Issue 3_MiMagazine_EN

Monument Valley - Utah Few places on this Earth are as inspiring and beautiful as Monument Valley in Utah. If you’ve never visited the area before, prepare to be transported to an almost alien world of red rocks and otherworldly formations. Set your alarm for before sunrise and begin your day by marvelling over (and photographing) the sun rising over the East and West Mittens in Navajo Tribal Park. With summits taller than 1800 m – and thumbs fa- cing one another – the scene will no doubt lead the conversation around the breakfast table that day. We recommend the Navajo Fry Bread at The View Restaurant. Hopping onto the Scenic Loop Road, you will un- doubtedly not be alone and have little room to flex your driving enthusiast muscles. This is a popular spot – complete with park fees – and it’s neither paved nor exactly smooth, so expect to cruise slowly while tak- ing in the sites. Guides are available to hire, should you like to learn about the history and culture of the Navajo. A hired guide will also give you access to some off-lim- it areas. Most importantly, this will allow you to hike up to various formations that other folks can only ad- mire from behind their windows.

There are 11 different sites along the looped route, and surely most will look familiar as they’ve likely been a part of a movie or two that you’ve enjoyed in the past. Because temperatures can be quite sizzling in the area, we recommend you time your drive to the shoul- der seasons and not limit yourself to this single 27-km road. From this point you are within an hour of Valley of the Gods and Natural Bridges National Monument. Moab, Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park are also quite close, via a trip up Highway 191.

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