In reading back over my posts, I realize I use the word "amazing" a lot. And not without warrant. I have seen, and tried to show in my photographs some spectacular sites. That being said, I can't think of a better word than "amazing" to describe Monument Valley, absolutely amazing. The gigantic size of each of the monuments -- mesas, buttes, spires -- combined with their placement and number, sets this place apart from anywhere else I've explored.
Because of the vastness of the landscape, many of these photos are very wide. This makes them smaller and hard to see within the post. To enlarge in a separate window, please click on the photo.
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West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte from the deck
of the Visitors Center. The 2-lane dirt road below takes visitors
17 miles around the valley. To get a sense of scale, there's a white van on the left,
below the thumb of West Mitten Butte. 4/28/15 |
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We decided to camp in the valley for several days. Bob's van is on the left
in front of the distant Sentinel Mesa. My car on the right. 4/28/15 |
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At my campsite, the view out of my front windshield.
It took my breath away each day we were there. 4/28/15 |
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| At my campsite, horses free range. 4/28/15 |
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| View from my campsite, the Visitors Center below Mitchell Mesa. 4/28/15 |
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| Aglow at sunset. 4/28/15 |
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| Silhouetted at sunrise 4/30/15 |
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| Sentinel Mesa from the Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
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| West Mitten Butte from the Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
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John Ford's Point, the director's favorite camera location in Monument Valley.
Many of his movies starred John Wayne. Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
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| Vista from Artist's Point, Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
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Left to Right: Three Sisters, Mitchell Mesa, Camel Butte
on the Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
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| View from the North Window Overlook on the Valley Drive Loop. 4/30/15 |
I feel honored to have witnessed this absolutely amazing place.
Also, check out Bob's blog and spectacular photos of Monument Valley --
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/summer-travel-2015-monument-valley/.
Don't tell Bob but your photos are as good as his. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow, thank you for sharing these awesome photos with us! I definitely want to visit Monument Valley now.
ReplyDeleteGreat plan Jim!
DeleteOh wow!! I've dreamt of visiting there for years! I just watched your setup video on youtube, and I've had so much fun browsing through your blog! I'm going to be living vicariously through you until I get the money and courage to follow my dream of doing what you do! Have you ever met anyone doing it with a medium sized dog? My girl is very friendly and quiet and I really want to bring her with me. I have a Toyota Matrix currently, which is a pretty nice size, and not too bad mpg, but it would be nice to upgrade to a Prius V for the charging capabilities. I can't wait to hear about your next adventure!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly can do this with a medium size dog. I know a lot of people who do so. In fact the person I'm sharing a camp with right now has a dog. I'd encourage you to start taking short trips now, for a week or a weekend. As they say: Just do it!
DeleteWow. Thank you so much. I can feel the dry air and the really get an idea of the beauty from your photos. I hope to see this some day soon. Right now I spend lot of time traveling in BC Canada, and have traveled and camped a lot in Canada but soon will spend time down south.
ReplyDeleteBC is beautiful as well. A different beauty than the desert SW. I plan to be back in WA State in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to seeing the green again. So many kinds of beauty on this planet.
DeleteIndeed. I've traveled and camped in Maine, NY State, Massachusetts, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and extensively in Newfoundland where I'm from. As well as Alberta and BC recently and also extensively in BC. All so different and beautiful in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely AMAZING photos! :-) Very cool that you were able to see the wild horses in such a fabulous setting.
ReplyDeleteMary and Gary
Thank you. The horses actually weren't wild. I was told that they belonged to a local stable. All the same, they provided a great photographic opportunity. Take care and love you!
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