Monument Valley, Utah, United States
Today has been overwhelming in its beauty. We were up and ready to go on a three and a half hour tour of Monument Valley, meeting the tour truck at 8:30 at the campground office. Our tour guide was Larry and he turned out to be a very good one...very friendly and quite a sense of humor. The sky was a perfect shade of blue and the temperature was already in the 70's by the time we left. We had a truly amazing day, most of which I will show you rather than tell...this time pictures are truly worth a thousand words!
Before I upload the pictures (we found some good WIFI just down the hill at the Goulding Lodge last night so I feel pretty confident that we can get everything out this evening) I will first give you some geological history about Monument Valley that was included in some of the information we were given today
.
"Before human existence Monument Valley was a vast lowland basin. For hundreds of millions of years layer upon layer of eroded sediment from the early Rocky Mountains was deposited in the basin and cemented into rock--mainly sandstone and limestone. Then a slow, gentle uplift created by constant pressure from below the surface elevated the horizontal strata. What was once a basin became a plateau of solid rock 1000 feel high. The natural forces of wind and rain and temperature have spent the last 50 million years cutting and peeling away the surface of this plateau. The simple wearing down of alternate layers of hard and soft rock slowly created the natural wonders of Monument Valley that today stand between 400 and 1200 feet tall."
I kept telling John that we had NOT seen Monument Valley when we were through here several times in the past many years. He thought we had...he now agrees wholeheartedly that we had not! You heard it first here!! At any rate, I think we both spent most of our time with our mouths open as we drove into this vast valley. We only saw a small part of it...can't imagine our brains being able to absorb more today. I do know that we can highly recommend that if you ever get a chance to see this indescribably breathtaking place be sure to do so.
Wind and rain dug down to the beginning of time.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Monument Valley, Utah, United States
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Comments
2025-05-22
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Dave
2014-07-29
Excellent tour! We love to travel with you guys! You take us to such wondrous places, thank you!! Can't wait to see your next destination. Happy trails and be safe......
Laura
2014-07-29
Wow! The pictures are incredible! We made it to Amarillo and have a nice site. It was 75 degrees when we got here. We are not sure if we are actually in Texas??!! We did not get above 80 degrees on our trip today. Heading to the homestead tomorrow.
Betty/ Ed
2014-07-29
After your post yesterday, Ed said he was packing up for a trip. After Mary and Pat's post he unpacked. Now he is ready to pack again seeing all the majesty of your locations today!!! Awesome! And we know photos do not capture what the eye can see. We do not think we have been there before, but even if we had it would be worth another look. As I say about Alaska, you can not see Alaska too often. Neither could you see these stone formation too often.
Thanks for the journey through your lens and words.
Dorothy & Lozy
2014-07-30
We are enjoying your trip - be safe :)
dwlp.travelkids
2014-07-30
Laura Beth...thanks for an update on your trip. Sounds like things are going well. Be safe and let us know when you all get home. Love you. Mom and Dad
Lora Carbary
2014-07-30
John and Pat, Just spectacular. No words can really describe. I am only going to say that Monument Valley just moved to the top of my bucket list. I am sure we will get there. I also want to see Arches and Bryce so that sounds like a plan all in the same trip. I am so happy you are getting good weather when you have had events to do. I am also glad you are feeling good and can enjoy this trip. We are enjoying all the videos thanks for taking the time to show us. Love you both. Lora
dwlp.travelkids
2014-07-30
Lora...if you are adding Bryce and Arches, you have to add Zion. It is spectacular too! Betty, you and Ed just might as well get on the road...you know you want to. Dorothy and Lozy, thanks for the good wishes. Dave...we expect you to be on the road and blogging any day now. Thanks to all who enjoyed the pictures today. This has been a "10" day for sure. We sure do enjoy hearing from everyone. Thanks.
D. Crip
2014-07-30
Wow, your pics are awesome and look at that blue sky. You might want to know it has been a fall-ish day here and supposedly down to 57 tonight!
Pat Morrell
2014-07-30
Such marvelous views !!
Thanks for 'taking us with you'.
camille
2014-07-30
making me wish I was there!