Monument Valley and vicinity

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I will be taking a trip to the 4 corners area in July and would like some
information on the amount of time I should set aside for various places. 
How much time will I need to see Monument Valley and the Navajo National
Monument?  I would love to take one of the guided tours of MV while
I am there.  I will be staying in Keyenta, will I need 2 nights there
or 1?  I then plan on going North to Gooseneck, on to Valley of the
Gods and over to Hovenweep National Monument.   I also plan on
going to Mesa Verde, Aztec and Bandelier.  Is Hovenweep as nice as
these places or should I just skip Hovenweep?  Finally, how much time
does it take to go through Mesa Verde?  Am I looking at all day or
a few hours?
pI'm sure I will have more questions in the future but this is a start.
pThank you,
pjohn/html

From: John McManus

I will be taking a trip to the 4 corners area in July and would like
someinformation on the amount of time I should set aside for various places.
How much time will I need to see Monument Valley and the Navajo
NationalMonument?

Navajo NM is pretty much a two ruin place. You need a hard-to-get permit to
hike into Keet Seel and it's a long hike (most people take two days and camp
overnight) so scratch that. You can also do the shorter hike down to Betatakin
Ruin, which is just below the visitor center, and you'll also need a permit for
THAT, but it's easier to get if you stop by the day before. Other than these
two ruins there's not much going on at Navajo NM, I feel.

Monument Valley ... well, if you're a serious photographer you can spend a
couple weeks there but for most people the sunrise or sunset tours into the
valley will cover the basics pretty well.

I would love to take one of the guided tours of MV whileI am there. I will
be staying in Keyenta, will I need 2 nights thereor 1?

If you arrive at Kayenta early enough, say around noon to 2 PM you have time to
drive up to MV (about half an hour) and sign up for a sunset tour, so one night
at Kayenta would be enough. Just go straight to the visitor center and sign
up. If you want to do more than one day I'd suggest the Mystery Valley tour
for day 2.

I'd also suggest a day at Canyon de Chelly, with a half day tour up to White
House Ruins. This place is radically different that Monument Valley.

Finally, how much time does it take to go through Mesa Verde? Am I looking at
all day ora few hours?

Try to get a ticket for the Cliff Palace tour, maybe another ruin tour while
you're there. I'd try to stay at the Lodge since it's at a decent elevation
and therefore much cooler than Cortez. If you just do one tour and have your
tickets ahead of time you can do Mesa Verde in an afternoon, but I'd try to
spend a full day since there are a lot of ruins.

Since you're in that area already I'd highly recommend a day trip from Cortez
north to Telluride, around to Ridgway and Ouray, over Red Mountain Pass to
Silverton and then over two more passes to Durango, then back to Cortez (or
better yet, overnight in Durango). This will take you through some of the
finest mountain scenery in the west and it's nice to get some elevation in July
to beat the heat.

Bill

Hi John,

I can tell you what my person experience suggests.
As you know you can tour the MV either with your own vehicle and with a
navajo led tour. Since you're in the Navajo territory, you are very limited
in exploring and the tour you can do by yourself is VERY constrained. It's
basically a simple loop in the valley enjoying the view points. Nothing else
(but it's alredy much considering the beauty of this place!). It takes about
two to three hours at a leisure pace. If you want to see something more (as
the Hidden Valley) you must take one of the Navajo tours. Be careful cause
there are many kind of tours and some of them are exactly what you can do by
yourself with the only advantage of being on a 4WD (and it's better to have
a 4WD if it shoud start raining!). If I were you I'd look for some half day
long tour either at sunrise or, better, at sunset. There is a a place right
in front of the visitor center where you could reserve some tour but I was
offered just quick tours there. Check out the many tours offered on
internet. Some linkks are also reported on my MV's travelogue page
http://www.travellersonline.net/eng/...ario_11_MV.htm

Anyway, if you plan a half day long navajo led tour AND a drive done by
yourself, I think you need a day and a half wich doesn't mean that you need
two nights in Kayenta...since you could just stop somewhere else after
visiting Goosenecks and the Valley of Gods but this depends to your
schedule.
Be careful: don't try to tour the Valley of Gods without a 4wd...I did it
and I'm just lucky I came out...
Since you're there, don't miss Muley Point!!! It's one of the most
spectacular overlook I have ever seen! If you need some information, let me
know. Some info are also in my travelogue.

Ciao, Giulio

-------------------------------------
http://www.travellersonline.net/eng/

Since you're in that area already I'd highly recommend a day trip from
Cortez
north to Telluride, around to Ridgway and Ouray, over Red Mountain Pass to
Silverton and then over two more passes to Durango, then back to Cortez
(or
better yet, overnight in Durango). This will take you through some of the
finest mountain scenery in the west and it's nice to get some elevation in
July
to beat the heat.

But I wouldn't take this route if I minded driving on very narrow two-lane
roads that have 600 foot drops and NO FRIGGIN' GUARDRAILS.

Em
who wouldn't do it for $10,000,000.

Since you're in that area already I'd highly recommend a day trip
from Cortez north to Telluride, around to Ridgway and Ouray, over
Red Mountain Pass to Silverton and then over two more passes
to Durango


From: "Auntie Em"

But I wouldn't take this route if I minded driving on very narrow two-lane
roads that have 600 foot drops and NO FRIGGIN' GUARDRAILS.

Em
who wouldn't do it for $10,000,000.

LOL ... part of the fun is passing terrified Texans with white-knuckled death
grips on their steering wheels, wishing they were back in the flatlands

If possible, I'd *really* recommend that you
try to spend a night at Goulding's Lodge in
Monument Valley. A bit pricey, but if you don't
mind crying as you watch the sun rise, then it's
well worth it. I'd recommend the all-day tour
which includes Mystery Valley (very few people
go there). Your guide cooks you lunch under the
shade of trees in a beautiful location in an
"echo"
canyon.

Wilber Jones
Princeton, WV

John McManus wrote:

I will be taking a trip to the 4 corners area in
July and would like some information on the
amount of time I should set aside for various
places. How much time will I need to see
Monument Valley and the Navajo National
Monument? I would love to take one of the
guided tours of MV while I am there. I will be
staying in Keyenta, will I need 2 nights there
or 1? I then plan on going North to Gooseneck,
on to Valley of the Gods and over to Hovenweep
National Monument. I also plan on going to
Mesa Verde, Aztec and Bandelier. Is Hovenweep
as nice as these places or should I just skip
Hovenweep? Finally, how much time does it take
to go through Mesa Verde? Am I looking at all
day or a few hours?

I'm sure I will have more questions in the
future but this is a start.

Thank you,

john