Monument Valley In Utah Tells A Tale Of Navajo Culture And Old West Hollywood History

Welcome to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This area of Utah was originally settled by Puebloan peoples, who lived here for 1,000 years,hunting and growing crops until roughly 1250 A.D.

The ruins of many of their settlements and structures remain in Monument Valley today.

Pottery shards are quite evident near these sites.

Early Puebloan petroglyphs can also be found here.

Monument Valley is owned by the Navajo Nation and was established as a Tribal Park in 1958.

There are organized Navajo vehicle tours that take you into areas only open to these tours. You will meet local Navajo residents and craftspeople. There are no settlements or villages, just individual houses and land.

Traditional Navajo dwellings are called hogans. These 5-sided structures are made using forked sticks, and are covered in packed clay or mud to protect against the cold winters. The more upright, angular shaped ones are considered to be male hogans.

Rounded hogans are considered female hogans. These structures were constructed specifically for Monument Valley. They are an example to allow visitors to enter and take photographs without disturbing other hogan homes, sacred sites, or empty hogans that have been abandoned after a death takes place inside.

Sand dunes at Monument Valley create an ocean-like effect when the wind is blowing.

Many magnificent rock structures greet you everywhere you look. Many have been named, but you may also see your own shapes in the rocks as well.

You can take a drive on Hollywood Boulevard, a dirt road traversing the valley. The road was named for Hollywood director John Ford, who brought his filmmaking operations to the area in the 1930’s.

Harry Goulding and his wife Leona "Mike" purchased the land for $320 in 1923. Mr. Goulding took photographs to Los Angeles to show them to John Ford. That ride resulted in a great adventure for Ford and actors such as John Wayne, who found the area to be the perfect setting for old western films, such as Fort Apache.

Ford used Goulding as an interpreter, as Goulding spoke Navajo languages. Harry's trading post and fair dealings with Navajo people in the area made him a trusted figure. Many American Indian actors and extras were needed in Ford’s films, and he insisted on paying the Navajos the same wages as Hollywood actors.

When a great snowstorm hit the area in 1948, John Ford used his military connections to fly in food for the starving people and hay for the livestock of the Navajo residents.

With so many beautiful sights to see, you may want to stay overnight and explore the area more thoroughly. There are several places to stay in and around the park, including the Goulding Lodge Motel, which is located close to Goulding Lodge Museum and gift shop.

There is an admission charge to enter the park, but it is worth every penny. Spring and fall are the most beautiful seasons to visit. Come to see the scenic landscapes that inspired John Ford and John Wayne and immerse yourself in the rich Navajo culture in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.