Video TR: Valley of the Gods/Monument Valley/Navajo Nat'l

[FirstTracks]

DW, the dogs and I just got back from a week-long trip through southern Utah, northern Arizona and southern Nevada. Our first two nights were at Valley of the Gods and Navajo National Monument, with a swing through Monument Valley in between.


Above our camp at Valley of the Gods


Our camp at Valley of the Gods


Our camp at Valley of the Gods


Our camp at Valley of the Gods


Along the way we accidentally found ourselves atop the Moki Dugway, and got to pull our trailer down that road. Now, that was exciting!


In the Navajo Nation, north of Kayenta, Arizona.


Our camp in Navajo National Monument. This was the only campground we'd stay in this trip as everything surrounding it is Navajo Nation, but it was free and only half full. The rest of the trip was entirely boondocking.

I created an 11-minute YouTube video that tells the story and contains some great footage, and uploaded it to Grand Adventure, my new YouTube channel:
Click here for the video

Further TRs, covering the rest of our trip through Flagstaff, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monuments, Lake Mead and Valley of Fire, will be coming as soon as I get them finished.

[FirstTracks]

NinerBikes wrote:
Just wonderful photography.

Thank you! If you haven't yet subscribed, we'd love to bring you along for future episodes! I've got a whole slew of content planned for this channel -- not just video trip reports, but tips, gear, etc. as well. The next episode publishing next week will go over the Mopeka LP Tank Check system, then it's on to Lake Mead and Valley of Fire, Nevada for a few hikes.

[NinerBikes]

Just wonderful photography.

[pnichols]

We took our 24 foot Class C motorhome into Monument Valley 4-5 years ago. At that time the road into the valley was labeled as "RVs Not Recommended", but not absolutely restricted. The worst part was the steep drive down to, and back up out from, the valley floor on what was basically no road at all - just huge rounded rock surfaces. We traveled slow and careful on that part but it was completely doable in a small motorhome - I wouldn't try it towing something, though. It sure was nice having a toilet, refrigerator, and air conditioning right with us while we toured in the valley. What a beautiful place and surrounding country!

FirstTracks, thanks for posting your superb photos. And to think that when I served at Hill AFB in the late sixties we never once visited Utah's high desert parks back then when there weren't any crowds around.

[wski]

Great video, thank you for sharing your experience.

[FirstTracks]

BarryG20 wrote:
Great stuff. Love the area. Having been to Monument Valley at least 20 times I have never seen a trailer down there. The first part going down or particularly the reverse coming back up would not be a good experience towing much of anything.

Thanks for the additional beta.

[BarryG20]

Great stuff. Love the area. Having been to Monument Valley at least 20 times I have never seen a trailer down there. The first part going down or particularly the reverse coming back up would not be a good experience towing much of anything. The rest of the road is not too bad very washboardy in areas, a section of fairly rocky and rough and a couple sections of soft sand but the entrance/exit is pretty rough dropping down off the top into the valley. I know I would never take my travel trailer down it. They do have a good sized parking lot and shouldnt be an issue dropping the trailer for an hour or two to do the loop drive sans the trailer. The Moki Dugway as you found is not that bad it could be a chore with a long trailer 1st gear descent and hope no one else hauling a trailer meets you on one of the switchbacks but the road itself isnt bad.

[lj2654]

Wonderful video and drone footage. Makes us more and more anxious to hit the road.

[mt1729]

Great pictures, thank you for posting. Brings back memories.

[FirstTracks]

dave17352 wrote:
Is that always the case that you can not pull a trailer through monument valley. Or is this a now and then thing. Great pics and video.

Dunno, really. It's the song and dance I got from the Navajo ranger manning the fee booth at the entrance. From what I've seen it would be no biggie to pull a TT through there. Wish he'd seen me pull the thing down the Dugway! LOL

And thanks for the compliments!

[dave17352]

Is that always the case that you can not pull a trailer through monument valley. Or is this a now and then thing. Great pics and video.

[FirstTracks]

Hahaha! Blindly following Google. 😉 Driving from SLC Google Maps sent us down UT-261. By the time I realized "Oh ****, we're atop the Moki Dugway" it was too late. Turning back would've meant many, many extra miles and arriving at Valley of the Gods after dark. I've done extensive off-roading in Moab, the Utah mountains and elsewhere, so I just went for it.

Really, it wasn't that bad. Anything beyond the edge of the road is just background noise.

Appreciate your comments!

[Lwiddis]

The Din’e are so fortunate to live in Dinétah.

[profdant139]

Phenomenal photography -- well done! I watched most of the video but could not find an explanation of how you ended up on the Dugway with the trailer?? You have a lot more courage than I do -- I unhitched the trailer and went up that road (and down) with my 4X4, very carefully.

[FirstTracks]

Thanks folks! I appreciate the comments.