The American Southwest is littered with iconic rock formations, from the Grand Canyon to Arches National Park and everywhere in between. Monument Valley can be an out of the way destination, depending on your itinerary. However, it is well worth a stop. If you are driving between Grand Canyon National Park and Arches National Park, Monument Valley will be a great halfway point. This is happened to my mom and I on our Southwest road trip.
And if you’re already going to stop at Monument Valley, why not make it extra special? Sunrise at Monument Valley is amazing. In my opinion, sunrise is the best time to explore this area.
How to Explore Monument Valley
There are two big things to do in Monument Valley. The first is a 17 mile, self guided drive through the park. This costs $20 per vehicle and typically takes two hours.
Another popular option is to take a guided tour. Many people, myself included, like to be independent travelers. However, going on a guided tour through this tribal park offers one huge benefit. You can get off the main road. If you do the self guided drive, you are limited to a specific route and cannot deviate from it. Guided tours will get off this road (although there will likely be a little overlap with the self guided drive) and will allow you to get close to monuments you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit.
Guided tours depart regularly around Monument Valley and if you arrive in the afternoon like we did, you’ll likely see vehicles loaded with tourists. From my experience, it seemed like most people who took a guided tour of Monument Valley did so during the day which can leave the area feeling a bit crowded. If you want to escape the crowds and still have a fantastic experience, it’s worth looking into doing a sunrise tour.
We chose the Monument Valley Sunrise Tour, and although it was an early morning, it was absolutely worth it. I cannot recommend doing a sunrise tour enough.
About the Monument Valley Sunrise Tour
Unsurprisingly, if you plan to do a Monument Valley Sunrise Tour, your day will start very early. Your guide will want to get you into a scenic location before the sun comes up. We traveled during the first week of October. When we booked our tour online, we were told we had to be at the meeting point at 5:30 am. We knew it would be early, but we would be ready. However, to our utter delight, our tour organizer called us the night before and pushed back our meeting time until 6:30 am. One whole extra hour of sleep!
Meeting Your Guide
On the day of our tour, sunrise at Monument Valley was at 7:17 am, so a meeting time at 6:30 was enough time to get us into position, without too much time just waiting around. Had we met at 5:30, we would have just been standing around in the dark for an hour. Thankfully our guides caught that the night before and were great about contacting everyone on the tour to let them know about the change.
It is very important to make sure you have the right time. Arizona does not follow Daylight Savings Time, but Monument Valley does. Pay attention and make sure you know what time you need to meet your guide.
In general, you’ll need to be at the meeting point approximately an hour before sunrise, so if you are visiting in summer, you will need to get up even earlier as sunrise can be as early at 6:00 am. When you book your tour, your tour provider will let you know when and where to meet.
We met our guide at The View Hotel. If you are staying here, this can be very convenient. We stayed at Goulding’s Lodge, which is a ten minute drive down the road. We got to know our guide (Steven, who was a whizz with phone cameras) and get some basic information while we waited for the rest of our group to arrive.
There were multiple photographers on this tour, which makes sense. The first hour after sunrise is referred to as “golden hour”. It is one of the best times to take photos because of the natural light. Do not be surprised if there are multiple people with fancy cameras and tripods. Just be aware, you may linger at stops a little longer than you want because your guide wants to make sure they can also have a good experience and get the photos they want.
The Tour Experience
Once your entire group has arrived, you’ll load up into the truck and head off so you can get to the perfect viewing point for a Monument Valley sunrise. All of the tourists sit in the exposed, open back of the truck, so it can be very cold. Thankfully, blankets are provided, so make sure you ask before you set off. You’ll want it once you get going!
The drive into Monument Valley is slow going. It is unpaved, dirt roads. So your guide, who is also your driver, will constantly be slowing down for rocks and dips in the road. It will be a very bumpy ride. During this time, your guide will tell you the history of Monument Valley, including the history of the Navajo people. The drive will start in darkness, but as you drive deeper into Monument Valley, the first rays of sun will start to appear.
We drove for about a half hour to get to our Monument Valley sunrise spot. No two tours of Monument Valley are the same, so there’s no guarantee where exactly you will watch the sunrise. Each guide picks their own route and from my understanding, the very same guide might do different routes on each tour. It is completely up to the guide to pick which sights you’ll visit.
