{"id":332,"date":"2021-07-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nickrossphoto.com\/blog\/?p=332"},"modified":"2023-08-26T06:48:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T13:48:33","slug":"monument-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickrossphoto.com\/blog\/state-parks\/monument-valley","title":{"rendered":"Why I love Monument Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cSo this is where God put the West<\/em><\/em>.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>John Wayne<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019ve seen any old-timey western movie, there is a good chance you\u2019ll have caught a glimpse of Monument Valley. From settlers traveling west to current times, the American west is imagined through cultures with this very valley in mind. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Great American West – Discovering Monument Valley<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Driving along, you pass through small towns. With each passing building, you are getting closer and closer to Monument Valley. Depending on which way you are coming from, you are first greeted with a spectacular view overlooking the valley. Most of the area is flat, yet these giant \u201cmonuments\u201d are scattered throughout the desert landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There aren\u2019t any in-your-face signs saying \u201cWELCOME TO MONUMENT VALLEY,\u201d you just kinda know you\u2019ve made it. There is a small visitor center where you can get some info on the area\u2019s history, but unfortunately, the center was closed due to covid restrictions. Instead, we pulled up in the shadow of one of these fantastic beasts and had lunch. Unlike our previous stop at horseshoe bend, this place was serene. The only noise was the random car passing by and the calm desert breeze. Here you can reflect in the solitude of the desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We didn\u2019t spend nearly enough time in Monument Valley as we should have. It was an excellent place to stop and reflect, and it was exactly as I had pictured it in my mind all of these years. We came in the late summer, and the temperatures weren\u2019t too extreme, and it was cool enough in the shade. There aren\u2019t any big parking lots; you kind of just pull off the road and enjoy nature\u2019s beauty\u2014an area of land untarnished by man. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Check Out My Socials<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n