silhouette of a mesa, the desert, and a campground A man with a girl in the Monument Valley desert at sunset, with a rock tower in the background A man in a black hoodie standing in front of a mesa at sunset A man in a black hoodie in the desert, with a sunset and mesa in the background Monument Valley at dusk, three sandstone buttes on the horizon, with scrubland in the foreground

An evening under the stars

After sunset, we went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. They served American food, and the atmosphere was very pleasant.

Hotel restaurant dining room with guests at tables and an AHÉ HÉÉ THANK YOU COME AGAIN sign

A woman and child at a restaurant table, with a menu, water, and a camera in front of them

A bottle of O'DOUL'S GOLDEN with frosted foam on a restaurant table

After dinner, we browsed the gift shop, bought some souvenirs, and headed back to the cabin.

A smiling little girl in a cowboy hat next to T-shirts bearing the words MONUMENT VALLEY.

And this was when another unforgettable moment came – the walk beneath the stars. Monument Valley is far from any major city, so there is practically no light pollution. We walked beneath an absolutely clear sky full of stars, with the silhouettes of the monuments ahead of us and complete silence all around. It was one of those moments when you realize just how incredible nature is.

Night panorama of Monument Valley, silhouettes of rock monuments beneath a starry sky Nighttime silhouettes of monuments in Monument Valley beneath a starry sky, with desert shrubs in the foreground

Sorry about the quality; the iPhone couldn't do any better :(.

Sunrise from my computer

As usual, I got up early in the morning to work – I always worked before we headed out anywhere, so I would sit at my computer from around five in the morning, while it was still dark.

And then it happened. I became absorbed in my work, looked out the window, and the sun began to rise behind the monuments. Golden rays slowly illuminated the silhouettes of West Mitten and East Mitten, and the entire landscape gradually awakened in shades of red and orange. All from my desk.

It was one of the most beautiful moments of the entire trip, and it came completely unexpectedly. I was simply working, and suddenly this was right in front of me. I truly recommend spending the night in Monument Valley, even if only for the sunrise and sunset – the transformation of the colors is something that photos and videos simply can't fully capture.

Silhouettes of Monument Valley's rock monuments at sunset over the desert Sunrise over Monument Valley, the sun behind rock towers, the desert, and a contrail

Valley Drive – a drive among the monuments

After breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we set out on Valley Drive – a seventeen-kilometer loop along a rocky dirt road that leads directly through the valley between the monuments. You can't really walk here (or rather, you can, but it doesn't make much sense given the heat and distances); you drive around by car and stop at the individual viewpoints along the way.

The road is quite challenging in places – rocky, dusty, and uneven. We were glad we'd rented an SUV from Enterprise because a regular car probably wouldn't have handled it very comfortably. There are numbered stops along the road, so you navigate using the map you receive at the entrance.

Panorama of Monument Valley with a desert plain, three rock towers, and a dirt road Campground on red soil with cabins, shelters, and a pickup truck; a monument in the distance Gravel road in Monument Valley, desert landscape, and rock monuments in the distance Dirt road in Monument Valley, with rock monuments in the distance beneath a blue sky

Horseback riding in Monument Valley

Along the way, we stopped at one of the ranches offering horseback rides – Dineh Trail Riders. It was a small family-run business operated by local Navajo people, with a lovely little ranch. My daughter rode a horse, I rode one, and so did our friend – and it was absolutely fantastic.

Riding a horse in Monument Valley simply belongs with the place. You feel as though you're in a Western, the landscape around you is immense, and the horse strolls calmly across the red sand beneath you. They had a tip box, so we left them a tip and continued on our way.

Desert enclosure with cabins, an American flag, and a Hat Trail Rides sign American flag in the desert, Dinéh Trail Rides sign, enclosures, and cars A little girl and a man by an enclosure with a saddled horse, with rock towers in the background A child on horseback in Monument Valley, with red rock towers in the background. A man sitting on a horse in Monument Valley, with red rock towers behind him A girl in a hat by an enclosure; PLEASE LEAVE A TIP sign, with Monument Valley in the background. Handwritten Dineh Trail Riders sign: paying customers only, private property, tip jar

John Ford's Point – the main reason movie fans come here

The main stop on Valley Drive for us was John Ford's Point – probably the most famous viewpoint in all of Monument Valley. The place is named after legendary director John Ford, who sat in his director's chair right here while filming The Searchers in 1956. Since then, absolutely everyone has taken photos here – and I understand why.

It's a raised rocky outcrop offering a panoramic view of the entire valley. The red plain stretches out below, with the monuments standing in the distance like a movie set. For a small fee, you can have your photo taken on horseback right at the edge of the cliff – the classic picture you'll see in every guidebook.