After we arrived at our Monument Valley sunrise spot, I thought we were here, but I was wrong. Our guide had us climb up a dune to have the most stunning view of the sun coming up over the horizon. The actual sunrise is quick, so if you’re going to take photos, you need to be ready. Unless you’re a serious photographer, watch the sunrise over Monument Valley on its own before you start to stare at it through your phone’s camera to take photos. You’ll likely have a decent amount of time here, so you don’t need to feel rushed. Enjoy the moment and appreciate how the sunrise is bringing everything in the valley to life.
Once our group had their photos, we walked back to the truck and continued on, stopping a few more times for different photo stops. The highlight for me was the stop at Big Hogan, a natural arch that doubles as a natural amphitheater. Our guide stopped here and encouraged us to lean back against the walls, close our eyes, and just listen as he played a traditional Navajo flute. This area is only accessible with a guided tour and it was spectacular.
Throughout the morning, I was delighted to see so few tourists. It was amazing having a whole area to ourselves and it made it feel so much more remote. At our last stop, we met several other trucks full of tourists, at their first stop of the tour. That feeling of remoteness vanishes instantly. You’ll be thankful for all of the time you spent with just your small group.
So Is A Monument Valley Sunrise Tour Worth It?
Absolutely! It’s completely worth doing a guided tour of Monument Valley, regardless of when you do it. You’ll not only be able to see any formations that you wouldn’t otherwise get to see, but you’ll also get an amazing insight into the culture of the Navajo people and the history of this land. Doing this at sunrise was just a bonus because there were significantly fewer people. Watching the sun illuminate the valley is also just stunning.
How Long Do You Need At Monument Valley?
One day is sufficient to visit Monument Valley. This gives you enough time to drive the scenic drive and take a guided tour.
We stopped here on our drive from Grand Canyon National Park to Moab, UT. We arrived in Monument Valley in the late afternoon, spent the night, took a sunrise tour the next morning, and then continued on to Moab.
What Should You Bring On Your Sunrise Tour?
Warm Clothes – You start your tour in the dark and it does get cold. I wore long pants and a jacket. My mom also brought gloves and a hat. Even with all of this, we still needed the blankets until the sun came up.
A Camera – Even your phone camera will do. I keep saying that the scenery is amazing, but it really is. You’ll want to take photos while you’re out there.
Cash – If you are not staying at The View Hotel, you are required to pay a $20 entry fee to the Monument Valley Tribal Park.
A hair tie – If you have long hair, tie it back. Better yet, braid it. I did not do this and by the end of the tour, my hair was in knots and full of sand and dirt.
Sunglasses – Once the sun comes up, it can get very bright in Monument Valley.
How Much Does This Tour Cost?
This isn’t a cheap excursion. In October 2021, we paid $85 per person to take this tour. For more information about tour options, you can check out the information provided by Goulding’s Lodge (even if you don’t stay at Goulding’s).
How Long Does The Tour Last?
Our tour lasted just over three hours. We met at The View Hotel at 6:30 and by 10:00, we were back at our hotel room at Goulding’s Lodge. This gave us enough time to clean up and check out of our hotel.
We were also back early enough that Goulding’s Stagecoach Dining Room was still serving breakfast so we could eat something before we left.
When Should You Do This Tour?
When you come to the American Southwest! Summers will be very hot. Plus the sun rises earlier so you will need to get up earlier. We did our road trip during the first week of October, which was a wonderful time to visit. The weather was comfortable and sunrise was not as early as it was in summer.
Continue Your Adventure
Arizona: For some great options in Arizona, check out Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Petrified Forest National Parks. Or learn more in my Arizona Travel Guide.
Utah: Monument Valley sits on the Arizona-Utah state line, so it’s easy to add some fun in Utah. Consider tackling Utah’s Mighty Five: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks.
Itineraries: For an epic road trip through the US Southwest, check out this 10 day itinerary. For those with less time, check out these templates for 5 Days in Arizona.
A good pair of walking shoes is also important. While you are driven to the sites, you will also do a lot of walking and climbing through sand and rock. Absolutely breathtaking, and amazingly different from each of the other national parks we visited on the trip.
This is so true. I didn’t even consider good shoes, but you are right. You’re climbing over rocks and through so much sand. Good shoes are a must!