Monument Valley 4x4 Tour: Backcountry & Navajo Culture

A Navajo guide takes you where the main road doesn't reach

You ride through Monument Valley's backcountry in an open-air vehicle with a Navajo guide for 2.5 hours, stopping at John Ford's Point, petroglyphs, Sun's Eye arch, and the Big Hogan where your guide performs a traditional musical demonstration. The tour includes access to restricted areas, a hike at Ear of the Wind, and views from Artists Point before returning to the hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Monument Valley 4x4 tour and Navajo culture

• Begin 2.5 hour Monument Valley tour
• Visit John Ford's Point
• Explore Sun's Eye arch
• See Anasazi ruins and petroglyphs
• Hike sand dunes at Ear of the Wind arch
• Walk inside Big Hogan amphitheater
• Enjoy Navajo musical demonstration
• View Yei Bi Chei spires and Totem Pole
• Stop at Artists Point for panoramic views
• Return to View Hotel

The experience

Our guide, who grew up in the valley, stopped the vehicle without warning and pointed at a cluster of rocks I'd walked past without seeing. Petroglyphs. Anasazi, he said, maybe eight hundred years old. That's the difference between the main overlook and the backcountry routes. You're not following the same path as the tour bus crowd. The 2.5 hour Monument Valley tour runs through restricted areas that only local operators can access, and it starts at John Ford's Point, the ridge where those old western movies were filmed. The sandstone there is the color of rust and blood, and the light changes it every few minutes.

After John Ford's Point, the vehicle heads deeper. You'll see Sun's Eye arch, the valley's second largest, and then the guide takes you to Ear of the Wind, where you actually hike the sand dunes instead of viewing them from a platform. The Big Hogan comes next, and this is where it gets specific: it's the largest amphitheater in Monument Valley, and your Navajo guide performs a musical demonstration inside the stone walls. The acoustics are real. Then there's Yei Bi Chei, a group of spires that look like they were placed by intention, and Totem Pole standing alone next to it: a single red column that rises like it's holding up the sky. Before heading back to the View Hotel, the route finishes at Artists Point, a plateau where you can see the whole valley spread out in layers of color.

The vehicle is open-air in good weather, enclosed if the conditions turn. Monument Valley operates in all weather, so bring layers: the wind moves fast across the plateau, and the temperature shifts. The guide speaks English and knows the stories behind each stop: which films were shot where, what the rocks mean to the Navajo people, how the landscape has changed. It's not a lecture. It's someone who lives there, showing you what matters.

What’s included

Your tour includes transportation in an open-air vehicle or enclosed van depending on weather, a local Navajo guide who speaks English, access to restricted backcountry areas, stops at John Ford's Point, Sun's Eye arch, petroglyphs and Anasazi ruins, a hike at Ear of the Wind, entry to the Big Hogan where your guide performs a traditional musical demonstration, views of Yei Bi Chei and Totem Pole, and a final stop at Artists Point for panoramic valley views before returning to the View Hotel. Fuel surcharge is included.

Options for this experience

9 options

9:00 am tour, 2.5 hoursGuide in English · 09:00A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley that visits most of the famous sights and heads into the back country, a restricted section of the Park that is only accessible with a Navajo guide

12:00 pm tour, 2.5 hoursGuide in English · 12:00A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley that visits most of the famous sights and heads into the back country, a restricted section of the Park that is only accessible with a Navajo guide

2.5-hour tour at 3:00 pmGuide in English · 15:00A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

See 6 more options

2.5-hour sunset tour in OctoberGuide in English · 16:30October 2.5-hour sunset tour: a 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted area of the Park

2.5-hour sunset tour, November through FebruaryGuide in English · Available from 12 Nov · 15:00A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

2.5-hour sunset tour in MarchGuide in English · Available from 1 Mar 2027A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

2.5-hour sunset tour in AprilGuide in English · Available from 1 Apr 2027A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

2.5-hour sunset tour, May through AugustGuide in English · Available from 1 May 2027A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

2.5-hour sunset tour in SeptemberGuide in English · Available from 1 Sep 2027A 4x4 tour of Monument Valley covering most of the iconic locations and taking you into the back country, a restricted part of the Park

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 16:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 10

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by Monument Valley Simpson's Trailhandler Tours, LLC

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to see Monument Valley beyond the main overlook without arranging your own transportation or guide: the backcountry access and Navajo guide are what make the restricted areas possible. Plan for 2.5 hours out, and bring layers for wind and temperature shifts across the plateau.

Traveler reviews

4.82★★★★★★★★★★

211 verified traveler reviews

5 ★184

4 ★17

3 ★9

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Monument Valley 4x4 tour?

Two and a half hours, including all stops and the musical performance at the Big Hogan.

What's included in the tour?

An open-air vehicle or enclosed van depending on weather, a local Navajo guide who speaks English, access to backcountry and restricted areas, a musical performance at the Big Hogan, and fuel surcharge.

Can I visit petroglyphs and Anasazi ruins on this tour?

Yes. The backcountry route includes stops at petroglyphs, pictographs, and some of the valley's oldest Anasazi ruins.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour operates in all weather. You'll be in an enclosed van instead of an open-air vehicle. Dress in layers.

Do we hike on this tour?

Yes, you hike the sand dunes at Ear of the Wind and walk inside the Big Hogan. The terrain is manageable for most fitness levels.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts and ends at the View Hotel in Monument Valley.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.