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It's nothing, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nowhere for as far as you can see, and there is no historic significance of the spot. The only thing it represents is an arbitrary spot in the desert where the mapmakers chose to draw the state borders. It's a total waste of time unless you happen to be passing by on the way to somewhere else.
I'm a native New Mexican and have lived in the Four Corners area for over 50 years. Yep, it's pretty much a waste of time unless something deep in your psyche demands that your life will not be complete until you stand in four states at the same time.
The country around here is pretty awesome at times, but to be honest I'm not all that impressed by the ruins like Aztec, Chaco, and Mesa Verde. Pretty much piles of rocks that they managed to stack in interesting forms. Worth seeing once, though. Durango is a cutesy t-shirt tourist town in the summer and makes for a nice day. Farmington (my home town) and Gallup are not at all destination-type vacation spots unless you're an outdoors family who rafts, kayaks, climbs, camps, fishes, etc. If you're doing the outdoor thing, the Four Corners from Moab to Pagosa Springs to Monument Valley is the best. Camping/hiking/climbing in the mountains and deserts is marvelous.
Just a comment, I'm a backroads 4x4 explorer and all those areas are prime. "Chicken Corners" out of Moab! I won't say more. I want to go there again and not have company.
Speaking of 4 corners has anyone tried the Sky Walk at the Grand Canyon and how expensive is it and how long does the tour by bus or car take? pintada kid at webtv.net
I am headed this way next month as well. So, you would recommend, then in order 1) Monument Valley, 2) Durango 3) Aztec?
I've watched Easy Rider enough times to know I am missing out on something truly special when it comes to Monument Valley. I also heard that you can only enter through Arizona, and you have to pay a fee? Is that correct?
I am headed this way next month as well. So, you would recommend, then in order 1) Monument Valley, 2) Durango 3) Aztec?
I've watched Easy Rider enough times to know I am missing out on something truly special when it comes to Monument Valley. I also heard that you can only enter through Arizona, and you have to pay a fee? Is that correct?
Depends on what you're interested in doing/seeing. If you're a fly fisherman, the quality waters of the San Juan River below Navajo Dam are world-class trout waters. If you're into mountain bikes, either Moab or Durango are must stops. If you just want to see really, really wide open country then Monument Valley is good. If you want the ruins, Crow Canyon and Mesa Verde near Cortez, Aztec, and Chaco Canyon are about as good as it gets. If you're into steam powered locomotives you can ride the narrow guage train from Durango to Silverton. Silverton also has a tour of an old hard rock gold mine.
Farmington has one of the finest public golf courses in the US according to Golf Magazine.
Ya gotta narrow it down if you're coming to the Four Corners.
I am headed this way next month as well. So, you would recommend, then in order 1) Monument Valley, 2) Durango 3) Aztec?
I've watched Easy Rider enough times to know I am missing out on something truly special when it comes to Monument Valley. I also heard that you can only enter through Arizona, and you have to pay a fee? Is that correct?
1) Monument Valley, 2) Mesa Verde would be my choice. Durango zzzzz....
Get a map pal. Monument Valley is on the highway that crosses the border. You drive north into Utah, turn right, and angle south back into AZ before you enter the park. Yeah there's a fee but it's worth about 1,000 times more than it costs you. I'm tempted to offer you to pay your fee if you're disappointed. Trust me, it's the best fee you ever paid. You get to see the most picturesque land in America for only a few bucks. It's well worth the price and way much more.
1) Monument Valley, 2) Mesa Verde would be my choice. Durango zzzzz....
Get a map pal. Monument Valley is on the highway that crosses the border. You drive north into Utah, turn right, and angle south back into AZ before you enter the park. Yeah there's a fee but it's worth about 1,000 times more than it costs you. I'm tempted to offer you to pay your fee if you're disappointed. Trust me, it's the best fee you ever paid. You get to see the most picturesque land in America for only a few bucks. It's well worth the price and way much more.
You need only one road to drive to heaven.
SOLD!!! What would be a good place to make my base the night before? Moab?
If you really want to immerse yourself in the Monument Valley, stay overnight at Goulding's. It's not cheap, but it was used for the base for numerous Hollywood westerns. One look at the scenery, and you'll see why. Most moron tourists make the mistake in Monument Valley (or anywhere else in the Rockies or Southwest) of sleeping until 7 or 8 AM, not getting to the nice country until noon or so, and then wondering why it doesn't look anything like the pictures they have seen. Well, the time to see Monument Valley (and most other places in the region) is in the time of what photographers call the "sweet light"--that time about an hour or two around dawn, and a hour or two around dusk. So, the best way to see Monument Valley is to spend the night in the middle of it and Goulding's fits that bill. Here's a link: Gouldings Lodge Monument Valley, hotel monument valley, lodging monument valley (http://www.gouldings.com/english/index.htm - broken link)
Years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting "Mike" Goulding, the wife of the founder of Goulding's Trading Post. She was quite a lady.
By the way, one of the best books of photographs that I have found of Monument Valley and the Four Corners region was Two Guys, Four Corners, written and photographed by--of all people--Don Imus (of radio talk show fame) and his brother. The Imus' were actually raised on a ranch in Kingman, Arizona and grew up near to the Four Corners country. The book can best be described as a collection of great photographs with some of the most politically incorrect, pithy captions that you can imagine. It is out of print, but probably can be found used at AbeBooks: New & Used Books, Textbooks, Rare & Out of Print Books .
SOLD!!! What would be a good place to make my base the night before? Moab?
Moab is nowhere near Monument Valley or Mesa Verde. Please explain yourself better and are you camping or staying at a hotel?
Mesa Verde if camping do it right in the park, or camp or stay in hotel in nearby Cortez. Monument Valley if you're camping it would be crazy to not camp right in the MV campground which has the best view I've ever seen. If not camping stay at nearby Gouldings Lodge.
I feel sorry for the people staying in the lodge. I always camp in the campground at Monument Valley. The times shortly before and shortly after both dawn and dusk are almost supernatural with the effects of the sunrise and sunset (as stated above), particularly at sunset. Many or most of the people in the campground walk over to the eastern edge (overlooking the valley) and watch what the sunset does to the valley and to East Mitten, West Mitten and Merrick Butte. It's awesome and astonishing.
I stayed in Mexican Hat,Utah at the San Juan Inn ...it's only 25 miles north of Monument Valley ....
Just south of the Utah-AZ line is Navajo Tribal Park ....entrance fee is $ 5.00
...it's open 8 AM to 8 PM ....
For an extra fee you can drive on a private road thru the best part of Monument Valley
From the observation area you can see the famous red sandstone buttes and mesas where all those old John Ford western movies were filmed ...
I agree with Lovehound ...Moab,Utah is no where near Monument Valley ... however it is an awesome area too ... I love Arches National Park nearby
I recommend checking out Canyon De Chelly National Monument in AZ just to southeast near NM line
Four corners has a lot of scenic areas ...
Another interesting place very close to Mexican Hat,Utah is Gooseneck State Park ...it's where the San Juan River doubles back on itself ...nice canyon scenery
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I won't say more. I want to go there again and not have company.
The Skywalk
