Visit Monument Valley in the USA

Go on a journey with Shepherd entertainment and discover the sites and wonders of Monument Valley in the USA.

Heading in a northeasterly direction, we soon reach Canyon Land where a whole series of national parks and nature reserves is to be found each providing a unique experience. Monument Valley spans the northeaster border of Arizona and the southeastern border of Utah and thus is the point of intersection of the state lines of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico as if drawn with a ruler and the axis of Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde National Park. The Navajo name of the valley means valley of the rocks. the list of natural beauties is long such as Mt. Zion, Bryce Canyon and Glenn Canyon. There’s very little rainfall in this area, not more than 10 or 20 cm a year but in spite of it, the erosive power of water has shaped the most typical forms. This is because all of the important branches of rivers originating in Colorado and crossing Utah meet here. The area is famous for its steep sandstone mountains rising lonely from the plateau and its colorful and dramatic panorama created by distinct red plateaus and summits. Its climate is quite special meaning that not the whole territory belongs to the dry desert climate. The area covered by pine and juniper trees is exactly as large as the one covered by desert shrubs. The sky high cliffs of Monument Valley are huge square shapes left unharmed by erosion. The pink sandstone summits exude a beauty which evokes respect and humility in people. It’s no coincidence that this piece of land measuring 65 x 80 km right in the middle of a Navajo reserve has become immortal through the countless photos trying to catch the quite unique light and color effects at dawn and at sunset. The color of the cliffs is ochre at noon, vividly copper color in the light of dawn and nightfall and a mysterious bluish black at night. The glaring landscape is familiar not only from photos but from numerous TV programs and commercials as well. It’s also been recorded in films especially in westerns. John Ford alone shot seven western films here and it was here that Gregory Peck met the old Indian Chief in the western entitled MacKenna’s Gold. Many times, weak stories were balanced by the fascinating sights. Petrified Forest National Park and Monument Valley remind us of a rainbow petrified in wood. The land is a geological, meteorological, and logical enigma but above all, it’s a fascinating spectacle. We need a vivid imagination to imagine that once several million years ago, the entire monument valley was one high continuous plateau as high as the peaks are today. The whole environment smoothly conforms to such a wild austere land of elementary power emphasizing the cliff shapes formed by nature throughout millions of years. Presently, only a few Navajo shepherds live here but once, entire Anassis tribes managed to solve the problems caused by the lack of water. They cultivated smaller areas next to the channels they constructed producing mainly corn and beans. They diverted the rainfall with small dams, only allowing the necessary amount of water to reach the plantations. The mysterious Anassis form their homes in mountain gorges and ravines almost invisibly. We hardly know anything about their civilization but during the past few years, it seems to have become fashionable to research their history. The cave drawings of Monument Valley and its surroundings also tell about this tribe which the Indians simply refer to as the Old Ones. The Navajo who replaced the old ones have been living here for centuries and seemed to tolerate the raw climate and difficult terrain, jealously preserving their way of life, language and traditions. The small Indian settlement called gauding which was established in 1923. Today, this is the tourist center of the area. We can rent horses here to explore the countryside with the help of an Indian guide, galloping through a landscape where groups of real and movie cowboys were once riding.