Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, straddling the Arizona-Utah border on Navajo Nation sovereign land, is one of the most cinematic landscapes in the American West — the setting of countless John Ford Westerns and an enduring symbol of the American frontier. The park's signature features are The Mittens (East and West), a pair of sandstone buttes with spires resembling thumbs, and Merrick Butte, all rising 400 to 1,000 feet from the flat, rust-colored Colorado Plateau floor. The Valley Drive, a 17-mile unpaved loop road, connects 11 named formations including Three Sisters, Artist's Point, John Ford's Point, The Hub, and Camel Butte. The road is generally passable in a standard vehicle but can become muddy after rain — high-clearance vehicles are recommended. The visitor center viewpoint, rebuilt in 2016, sits directly above the valley floor at 5,564 feet with unobstructed views of The Mittens — one of the most iconic vistas in North America. Navajo-guided tours — offered on horseback, in jeeps, or on foot — are the only means to access restricted areas beyond the Valley Drive, including Mystery Valley, where Anasazi ruins, ancient rock art panels, and secluded arches await. Hunt's Mesa, accessible only by guided tour, offers an aerial view looking down on The Mittens that is among the most breathtaking perspectives in the park. Photography at sunrise is extraordinary; the warm, raking light turns the sandstone a deep copper-red and casts long shadows behind the formations. Staying at The View Hotel inside the park boundaries is one of North America's most spectacular lodging experiences — rooms face The Mittens directly, and the restaurant terrace is a prime sunrise viewing spot.