Monument Valley, known in Navajo as Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii (meaning “valley of the rocks”), is a striking region of the Colorado Plateau located along the Arizona-Utah border within the Navajo Nation Reservation. This iconic landscape features clusters of towering sandstone buttes, mesas, and spires that rise dramatically from the valley floor, with the tallest formations reaching up to 1,000 feet (300 meters) in height. Spanning approximately 91,696 acres, it is not a national park but a Navajo Tribal Park, managed by the Navajo Nation since its establishment in 1958.
The area’s red-hued rock formations have become synonymous with the American Southwest, largely due to their appearances in films, but its significance extends far beyond Hollywood, encompassing deep geological history and profound cultural heritage for Indigenous peoples.
Geological Formation
Monument Valley’s unique geology is a product of millions of years of sedimentary deposition, uplift, and erosion on the Colorado Plateau. The formations primarily consist of sedimentary rocks dating from the Permian to the Jurassic periods, representing about 192 million years of Earth’s history. The process began during the Permian Period when the area was part of a vast inland sea and desert environments, leading to the accumulation of sediments from eroding ancestral Rocky Mountains.
The valley’s prominent features are built from three main stratigraphic layers:
- Organ Rock Shale (Base Layer): This is the oldest exposed layer, formed from fine-grained sediments deposited in ancient floodplains and marine environments during the Permian Period. It erodes more easily than overlying layers, contributing to the undercutting that isolates the buttes.
- De Chelly Sandstone (Middle Layer): Comprising the bulk of the buttes and mesas, this layer originated from wind-blown sands in ancient desert dunes during the Permian. Its cross-bedded structure is resistant to erosion, forming the steep cliffs and caps of the monuments.
- Moenkopi Shale (Upper Layer): The youngest of the primary layers, deposited in tidal flats and shallow seas during the Triassic Period. It caps some formations and adds to the red coloration due to iron oxides, while manganese oxides create blue-gray hues in certain rocks.
Regional uplift of the Colorado Plateau, driven by tectonic forces, elevated these layers thousands of feet above sea level. Subsequent erosion by wind, water, and ice carved the landscape. Differential erosion played a key role: harder sandstones resisted weathering, while softer shales eroded faster, creating the isolated pillars, buttes, and arches seen today. Notable formations include the East and West Mitten Buttes (resembling hands in mittens), the Totem Pole (a slender sandstone spire), and Merrick Butte. The valley floor, at elevations of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, is composed of sand and siltstone, with its vivid red tones from oxidized iron.
Geological studies, including those by the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Mexico Geological Society, highlight Monument Valley as a classic example of plateau dissection. Similar landscapes on Mars have even been nicknamed “Monument Valley” by researchers due to visual parallels. Ongoing erosion continues to shape the area, though at a slow pace in this arid environment.
Historical Overview
Human history in Monument Valley dates back millennia, intertwined with its geological features. The earliest known inhabitants were the Ancestral Puebloans (also called Anasazi), who occupied the region around 1300 CE or earlier, building cliff dwellings and leaving petroglyphs in nearby areas like Mystery Valley. These ancient peoples used the valley’s resources for hunting, gathering, and agriculture before mysteriously abandoning the sites around the 14th century, possibly due to drought or resource depletion.
By the 1300s, San Juan Band Paiutes frequented the area as nomadic hunters and gatherers, naming it “Valley or Treeless Area Amid the Rocks” and imbuing it with spiritual significance, such as viewing certain formations as gods or hogans (traditional Navajo dwellings). The Navajo (Diné) people arrived later, establishing a more permanent presence by the 18th century. They consider the valley sacred, with mythological stories tied to the landforms.
European contact began with Spanish and Mexican explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries, often in punitive expeditions against Navajo raiders. In the 1860s, during the U.S. government’s campaigns against the Navajo, Kit Carson led forces into the region, forcing many Navajo into the “Long Walk” to internment at Bosque Redondo. After their return in 1868, the Navajo faced miners seeking silver and uranium, with notable incidents like the 1880 killings of prospectors Ernest Mitchell and James Merrick near the monoliths. Uranium mining boomed in the mid-20th century west of U.S. Highway 163, leaving a legacy of environmental contamination that persists today.
The modern era began in the early 20th century with traders like Harry and Leone “Mike” Goulding, who established a trading post in 1923 (now Goulding’s Lodge). They promoted the area to Hollywood, leading to director John Ford’s discovery of the valley in the 1930s. Ford’s films, starting with “Stagecoach” (1939) starring John Wayne, immortalized Monument Valley as the archetype of the American West. Subsequent movies like “The Searchers” (1956), “Forrest Gump” (1994), and “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) further cemented its fame.
In 1958, the Navajo Nation established Monument Valley as its first tribal park, a pioneering move in Indigenous self-governance that influenced other tribes. This designation preserved Navajo control over tourism, which includes guided tours emphasizing cultural history.
Cultural and Modern Significance
For the Navajo, Monument Valley is not just a geological wonder but a spiritual homeland. Legends describe buttes as defeated monsters or sky-supporters, and the land is integral to ceremonies and storytelling. Tourism, managed through Navajo-guided jeep, horseback, and hiking tours, provides economic benefits while sharing cultural insights. Visitors can explore the 17-mile scenic drive or off-road sites like Hunt’s Mesa, but unguided access is limited to respect sacred areas.
Today, Monument Valley attracts over 500,000 visitors annually, boosting the local economy through lodges, artisan sales, and film productions. Environmental challenges include erosion, climate change impacts, and legacy mining pollution, prompting ongoing conservation efforts by the Navajo Nation.