Isolated in a distant corner of Utah and Arizona lies a place straight out of the
movies. It can’t be real. Can it? Tables of rocks, spires of stone rise from a barren landscape. Colors of red and orange mix with tan and grey, light dances through a spectrum of color during the day.
Blues of deep hang in the sky. Pale white clouds wisp above. Greens hang on to life. Scrub plants mix with hardy evergreens. Flowers briefly pop up. The crayon box spoils out across the landscape. Red rocks in brick red, rusty red, crimson red.
The Navajo Tribal Park is almost five hours from Phoenix. Its $20 entrance fee covers up to four people. The area is remote. The Views Inn offers rooms and cabins starting at $200 per night, expect to pay more during spring through early fall. Nearest city is Kayenta, AZ with accommodations in the $125-$160 range year around.
The drive is fifteen miles of soft sand and rough road. A car will make it. You’ll be here five hours plus. Get the all wheel drive SUV if possible. Although, the above is not AWD it made for a much better day. Make sure you fill up at Kayenta, or Bluff, UT to the North. Its a lot of work getting around very slowly.
There are plenty of tours available if you want to ride in open air trucks. They start at $75 per person, and will take you places the general public can’t see on the loop road. This is private and park land. Respect the fences and private drives. Some of these horse trails with horseback opportunities that are offered inside. Prices are not displayed within the Valley.
Look up. It’s not hard to do. But when you get inside the views of the same rocks change with the angle of view. If you get a deep blue sky, you’ll kill more than one camera. I killed two with clouds! Plan for this. Plan for water. They sell it at visitors center. A liter is a start. Two people per liter gets you by. Take a sports drink, iced tea, avoid pop (soda) images you have more water. You are in the desert.
The place has spiritual significance to the Navajo. Stop and learn at visitors center. They have a historical museum, gift shop, restaurant, and hotel. Normal souvenirs mix with some “handmade” objects.
The restaurant served dinner at 5. If you don’t stay there, They will only serve you until 7. Hotel patrons are served until 9.
Love the photography. We were there once, couldn’t stay more than a day. It is on our list to go back there again. We will take your advice and get the tour.
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It’s my second trip there. You forget how far it is and how much is there to see. Antelope Canyon is next travel post. Talk about things I should have done sooner
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Wow love this place, it’s nothingness has beauty. I love the spiritual value people have with the rocks named as three sisters, it’s interesting the history comes from such places. Good photography
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Thank you, but you pRobably can’t take bad picture here. The Navajo are deeply religious and earth bind people
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Nice
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