National park · United States
Monument ValleyTsé Bii' Ndzisgaii
Pay the US$8–10 entry and drive the 17-mile loop early (before 9:00) or on a guided tour; walk the Wildcat Trail if you want a self-guided hike; skip the loop in a low-clearance car.Pay the US$8–10 entry and drive the 17-mile loop early (before 9:00 AM) or on a guided tour; walk the Wildcat Trail if you want a self-guided hike; skip the loop in a low-clearance car.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
372 km² (144 sq mi)144 sq mi (372 km²)
approximate
Established
1958
Best months
Mar–May, Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
At a glance
- Country
- United States
- Area
- 372 km² (144 sq mi)144 sq mi (372 km²)
- Roughly 372 km² (about 91,000 acres) of the tribal park; boundary figures vary by source (check).
- Established
- 1958
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
Monument Valley is not a US national park. It is the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, run by the Navajo Nation on the Arizona–Utah border, and the entry fee goes to the tribe, not the National Park Service. The valley floor is a red plain studded with buttes and spires that most people recognise from westerns and advertising. You can see the skyline from US-163 for free, but the 17-mile unpaved loop road into the formations is the reason to pay. The loop is rough and dusty, self-guided hiking is limited to one trail, and the rest of the valley is closed unless you are with a Navajo guide.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1958.
Size and age
372 km² (144 sq mi)144 sq mi (372 km²) · national park since 1958
Roughly 372 km² (about 91,000 acres) of the tribal park; boundary figures vary by source (check).
Why go
- The classic Southwest skyline: mitten buttes, spires and mesas on an open red plain.
- A 17-mile self-drive loop that puts you under the formations, not just on the highway viewpoint.
- One legal self-guided hike, the Wildcat Trail, loops the base of West Mitten Butte.
- Navajo-guided tours reach parts of the valley that are closed to independent visitors.
When to go
- JanGo
- FebGo
- MarBest
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunCaution
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepGo
- OctBest
- NovGo
- DecGo
- JanCold nights, often below freezing; snow possible and quiet
- FebCold, clear; few visitors
- MarMild days, cool nights; good light
- AprWarm and dry; wind picks up
- MayWarm; last frost around mid-May
- JunHot and dry; start early
- JulMonsoon storms; flash-flood risk on the loop
- AugMonsoon peak; hottest month
- SepStorm tails, cooler; quieter than summer
- OctDry, mild, clear; best all-round month
- NovCool and clear; short days
- DecCold; snow on the buttes, very few visitors
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-ranging cattle and horses on and near the roadsAll year · Navajo livestock is not fenced; slow down, especially at dusk. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Desert birds and lizardsApr–Sep | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Wildflowers after monsoon rainAug–Sep | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Cryptobiotic soil crustAll year · Living ground cover, not dirt: a footprint can take a century to heal. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Kayenta, AZ
Drive north on US-163, then turn onto Monument Valley Road to the entrance kiosk.
30 min
From Flagstaff, AZ
US-89 north to US-160 through Kayenta, then US-163 north.
4.5–5 h
From Grand Canyon South Rim
US-89 to Cameron, US-160 to Kayenta, US-163 north.
4–4.5 h
From Page, AZ
US-98 to US-160 east, then US-163 north at Kayenta.
3–3.5 h
From Moab, UT
US-191 south to US-163 south through Mexican Hat.
3.5–4 h
From Las Vegas, NV
I-15 and US-89/US-160 via Page or Flagstaff; a full day's drive.
6.5–7 h
From Phoenix, AZ
I-17 north then US-89/US-160 via Flagstaff and Kayenta.
