Sunset Tour of Monument Valley: Navajo guide, back country access

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration3h

GroupUp to 45

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Watch the light shift across seven monuments while a Navajo guide reveals the stories behind them

A three-hour sunset tour of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park with a certified Navajo guide, pickup and dropoff at View Hotel or KOA campground, and access to back country areas closed to independent travelers. The guide leads stops at West and East Mitten, John Ford's Point, a traditional Navajo Hogan where you watch rug weaving, Moccasin Arch, petroglyphs and ruins, and the Totem Pole, with five to ten minutes at each to photograph and explore. You'll hear the history and traditions of Monument Valley and see a live performance by the guide as the sun sets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sunset tour of Monument Valley

Visit West and East Mitten View
See John Ford's Point and Three Sisters
Visit Navajo Hogan and rug weaving demo
Explore Moccasin Arch and Big Hogan Arch
Enjoy live performance by guide
View Sun's Eye and Anasazi Petroglyphs
See Totem Pole Monument
Visit North Window or Artist's Point

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup at View Hotel or, if you're staying at KOA, at your campground (call ahead for the exact time). Your certified Navajo guide drives you into areas of the park that are off-limits to visitors on their own—the back country where the lighting and shadow work differently as the day moves toward sunset. The route covers seven stops, each one a different angle on the monuments and the landscape.

At the Navajo Hogan, you watch a weaver at work on a traditional rug, and the guide performs for the group as you move through the back country. The stops include West and East Mitten, John Ford's Point and the Three Sisters Monument, Moccasin Arch and Big Hogan Arch, the petroglyphs and ruins at Sun's Eye, the Totem Pole, and North Window or Artist's Point depending on the light. You get five to ten minutes at each stop to take photos and look around. The guide fills the drive with information about Navajo culture, the history of the valley, and the stories tied to each formation.

The whole tour runs three hours. Pickup and dropoff are included; the Tribal Park Admission Fee ($8 per person) is separate and paid on the day. Infants can ride on an adult's lap. The pace is steady but not strenuous—you're in a vehicle most of the time, stepping out briefly at each stop.

What’s included

Pickup and dropoff at View Hotel or KOA campground.
certified Navajo guide leading the tour in English.
access to back country areas not open to independent travelers.
Navajo rug weaving demonstration at a traditional Hogan.
live performance by your guide.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Monument Valley Tribal Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see restricted backcountry areas and watch Navajo rug weaving in a traditional hogan—your guide handles navigation while you stay mostly in the vehicle with brief stops at each location.