Monument Valley is something that everyone who enjoyed the outdoors should experience at least once. This area is located near the four corners area where for individual states all intersect, near Utah and Arizona border. It is excessive will from U.S. highway 163 and is located on reservation land that is controlled by Navajo nation. The wide open desert area is dramatic, and features a cluster of sandstone buttes in the distance which are spectacular to view. The tallest of these buttes is over 1000 feet above the desert floor, and they serve as a perfect way to show just how large the American Southwest really is. While there is a pay area that will give you access to specific exploration areas, many people will simply enjoy the drive up and the views of the buttes in the distance. This particular view has been utilized in movies like Easy Rider and Forest Gump, to show the grandeur of the old west as well as the extraordinary desolation of the desert. No matter what the lesson is that you take from Monument Valley, the view is going to be spectacular.
So if you’re in Las Vegas and you’re planning a trip to a national park as a portion of your vacation, should you choose Monument Valley over the other national parks and area. The answer is probably no, due to the fact that there is actually less to do at a Monument Valley that in the other national parks that are within driving distance of the city. The majority of people who visit this particular area do so as part of a larger tour of several parks at the same time. The general route from Las Vegas is to travel to Zion first, then Bryce and Monument Valley after that. Some will continue on to the Grand Canyon if there is enough time available on their trip. Because Monument Valley is more of a sightseeing trip than the other national parks, it is generally not considered as the choice if you’re only going to be driving from Las Vegas and visiting a single area before driving back. The protected spaces and national parks of the southwest are actually closer to one another then they are to Las Vegas itself, which means that if you are attempting to have more time spent at the parks and less time driving, it makes sense for you to plan on visiting several of the parks while on the same trip. This will give you the ability to experience a wide diversity of landscapes as well as things to do in each protected area, and minimize the amount of time spent driving two and from you’re beginning destination. Las Vegas makes sense as the starting point for almost every national park in the area, but you’re going to want to spend at least a few days out in the open desert exploring these spaces as opposed to just driving to and from one of them.