5–5.5 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor centre and headquarters | Entrance kiosk, viewpoint over the mittens, hotel, restaurant and campground. | Open with an entry ticket. |
| Eastern Monument Valley | The densest cluster of buttes, spires and mesas, crossed by the 17-mile loop road. | Open to self-drivers on the loop; no trails. |
| Western Monument Valley | Narrow canyons, the Toad Stools and Ancestral Puebloan sites. | Guided tours only. |
| Restricted backcountry | The rest of the valley floor, including areas around Navajo homes and grazing land. | Closed without a Navajo guide. |
Sketch map
- 1Monument Valley visitor centre · Headquarters≈36.983, -110.113Map ↗
- 2Entrance kiosk · Gate≈36.986, -110.121Map ↗
- 3West Mitten Butte · Viewpoint≈36.990, -110.098Map ↗
- 4John Ford Point · Viewpoint≈36.960, -110.070Map ↗
- 5Wildcat Trail start · Trail≈36.983, -110.105Map ↗
- 6Goulding's Lodge · Sleep≈36.997, -110.169Map ↗
- 7Kayenta, AZ · Town≈36.728, -110.255Map ↗
Take the points offline
7 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions across the tribal park and the road to Kayenta, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tribal park entry | US$8–10 | person | 2026 estimate; charged per person at the entrance kiosk, not per car (check). |
| Scenic loop drive | Free | vehicle | Included in the entry fee; no separate charge. |
| Navajo-guided tour (vehicle, half day) | US$75–150 | person | 2026 estimate; price depends on length and whether it goes into restricted areas. |
| Camping at the park campground | US$20–45 | night | 2026 estimate; cabins cost more (check). |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Tribal park entry permit or guide
Guided access to restricted areas permit or guide
Commercial filming or drone use permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- US$8–10
- US$75–150
- US$20–45
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation — Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park before you go.
Park rules
- Stay on the loop road and the Wildcat Trail
- Walking off them, or driving on the dirt tracks, is not allowed without a Navajo guide.
- Do not climb the formations
- The buttes and mesas are sacred to the Navajo; climbing them is both unsafe and disrespectful.
- No drones
- Flying a drone needs permission from the Navajo Nation (check).check
- Photography of people and homes
- Ask before photographing Navajo residents, their homes or their livestock.
- Leave no trace
- Carry out all rubbish; there is no bin service on the loop road.
Where to stay
In the park
The View Hotel
The only lodging inside the tribal park, next to the visitor centre, with rooms facing the mittens.
In the park
Park campground and cabins
Tent and RV sites plus simple cabins at the north end of the headquarters area.
Near the park
Goulding's Lodge
Motel-style rooms, campground and fuel west of the park on Monument Valley Road.
Near the park
Kayenta, AZ
The nearest town with a choice of chain motels, about 20 miles south on US-163.
Near the park
Mexican Hat and Bluff, UT
Small lodges and guesthouses north along US-163 and US-191.
Safety
Rough, unpaved loop road medium
Heat and no shade medium
Flash flooding in monsoon season high
Livestock on the highway medium
No phone signal low
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The visitor centre, its viewpoint and the restaurant are step-free and reachable by paved road.
- The loop road and Wildcat Trail are unpaved, sandy and uneven; not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility.
- Guided vehicle tours can cover the main viewpoints for visitors who cannot walk far — ask when booking.
Visiting lightly
- Stay on the trail and on durable rock: the cryptobiotic soil crust is alive and takes decades to recover.
- Book tours with Navajo-owned operators so the fee stays in the community.
- Take all rubbish out; there is no collection on the loop road.
- Do not buy or remove crafts, plants, rocks or artefacts from the park.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Monument Valley?
Entry to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is charged per person, roughly US$8–10 (2026 estimate), paid at the entrance kiosk on Monument Valley Road. The fee covers the 17-mile scenic loop drive. It is a Navajo Nation fee, so US national park passes such as America the Beautiful do not apply here.
What are the best hikes in Monument Valley?
There is only one self-guided trail: the Wildcat Trail, a 3.2-mile loop around West Mitten Butte taking about 1.5–2 hours over sand and rock. Everything else is seen from the loop road or on a Navajo-guided tour. The trail is sparsely marked, so follow the posts and turn back if you lose them.
When is the best time to visit Monument Valley?
March to May and October are the best months: mild days, cool nights and clear light. July to September is monsoon season, with flash-flood risk on the loop road. December and January are cold and quiet, and snow on the buttes is possible.
Can I drive the loop road in a normal car?
It is not recommended. The 17-mile loop is unpaved, rutted and sandy, with a one-way section where holes can be too deep for a standard car. Use a high-clearance vehicle, or take a guided tour in a park vehicle.
Do I need a guide to visit Monument Valley?
No for the visitor centre, the loop road and the Wildcat Trail. Yes for everything else: the western canyons, rock-art and Ancestral Puebloan sites and the backcountry are only open with a Navajo guide.
Is Monument Valley a national park?
No. It is the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, run by the Navajo Nation on the Arizona–Utah border. That is why national park passes do not work here and why the entry fee goes to the tribe.
What time zone is Monument Valley in?
The park is in Arizona, which does not observe daylight saving, but the Navajo Nation does. In practice, from April to October the park runs an hour ahead of the rest of Arizona; check the time before you plan a sunrise or sunset drive.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go