Welcome back to part 3 of the Fancy Navajo Rez Tour. If you have been following along I recently went on a road trip with my IG bestie Jen throughout the Navajo Nation. Today I am picking up from where we left off from Red Valley, AZ and where we ventured on our way to Monument Valley, AZ. If you missed part one (Gallup & Window Rock – here) and part two (Hubbell Trading Post & Canyon De Chelly – here) make sure to catch up.
Day 3 of our Fancy Navajo Rez Tour we were a little bit sore from our previous days hike, but excited to visit Monument Valley. If I had to pick one landmark on the Navajo Nation, I think most people are familiar with Monument Valley. Perhaps you have seen it in a movie recently? Forrest Gump ring a bell? Of course we reenacted the famous Forrest Gump scene which you’ll see later on.
After we left Red Valley, AZ we headed toward Kayenta, AZ which is a town right outside of Monument Valley, AZ. Along the way we made a stop in Round Rock, AZ where were we found the cutest pink cacti in the middle of the dessert. I’m not sure how Jen saw it from afar, but she was so happy to find this little beauty. We both took in the moment and basked in the beauty of the land. I LOVE the openness of the Navajo Nation.
Kayenta, AZ
Once we got to Kayenta, AZ it was lunchtime. Ideally, we would have loved some Navajo steam corn stew, but we couldn’t find a place. I had already tried the Blue Pot Cafe and wanted to try something new. So, instead we ate at Amigo Cafe, which is a little casita along the road with colorful turquoise accents. I had heard about this place on Instagram and I was excited to give it a try.
As a New Mexican, I am very picky when it comes to green chile dishes. Unfortunately the green chile was on the milder side, probably to cater to the large tourist population that passes through. But nonetheless, it was still good. Jen ordered the posole and frybread. I had the ground beef enchiladas with green chile.
We originally had plans to stop at Monet Valley Air BnB to say hi to my Instagram friend, Verna. But there was a change in plans. By the way if you need a place to stay in Monument Valley, Verna has the most beautiful hogans that she rents out on Air BnB – here. I stopped by earlier in the spring and it was so charming!
Bellies full we were ready to continue our journey. We jumped into the car and blasted KTNN. Monument Valley is about 30 minutes north of Kayenta and there are vendors along the road who sell jewelry. Of course, we stopped and perused the jewelry. This is a great way to buy directly from the artists.
Monument Valley
When we arrived at Monument Valley we headed to the main visitor center. We had decided we wanted to drive down into the canyon. However, cell reception is limited, so we picked up a map inside before we continued our journey. If you drive through the whole park its about 3 hours, but we opted to only go up to John Ford’s Point. Of course, a coffee break was needed as we took in the views from the café. If you are looking to have a lunch the best views of Monument Valley, The View Restaurant is a great place as well.
Now here is where the trip gets a little bumpy, like literally bumpy!!! If you didn’t know you can drive into the park, but be warned it’s not paved. We laughed and giggled the whole way through. It was nice to stop at each Monument and have a special moment and move on. If driving on your own is a little too adventurous, they also have tours that looked like fun. You just sit back and enjoy. It was so awesome to hear the Navajo tour guides on their loud speakers in their caravan of tourists.
Three Sisters Monument
John Ford’s Point
John Ford’s point was our turning around point and it’s the area with the most activity. There are vendors and a food stand at this stop along with something we didn’t expect. As we pulled up to the parking area, I saw there was a ledge with a cowboy on a horse. At first, I thought it was a statue but it was a real person!! I couldn’t believe and thought it was a little humorous as the tourists snapped pictures. It was probably the most unreal, but REAL thing I have ever seen.
If you followed along on my Instagram Stories, then you saw this spectacle. If you want to watch it then head on over to my Instagram and head to my Instagram Highlights and look for Rez Tour here.
We waited our turn to take pictures along the edge. It was kind of cool how there were people from all over the country speaking different languages. Yet we all understand to wait for the next person to finish taking pictures. The view here is AMAZING!!!! But do keep in mind it’s a popular place and be careful of getting too close to the edges.
Elephant Butte Monument
We also stopped at Elephant Butte where there are also vendors. It’s one of the first stops when you are driving through.
Goulding’s Museum and Trading Post
On our way out, we stopped at Goulding’s Museum Trading Post. We took the tour for $2.00 and learned about all the films that were made in Monument Valley, along with the history of the Goulding’s. It was a very charming tour and it made me wonder what it was like during its hay day!
Famous Forrest Gump Scene
Upon leaving one of our goals was to find the famous Forrest Gump scene. You know where Forrest is running with his entourage and decides to stop and go back home? Yes, we found it! It’s about a 15 minute drive North from the visitor center toward Utah. Please note a lot of people stop here to take pictures. Be extra careful as oncoming traffic does not stop.
We got back on the road and headed toward our next destination Page, AZ. We made a stop along the way to take pictures of this beautiful mural by Jetsnorama. These are quite prominent in this area on abandoned buildings which share the beauty of the Navajo’s.
So stay tuned for Part 4 and our travels to Page, AZ which is the final part of the Fancy Navajo Rez Tour.
My hopes are that these blog posts serve as a guide to anyone traveling to the Navajo Nation and the surrounding areas. Some areas I am more familiar with than the others. I know there are so many places to see and visit that we didn’t get to visit. So, feel free to add in the comments section of this post, some of you favorite must see, eat, and do in these areas.
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Want to read about my Fancy Navajo Rez Tour Part 3: Exploring Hubbell Trading Post & Canyon De Chelly? Then head on over to this post. https://thefancynavajo.com/2019/06/26/fancy-navajo-rez-tour-part-2-hubbell-trading-post-canyon-de-chelly/
I went to MV 4th of July weekend (my 2nd trip) and it was amazing. We went backcountry and did some custom photography tours for sunrise and sunset and just loved it. I want to travel with you and Jen!