Monument Valley – Sept ’19

We arrived at Goulding’s RV Park at Monument Valley. The location was ideal. The first evening we just took a short drive to check a few things out before it got dark. This area is famous for all the western movies that were filmed here, so we checked out John Wayne’s cabin. John Ford filmed a few films starring John Wayne such as “Stagecoach” and “Tie a Yellow Ribbon. Each evening one of John Wayne’s movies is shown. I expected it to be in an amphitheater setting, but it was in a small room, so we didn’t stay for it.

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Our full day at Monument Valley began with us going to the Visitor’s Center and Museum that is actually located within the Navajo Tribal Park – “Where the Earth Meets the Sky”. It is so worth the $20 entry fee. It is good for 2 days! I am not a geologist, but was in awe of the incredible displays of nature. I can only imagine what this place would be like for my colleagues who are well versed in the earth sciences. (Robin Fleagane Stout- you must get out here!) Today we went through the museum and then drove the Valley Drive loop. The most popular East and West Mittens (or Left and Right Mittens) with Merrick Butte, and John Ford’s Point were definitely my favorites, as well.

The East and West Mitten Buttes look like hands, yet it signifies spiritual beings watching over the alley. Merrick Butte is named after an ex-calvary soldier, who was a prospector in search of silver. John Ford’s Point is named after the director who made John Wayne famous in his westerns. It is truly an iconic point for many paintings as well. It was very cool that our timing had a Navajo male on his horse out on the point.

There are three terms/names used in the various names of the rock formations or monuments that basically tell you the degree of erosion that has occurred. A mesa looks flat on top like a table. It is usually fairly wide, stable and is the first stage of erosion. A butte (pronounced bee-ute), is smaller and is the second stage of erosion. It could also have the beginning of a single spire or more. A spire is a formation that has become narrow and free standing, Once eroded by wind and water, only the bottom Organ rock that holds up the sandstone will remain. This is the final stage of erosion from a butte. Organ rock looks like loose pebbles, but acts as the pedestal for all monuments in the Valley. It is most vulnerable to erosion.

We didn’t realize the first main rock formation that we saw as we got close to Monument Valley via Highway Route 163 was special. Apparently it is and ancient volcano plug that formed as igneous rock . It is referred to as Agatha Peak or El Capitan.

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