Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch
Visiting the American Southwest can be daunting — it spans a huge area of open space that can make a person feel small, or worse, lost.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right resources and sufficient support you can travel the Southwest with confidence, experience its natural wonders, and still feel centered at the end of your day.
A key to exploring with confidence is having a place to call home while on your trip. Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch near Cortez, Colorado, is just that: luxurious lodgings within an authentic landscape that’s just a scenic drive from many notable sites of the American Southwest.
Their private guesthouses and scenic cabin settings provide just the place to stay connected to nature while resting up for the next adventure.
How Monument Valley was Formed
With over 300 million years of geologic history, Monument Valley was once at the bottom of a sea, if you can imagine. Sediment collected on the valley floor for millions of years, and eventually forces within the Earth raised the sediment above the water line, creating the Colorado Plateau.
Water and Wind Work Magic
Geology is more of a verb than a noun, when you take into account the slow but steady actions that form our planet. Rocks move, sands shift, winds blow, and waters erode. Monument Valley, which is part of the Colorado Plateau, was formed when sediment collected layer on top of layer of fine dirt. Water and wind then eroded the weaker elements, leaving peaks within the plateau. The final product of 300 million years of nature is the stunning landscape of towering buttes and sandstone formations that triumph over any art made by humankind.
What’s In a Name?
The buttes that define Monument Valley are not just anonymous geologic forms. They have names that help modern visitors organize and define the personality of the valley, and the Diné (also known as Navajo) people have their own spiritual legends that explain the monuments with fantastic lore that celebrates the triumphs of the Diné over monsters that once inhabited the land.
I like Big Buttes and I Cannot Lie (Apologies to Sir Mix-a-Lot)
The best known buttes that today’s visitors look for are Mitten Buttes (both East Mitten Butte and West Mitten Butte), Elephant Butte, Merrick Butte, Three Sisters, Camel Butte, Totem Pole, and John Ford’s Point, a location that helped establish the image of “the American West” in the minds of the rest of the world.
Location, Location, Location
Perhaps the most iconic western images are found in Monument Valley, which sits in the center of the 130,000-square-mile Colorado Plateau.
A short drive (a little under two hours) from Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch, Monument Valley is located within the Navajo Nation reservation, with its Navajo name ofTsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii translating to “valley of the rocks.”
The Arizona-Utah border plays host to these famous images, with rock formations that define this unique landscape for national park visitors and Western movie fans alike.
Monument Valley in the Movies
When we think of the symbols of the American West, we need to go beyond the thought of a dirt road surrounded by big rocks. Far beyond. Monument Valley provides the striking alternative of amazing views sculpted by nature over millions of years.
What better place for a filmmaker to set a scene for adventure, thriller, or human interest tale? A perfect backdrop of color and form attracted filmmakers of the 20th century, who saw an opportunity to add drama to their films by simply taking note of the background that framed their own epic scenes.
Run Forrest, Run!
This stunning landscape of Monument Valley is what attracted filmmakers such as John Ford, who filmed Stagecoach there in 1939, the first of Ford’s eight Monument Valley films. John Wayne, who starred in Stagecoach, went on to make five movies in Monument Valley.
Stanley Kubrick also used the natural beauty of the valley floor to film part of 2001: A Space Odyssey, emphasizing the “other worldly” sense that is found in Monument Valley.
Clint Eastwood filmed parts of The Eiger Sanction (1975) at Totem Pole, and, more recently, Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp filmed Lone Ranger in numerous Four Corners venues.
If you look closely you may spot Forrest Gump deciding enough is enough when it comes to long-distance running.
As part of the Navajo Nation, Monument Valley is a sacred place within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This remote area is, in fact, still home to the Diné people who have lived here for about one thousand years. Their heritage is tied to the land and the story that it offers.
Visitors should treat the land within the Navajo Nation with the greatest respect, as the valley holds rare treasures that cannot be replaced or replicated anywhere else on earth.
The historic Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch has five cabins and two dwellings at the nearby Sky Village area.
7950 Road G
Cortez, CO 81321
970-565-4288
Story sponsored by Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch
Visiting Monument Valley
A visit to Monument Valley is best started at the visitor center, which is run by the Navajo Tribal Park system. A hat, water, and sunscreen are essential to staying safe and healthy during your visit.
Following the visitation guidelines found in the visitor center are a basic must for starting your visit:
Guidelines
Do not touch or take pottery sherds or other artifacts or “souvenirs.” You might find items of interest at a trading post instead.
Ask before taking pictures of anyone, especially in a ceremonial context.
Never leave food, trash, or drink containers on the land in Monument Valley: pack (or drive) it in, pack or drive it out.
Keep in mind that permits are required for hiking certain areas of Monument Valley and for rafting the winding San Juan River.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Visitor Center
Monument Valley, nearly 100,000 acres in the Navajo Tribal Park system, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours during peak season (May through September). They are closed on major holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Entrance fee is $8 per person, per day (free for children 7 and under).
Guided Tours
Guided tours take you to all the scenic points of interest, so you get the best views of the formations. A local guide can take you to Mystery Valley to see the ruins of cliff dwellings built by ancient ancestors.
A guided Jeep tour is a great way to explore Monument Valley, with Navajo guides who know the terrain. Or you can venture out yourself, following the loop drive which takes you past the buttes.
Some tours include a visit to a hogan. You’ll see how it’s constructed and learn why it’s built as it is, giving you a sense of how the Diné have lived for centuries and some continue to live today. You may be able to see Diné demonstrations of wool carding and spinning techniques.
Take a Hike
The 4-mile-long Wildcat Trail brings you up close to the geology and beauty of the Navajo Nation region. Allow 2 to 3 hours for this scenic hike, and expect moderate difficulty with sand and rock terrain. Spring and fall offer the best weather to make this hike, which will take you past Merrick Butte and Mitten Buttes. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed at all times.
Photo Ops
Teardrop arch, which eroded through the sandstone, is a great place to take photos. You can frame buttes several miles away through the opening of the arch, making memorable pictures to define your visit for years to come.
A visit to John Ford’s Point is a popular stop. This is the ledge from which the famed director framed his movies. In the distance stand the buttes in a dramatic tableau, a perfect setting waiting for its close-up for 300 million years.
It’s a Wrap
A visit to Monument Valley is an opportunity to experience history, whether geologic or cultural, and explore Ancestral Puebloan lives and natural wonders of the valley. The state line between Arizona and Utah provides much more than a casual visitor would expect, if they are open to the wonders of the American Southwest.
If you can fit in a quick road trip within your road trip, a visit to Mexican Hat, just outside the northern boundary of Monument Valley, is a popular choice. This sombrero-shaped rock formation is viewable from the road, but is also a popular site for climbers.
Lodging and More
Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch provides lodging that continues a visitor’s southwestern journey. Plan a corporate retreat, weekend getaway, or a romantic wedding for an event to remember.
Set in scenic splendor of sky and sunrise, the Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch is active with real farm and ranch amenities, including sheep, cattle, free-range chickens, and friendly dogs and cats.
Their wellness center offers programs for sound healing, yoga, massage, and more, making your trip to Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch a perfect antidote to the stress of modern living.