Monument Valley lies entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation on the Utah/Arizona border near the southeastern corner of Utah. The state line passes through the most famous landmarks, which are concentrated near the small town of Goulding. This isolated settlement was established in 1923 as an Indian trading post, but it now has a comprehensive range of visitor services. The town is 175-miles (250 km) from Flagstaff, Arizona, the nearest city.

The Valley is not a valley in the conventional sense, but rather a wide flat, sometimes desolate landscape, interrupted by the crumbling formations rising hundreds of feet into the air, the last remnants of the sandstone layers that once covered the entire region.

The Monument Valley area and the Navajo reservation provide some excellent opportunities to view Native American culture and to learn about the Navajo people. You can even observe some traditional Navajo craftsmanship and purchase hand-made items. You should refrain from taking photographs of the Navaho people, their homes or their possessions without first asking permission. Often a small gratuity is expected for photography.

There is only one main road, US163, which links Kayenta, AZ with US191 in Utah. The stretch approaching the Arizona/Utah border from the north offers the most famous image of the Valley – a long straight empty road stretching across flat desert towards the 1000-foot high stark red cliffs on the horizon. Although much can be appreciated from the main road, a lot more of the landscape remains hidden from view behind long straight cliffs (the Mitchell and Wetherill Mesas), east of the road. More scenery is contained within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (entrance fee $2.50), on a short side road opposite the turn-off to Goulding.
Gooseneck

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Water was initially responsible for creating the rock shapes in Bryce Canyon. Rain and melting snow flowing down the Pink Cliffs towards the Paria River formed ridges, or fins, which subsequently eroded into the spires, pinnacles and other shapes (collectively known as ‘Hoodoos’) which are left standing. In time these too will erode, and the whole process will move westwards as more of the cliff is gradually worn away.

The main ridge forms part of the Pink Cliffs, which are the highest and most geologically recent of a series of escarpments known as the Grand Staircase stretching across south Utah, formed by erosion and uplift of differently coloured sandstone rock layers. The cliffs are named according to the dominant rock colour: (running northwards, from the Grand Canyon) – Chocolate, Vermilion (visible most spectacularly around Lees Ferry, AZ), White (which surround Zion Canyon), Gray and Pink. Most of the Grand Staircase is now contained within the new Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument.

Increased visitation over the last few years has led to the introduction of access restrictions during the summer. Vehicles over 25 feet long are not allowed beyond Bryce Point, a shuttlebus service is provided instead. As with most National Parks, the best way to appreciate Bryce Canyon is to explore away from the main roads. There are various trails along the rim and down through the formations. The Fairyland Loop Trail, an 8 mile, little-used route which descends 900 feet from the ridge road and winds through many of the fins and spires is one of the most spectacular.

Bryce Canyon is reached by the scenic highway UT12 which crosses the northeast corner of the park. The entrance road branches southwards, follows the ridge for 18 miles, and has 14 viewpoints of which Bryce Point is the most famous and gives the best perspective of the extent and variety of the rock formations. The first overlook is Fairyland Point, a pretty side valley with a small-scale version of the main canyon. This is reached before the park entrance station, and so can be appreciated without payment. From the viewpoints it is often possible to see 100 miles south and east towards Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon.

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The Park entrance is on US191, 20 miles south of I-70 and just north of Moab, which is the biggest town in southeast Utah and seems to be mainly full of motels and mountain-bike shops. This town, which was originally a centre for the uranium-mining industry, is close to several National Parks, including Canyonlands NP and the Colorado NM as well as Arches. It is a starting point for many boat trips down the Colorado River.

The park road climbs up a steep cliff with several sharp switchbacks and then winds for 25 miles through the sculptured red rocks passing close to many of the major features. The road passes Park Avenue and Courthouse Towers, monolithic spires and ridges of rock standing isolated in largely flat desert terrain. These have been featured in several cinema films, most recently Thelma and Louise. The Windows Section contains a major concentration of arches and other formations, which have self-explanatory names such as Double Arch, Cove Arch and Balanced Rock. Everything in this area can be seen either from the road or along short hikes.
Delicate Arch

The Canyonlands area was only designated a National Park in 1964. Before that, most of the terrain was unvisited, and also largely inaccessible. Much of it is still largely inaccessible; although there are now some paved roads. The best way to see most of the park is by 4WD vehicle, but most roads are very rough, and huge areas have no roads at all. Far fewer tourists come to this park than to others in Utah.

From Wolfe Ranch, a 1.5-mile foot trail crosses the creek via a small, swaying suspension bridge and leads across smooth exposed slickrock to the especially scenic Delicate Arch. This is the most famous arch in the park and has been adopted as the state symbol, appearing on Utah Centennial vehicle registration plates.

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Utah is a land filled with diverse landscapes and is home to some of the most beautiful adventure destinations in the world. Breathtaking mountains, awe-inspiring desert canyons, and beautiful valleys attract visitors from around the globe. The most famous outdoor destinations include the southern Moab area, five National Parks, Colorado River, Green River, and ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains. Popular ways to get out and experience these unique areas are river rafting trips, off-road 4×4 adventures, safaris, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and skiing. All of these adventure activities highlight the amazing scenery throughout the whole state.

Utah contains one of the greatest concentrations of spectacular geological features in the world – these are found mainly in the south and east of the state where the land is largely bare rock of many amazing shapes and colours. For hundreds of miles, the landscape is dominated by twisting canyons, delicate arches, sheer mountains and ridges, spires and buttes. More than any other Southwest state, Utah provides the archetypal Western images of sandy desert deep canyons and towering red rocks.

Southwest Utah is known as Colour Country; this ranges from hot, relatively low areas around Cedar City to forested mountains 10 000 feet high, and is characterised by the many shades of colour and beautiful forms of the exposed rocks. Here is found the world-famous Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, but there are many other variegated cliffs, canyons, domes and sand dunes that also deserve exploration.

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