Monument Valley

The drive from Cortez to Four Corners and then on to Monument Valley was complete desolation full of beautiful rock formations but barren of people and animals.



In the photo below you might be able to see the Mexican Hat - A rock formation of an unside down mexican sombreo. Click on the photo to enlarge it to see the hat better. It is about 30 miles north of Monument Valley.



Our first full view of the main monuments.


We realized that the Gouldings are totally responsible for the development of this area. Back in the great depression, they made the trip to Hollywood and convinced direction John Ford that movies needed to be filmed here. Ford loved the location and with one month was filming the first John Wayne movie here. Many followed.




Above is the monument called king on throne.



In the photo above you can see the Goulding complex in the crook of the mesa straight above where the road curves. Below is a closer view. The Goulding restaurant and motel sit in front of the left mesa and the campground is in the green trees in the canyon.







Two views of the Goulding home built in 1923. They lived on the second floor and the first floor was a trading post where they traded goods with the native Americans. When the movie makers came to film the westerns, this building was used in the movies.





Below is the monument called the left mitten - There is a right mitten which you can't see in this photo.





The view from the Goulding complex.







The full moon is rising as we exited the restaurant from dinner.




Some views of our campsite in the Goulding Campground canyon. Doug was not at all happy with the red clay pulverized dirt that stuck to everything!








Since it was a full moon time of the month, we took a drive after dark and got some interesting photos.








Above is the view as we leave the Goulding's Campground canyon for the last time. The photo below is the view including the gas station.



As we traveled Route 163 south and then Route 160 east, we realized that this whole region is full of monoliths and beautiful barren land.