Valley of the Gods
The massive buttes and spires that give Monument Valley its name are, according to legend, the frozen ancestors of the Navajo — warriors and heroes of a cherished, distant past. Made popular by the cool bravado and sure shot of John Wayne and mystical by Navajo oral tradition, Monument Valley is traversed by a lone spit of gravel road where blinkers and brake checks may leave you “road raging” during your visit.
Don’t bite your lip, though. There is a solution to this inevitable traffic snarl, and it has nothing to do with mass transit.
Forget “Monument-ally Congested Valley” and see Valley of the Gods, instead.
Why is this a suitable alternative? Well, take the sandstone monoliths of Monument Valley and place them a half-hour north in Southeastern Utah, lose the traffic jam, visitors center, parking lot, campground, guide services and any connection to John Wayne’s movie lore (the Navajo legend remains), and you’re left with a wondrous 17-mile drive that will have you smirking at the thought of right-of-ways and u-turns.
Driving the well-maintained gravel road through the shrub-coated, rock-strewn, red- and peach-peppered Valley of the Gods, there remains little wonder how this place received its name. There does remain, however, much bewilderment as to how this place retains such solitude. With so many pull-offs and sidetracks, there is ample opportunity for what feels like pioneering exploration throughout the vast basin in which the road rambles. You’re not likely to see more than two handfuls of motorists any given day. Most will wave like a neighbor at home or fellow boater on a recreation lake.
The great formations, the buttes and spires and pinnacles, the ‘Gods’ that ages ago stood firm when what is now Cedar Mesa, of which they were a part, began crumbling to the desert floor, receding to the north, are special testaments of the destructive forces of nature that so often create beauty. A salute to weather and erosion.
Formed 250 million years ago by an encroaching sea, Cedar Mesa today is known to house large deposits of native Anasazi ruins. In the valley, bighorn sheep and peregrine falcons are the native hosts.
The grandest ‘Gods’ in the valley often appear sculpted, like clouds whose shape resembles our pets or a devil’s grin, and are aptly named. But, you should pin your own tags to the gracefully, and precariously, standing towers. Get creative. “Rooster Butte,” though distinguishable, also looks like a left hand reaching up from the earth — “Death’s Hand from the Grave,” I call it. “Castle Butte” could also be “King’s Crown.” Other, lesser ‘Gods’ have no recognized names. These can be the most fun. Look around, eye a spire, relish a butte and find its anthropomorphic parallel. Out there you may spy “The Japanese Monastery” or “The Great Pyramid of Utah.”
With every mile tracked and every wash crossed, your view of the ‘Gods’ subtly changes as their angles toward your gawk rotate with the bends of the road. Don’t forget to look back at those deities of the desert.
Though no public facilities exist along the valley road (this means no tour buses), there is a rustic bed & breakfast on the western end. But if you’re interested in staying the night (if not, plan on spending at least three hours on the road alone), camping options appear unlimited. There are no postings prohibiting pitching a tent or even relegating it to specific sites. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Valley of the Gods receives little federal attention. There is but a brief mention of the area on the BLM web page.
So, pack your meals and gear along with your camera and find a nice spot in the immense void of this valley where the ground feels like a mix of mud and sand and the sky is watched over by ‘Gods.’ If you get that feeling of solitude that says, “I’m in the middle of nowhere,” remember that ‘nowhere’ is a nice place to be. And, anyway, you’re not really so alone.
Getting there
Valley of the Gods can be accessed via the west end on Utah 261 just before it ascends Cedar Mesa or to the southeast off of Hwy. 163 where the gravel road follows Lime Creek before turning west. The nearest towns are Bluff and Mexican hat. Bluff is located near the junction of Utah 162 and Hwy. 191, just a few minutes before the junction of Highways 191 and 163. Mexican Hat, named for a local sandstone spire resembling a sombrero, is located along Hwy. 163, a short drive from the junction with Utah 261. Monument Valley is, approximately, 33 miles southwest of Valley of the Gods along Hwy. 163.
