Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Navajo name: Tse’ Bii’ Ndzisgaii

(tseeh-bee-ni-zees-kay)

While camping on a Navajo Reservation we took the thirteen mile gravel and dirt road through Monument Valley.  The Valley sits at 5,564 feet above sea level and the height of the monuments range from 100 feet to 1,500 feet tall.  These rock formations are gigantic!  Monument Valley gives you a first-hand look at a tremendous natural structure that has been created by erosion.  Underground aquifers give water for the crops to grow and offers adequate grazing for the livestock.  The Monuments themselves with their breathtaking beauty and tremendous size are what create the awe-inspiring view of the Park!

Some of the formations have been given names by the earliest settlers of Monument Valley.  Some are easy to see, like ‘The Mittens’, while other's really seem like a stretch!  But you can use your own imagination as you view just some of the photos below.  Enjoy!

This is one of 'The Mittens"

This is called Merrick Butte

This was inside the visitor center, those dolls on each shelf are called "Kachina Dolls" and they are a rather expensive collectors item.  Each is unique and represent the spirit in the mythology of Pueblo Indians.

The three separate tall formations on the far end of this monolith are referred to as 'The Three Sisters'.

This is called 'Camel Butte'.  I had trouble seeing that one!

This looked like a huge sun bonnet to me?!?!

And this one makes me think of railroad train with train cars attached.

These folks are actually standing on a considerably thin ledge that hangs over a really deep canyon.  Yea … we stayed away from there!!

Although we were in the desert we still found flowers!  Mother Nature likes to leave little beauties everywhere!!

A giant Hand!

Four guys looking over a fallen comrade!

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This shows how whole sections can fall away from these enormous buttes.  The large rocks and smaller rock rubble are all from this separation .

The Smoke Stack Butte.

The Balanced Rock.

I wonder if anyone heard this when this break away happened??  Ya know … like when a tree falls in a forest and no one is there does it make a noise???

This one is called 'Elephant Butte".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 More coming soon  😊

Jan  🌷🌷🐾🐾