Monument Valley is a great tour to take the friends and family on if you are in the American Southwest. There are seven or eight national parks and protected spaces within driving distance of Las Vegas that are all unique and worth visiting if you can take a few days out of your vacation. Monument Valley itself is not one of the national parks that is controlled by the Federal gov’t and instead is located on an Indian reservation on the Utah and Arizona border. It is part of the Colorado Plateau, and is famous for its sandstone buttes and fantastic panoramic views. The area when relatively unnoticed until it began to be featured in the homes in the 1930s, and really took a huge leap forward as far as interest goes when the movie Forest Gump was made. In one of the most pivotal scenes of the movie, the main character contemplates the meaning of his life while running down the desolate and lonely stretch of road with the iconic buttes in the background. The scene were shot on route 163 heading towards the area itself, which is utilized in many kinds of media to illustrate the smallness of a person next to the grandeur of the landscape. Since the movie came out, there has been an increased amount of interest in visiting this iconic place. One of the things that must be noted however, is the fact that there is little to do there except a 17 mile scenic loop that you can drive for a $20.00 admission charge. There is not really hiking of any kind available, and exploration of the space is best done from the areas which are only available to tour companies. For this reason, it is highly suggested that you not only utilize
Monument Valley is a great tour to take the friends and family on if you are in the American Southwest. There are seven or eight
