Goulding’s Campground, Monument Valley, UT
On our way from Mesa Verde we stopped at the Four Corners Monument. It took us just few miles out of the way. The borders of four states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado meet in this spot. We took couple of photos and got on our way. It was too cold to linger, after all, we left Mesa Verde with snow on the ground..
Once we got closer to Monument Valley, the terrain changed and we saw more buttes and hills. The campground is across from the Valley, tucked between some tall hills. It has a nice view, especially at sunrise and sunset. It’s tight, not too much space between the rigs but most people stay only one or two nights. We met a lot of nice people, some retired and some on vacation, from many different states. It’s a lot of fun talking and finding out about their journey.
The next day was windy, starting slowing in the morning and creating a dust storm across the valley in the late afternoon. We drove to the Forrest Gump Point on Rt 160, you recall from the movie that’s where he decided he had enough of running. The road was pretty busy with parked cars and people taking pictures on the road. Thank goodness the traffic was light.
We hiked the trails around the campground, there’s one with a viewpoint across the valley and another leading to a small arch. On our second time hiking, we were joined by two stray dogs that hang out in the area. People in the campground feed them, the dogs do not seem aggressive in any way, but rather persisted as they seem to be used to getting treats from the campers.
The day of the tour was cold but sunny and not windy (Yay!). The group was small, two of us, another couple and three folks from Switzerland. The first part took us to Mystery Valley, only accessible with Navajo guides. It was a lot of fun - the road (or what passed for a road), was basically rough tracks across the sand and/or rock. As you would think, Tom had a blast just being the passenger. We stopped to look and explore Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs and arches. It was such a great experience. We got good background from our guide, with insight into some of the customs and rituals. I did not know that yucca plant can be used as a cleanser.
The guide also spoke about some of their beliefs, it seems to be a world that’s closely connected to nature. He mentioned that they call themselves “in between” the sky and earth. He also talked about the spirits, good and bad, wandering the valley, and mentioning the “skin walkers”. According to him, they prey on weak minded so stay strong!
After lunch, we continued the tour in the main valley. The John Ford point, the Mittens, and other view points were great, then we visited two arches, the Moccasin and the Hogan. The experience of leaning on the rock and looking up into the arch while our guide was singing a traditional song brought me closer to understanding their connection to the land.
We explored more ruins and petroglyphs, then visited a hogan for demonstration of wool carding and spinning. There are thirteen families living in Monument Valley, with no running water or plumbing and only with solar or generator for power. Most have sheep and cattle as means of income. Another lesson - Navajo don’t “own” the land, you can asked the tribal leaders to build a house on it, but you do not owe it. That’s not how they view the Earth. Rather refreshing view.
After all the climbing up and down the rocks and walking through sand, today is an off day and preparation for our next to last stop before Las Vegas. We are off to Cottonwood, AZ and Dead Horse Ranch State Park, just 20 minutes from Sedona, tomorrow AM.