THE PERFECT DAY IN MONUMENT VALLEY
How Much Time Do You Need in the monument valley area
One day is the right amount of time to explore Monument Valley and the surrounding area.
MONUMENT VALLEY
Looking for a great day trip from Page? Monument Valley is perfect at about 2 hours away. Monument Valley is part of the Navajo Nation Reservation and it costs $8 per person to visit. The main attraction is a 17-mile drive that takes you to different sites and points of interest. There are some short walks, but not really any bigger hikes. Due to the extremely low light pollution here, Monument Valley makes for a great stargazing spot. After you pass the main entrance gates, you’ll come to a parking lot with a gift shop and bathrooms. During peak times, it’s suggested that you buy a ticket in advance or prepare to wait for a bit to enter the valley. If you want an off-road experience and access to restricted areas, tours led by Navajo guides are available.
FOREST GUMP LOCATION
When you’re done at the park you can visit the place where Forrest Gump decides that he’s done running. Look for Mile Marker 13 on U.S. Route 163. On some map apps you can type in “Forrest Gump Point” and it will guide you to the location. This is a pretty popular photo spot and the pullouts get crowded. Be careful when you take your photos. This is an active highway!
Mexican Hat Rock Formation
This rock formation looks like a sombrero. It’s a quick and interesting photo stop that’s about 10 minutes from the Forrest Gump location.
Goosenecks State Park
Drive ten more minutes down the road and you’ll come to Goosenecks State Park. The San Juan River has carved out a few horseshoe-shaped bends, giving an image of goose necks. It’s similar to Horseshoe Bend, but much less crowded and a bit less developed. From the lookout, you’ll have a stunning view of the canyon and river below. It’s $5 per car to visit.
There are no developed trails in the park, but there is an unmarked trail called the Honaker Trail that leads down to the river. We didn’t have time to hike down, but the trail looks quite rugged. I would expect climbing down (at least 1000 ft) and back up would take up at least a half day. Due to its remote location, Goosenecks State Park has some of the darkest skies in Utah. This makes it a great place to go stargazing – it was even designated as an International Dark Sky Park in 2021.
Valley of the Gods
Similar to Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods is a great place to see some cool red rock formations and buttes. This land is operated by the Bureau of Land Management, rather than the native tribes. It’s a great place to hike, bike, and camp, or take your car on a bumpy offroad adventure. Good news – there’s no fee to enter this area!
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
Page, Arizona
Petrified Forest National Park
Saguaro National Park
Sedona
Phoenix
Scottsdale
Havasupai
Grand Canyon