Page 171 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

THE FOUR C ORNERS  169

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Road map C2. n P. O. Box
360289, Monument Valley, UT
84536. (435) 727-5870. Open
sunrise–sunset daily. Visitor Center:
May–Sep: 6am–8am daily; Oct–
Apr: 8am–5pm daily. Closed Dec
25. & 7 visitor center only. 8
= 0  ∑ navajonation­
parks.org, utah.com

John Ford’s Point
The most popular stop along the valley drive is John Ford’s Point,
which is said to be the film director’s favorite view of the valley.
Various stands offer a range of Navajo handicrafts. A nearby native
hogan (Navajo dwelling) serves as a gift shop, where Navajo weavers
demonstrate their craft.

Merrick
Butte
Right Mitten

Navajo Weaver
Navajo women are usually
considered to be the finest
weavers in the Southwest.
One rug can take months to
complete and sell for thousands
of dollars. Using the natural
colors of the land, the weavers
often add a “spirit line” to their
work to prevent their spirit
being “trapped” within the rug.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is not really a valley.
The tops of the mesas mark what was
once a flat plain. Millions of years ago,
this plain was cracked by upheavals
within the earth. The cracks widened
and eroded, until all that is left today
are the formations rising from the
desert floor.
Key
Major highway
Highway
Gouldings Lodge
Park boundary The lodge offers accommodations, a
State boundary restaurant, and guided bus tours of the
valley. The original trading post is now a
museum of the valley’s cinematic history.
For hotels and restaurants see p241 and pp256–7

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