PHOTOGRAPHER'S PERSPECTIVE ON LOCATION SERIES: UTAH

MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK
ARIZONA / UTAH BORDER
Text and image copyright E.J. Peiker, all rights reserved

ACCESS
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located in the heart of the Navajo Nation on the eastern portion of Arizona/Utah border on US 163 between Kayenta, AZ and Mexican Hat, Utah. Lodging is available at several hotels in Kayenta or at Goulding’s just outside the park. Camping facilities are available at the park entrance. The closest airport with regularly scheduled air carrier service is in Farmington, New Mexico, about two and a half hours to the east.

AREA LAYOUT
Approaching the park on the access road off US 163 you see a number of red rock formations but it leaves you wondering where the good stuff is. You come to the entrance station where you pay the $5.00 fee and suddenly, without warning, the valley unfolds in front of you and the view is absolutely breathtaking. From here, a groomed dirt road drops steeply into the valley and follows a driving loop that leads you to some spectacular sights. Many of the sights at Monument Valley are inaccessible by private car and require hiring a Navajo guide. This has developed into quite a guide business, and guides may charge between $50.00 and $100.00 for a half day. Several of the guides are photographers and offer tours at sunrise/sunset for the best light.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND
After you pay your entrance fee and stop in the parking lot by the visitor center, you will see one of the most famous views in the southwest – Mitten View – the view of West Mitten, East Mitten and Merrick Butte that is well photographed. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to photograph in this location. In early morning the rock formations are silhouetted against the colorful desert sunrise. In the evening, the rocks turn a deep red as they reflect the last rays of sun.

Driving down the steep hill into the valley is best done with a four-wheel drive vehicle but is passable in cars in all but the worst weather. The loop takes you to numerous other rock formations. Be on the lookout for puddles from recent rains to use as reflection pools. Ripples in the sand can often also be used as great foreground subjects.

Hiring an Indian guide will give you access to anywhere inside the park boundaries. Many of them have intimate knowledge of the best time of day to be at certain places to maximize your photo opportunities.

Any season of the year is good for photography in Monument Valley. You will be in the desert and weather can change rapidly. It is not unusual for the weather to change from 105 degrees and sunshine to torrential flash floods in a matter of minutes. Monument Valley is in the high desert so snow showers are possible in the winter which can make for some very dramatic photos.

LIGHT
The most spectacular photographs in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park are often taken from a half-hour before sunrise to two hours after sunrise. In wintertime, the sweet light lasts significantly longer due to the lower angle of the sun. Afternoons can bring dramatic clouds and thunderstorms. Some formations have better light in certain seasons than others. Probably the best time to visit the park is in April/May and August/September due to the angle of the sun.

E.J. Peiker has been photographing in Western North America for over 20 years. To see more photographs of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park please visit http://www.ejphoto.com/monument_valley_page.htm.