JOHN WAYNE SPIRIT Have Your Photo Taken sign, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the background. A person on a rocky outcrop, with the mesas of Monument Valley in the distance

A woman on horseback on a rocky plateau, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the background. A man in a hat sitting on a horse in front of the rock monuments of Monument Valley A man on horseback waving a lasso, with the rock monuments of Monument Valley in the background. A man with a camera and a little girl on a rock, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the background

There's a small Native American village at the viewpoint where they sell souvenirs, sodas, and most importantly – Navajo Fry Bread. We had the Fry Bread, and it looked a little like lángos. It wasn't exactly like lángos, but it tasted excellent. Incidentally, Navajo Fry Bread is a very important part of Navajo cuisine and culture – it's a piece of fried flatbread served either sweet with honey or as the base for a so-called Navajo Taco with meat, beans, and cheese.

Open tourist truck in front of the Monument Valley’s Treasures store, with a Pottery sign in the desert. Metal bench bearing the word VALLEY, wooden animals, cowboy boots, and a skull Café stand in the desert, with a NAVAJO FRY BREAD NAVAJO TACO COFFEE & SODA sign. Two pieces of fried flatbread on paper napkins on a table, in sunlight A child eating on a terrace by a grill, with the monuments of Monument Valley and a pickup truck in the background. American flag and flowers by a parking lot, with the rock towers of Monument Valley in the background

A picnic with a view and the atmosphere of the desert

Then we continued around the loop, and at one point we decided to have a picnic. We had a watermelon with us, so we hollowed it out and had a picnic with my daughter overlooking the monuments. It felt incredibly authentic – nothing but the red desert and dried-out trees around us, with those enormous stone pillars in the distance.

A man with outstretched arms in the desert, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the background. A girl in a hat with her arms raised in the desert, with the monuments of Monument Valley in the background A man and a girl on a blanket with a watermelon, with the rocks of Monument Valley in the background

Overall, the atmosphere – the parched landscape, the red sand, the silence, and the monuments on the horizon – completely captivated me. It's another world. You feel tiny there and realize how many millions of years those rocks have stood there and how many more years they will remain, even as they slowly crumble under the force of the wind and rain.

Dirt road in Monument Valley, red desert, and rock monuments beneath a blue sky A man with outstretched arms in the desert, with the rock towers of Monument Valley in the background Dirt road in Monument Valley between rock monuments beneath a clear sky A man dressed in black with outstretched arms in the desert, with rock monuments in the background View of the rock monuments of Monument Valley, red sand, shrubs, and blue sky A dry, twisted tree in the desert, with the red rock walls of Monument Valley behind it. A dead tree in the desert, with the red rock monuments of Monument Valley in the background Red desert near Monument Valley, rock wall, railing, and a parked pickup truck. The vast Monument Valley desert with red soil, shrubs, and distant rock towers A man sitting on a railing, with a child swinging beside him and the rock monuments of Monument Valley in the background Dirt road and red rock walls of Monument Valley, with towers in the distance Massive red sandstone rocks in Monument Valley beneath a clear blue sky Dirt road between sandstone mesas in Monument Valley beneath a blue sky Dirt road in Monument Valley between red rock monuments beneath a blue sky The red Monument Valley desert, shrubs, and tall sandstone towers beneath a blue sky. A dead tree in the Monument Valley desert, with red rock walls in the background Rock towers of Monument Valley; THE THUMB, DRONES PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA, NO CLIMBING sign Dirt road in the desert, with the monuments and mesas of Monument Valley in the distance

Information about The View Hotel

For those planning a visit, here is some practical information from our stay:

The hotel restaurant serves breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (last seating at 9:00 p.m.). The restaurant serves American cuisine. Breakfast is included in the price of the accommodation – continental style. There is also a Trading Post (open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.), where you can buy beautiful souvenirs, original Native American art, and various Monument Valley keepsakes.

Linda's Dinner Delivery is also worth mentioning – a local Navajo business that delivers food directly to the hotel lobby. They offer Navajo and Mexican cuisine, and the menu is available at reception. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to try it, but we definitely will next time.

The campground and cabin reception are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the hotel lobby is open 24/7, and quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

You simply have to come here! Why is Monument Valley worth visiting?

I definitely recommend visiting Monument Valley. And if possible, stay overnight in The View Campground's premium cabins, or at least at The View Hotel. The view of the monuments at sunset and sunrise is an indescribable experience that you simply won't get on a day trip.

Two days were more than enough for us. We arrived in the afternoon on the first day, checked in, watched the sunset, saw the sunrise the next morning, drove Valley Drive, went horseback riding, and then continued onward – to that famous straight road from Forrest Gump. But more about that in the next article.

If you're traveling through the western USA, I truly recommend making Monument Valley an essential stop. It's a place you'll remember forever; I think back on it at every opportunity.