
Five Kiva Ruins and arch
These ruins and are the closest ruins to see from Blanding. They are quite large and easy to access.
For independent travelers who want to dig deeper
This location has a few names, it was known for a long time by its location — “Mile marker 13“, and also by its description — “Monument Valley Scenic Overlook“, and now thanks to being prominently featured in the movie Forrest Gump, it is also known as “Forrest Gump Point“. This is the place where he stopped running after more than 3 years saying “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll go home now”.
Whatever you call it, you need to go there, it’s one of the most iconic locations of the southwest and a photography bucket list for lots of people.
The problem is it’s an isolated location so the more you know in advance to help plan your photography strategy before you get there the better off you will be. It is invaluable to know where the different places to shoot from are and what time of day is the best time to be there.
This photography guide has the information and tips you need to make sure you come back with the photographs you wanted to get.
The classic shot has the straight section of Highway 163 running out to the horizon with Stagecoach Butte to the left, Brighams Tomb in the center and Eagle Mesa to the right.
This is typical of what you will see going on
This photograph shows you the number of signs along the side of the road at the Monument Valley Scenic Overlook today
The sun sets behind the buttes
Don’t just shoot the Mile Marker 13 scenic overlook of Monument Valley and take off.
Before you leave, drive 4.0 miles east (toward the buttes) on Highway 163 and turn left into the Redlands Overlook. You’re looking into the backside of Monument Valley from here. Personally, I think the Redlands Overlook offers more beautiful scenery than Forrest Gump Point, but you will rarely see anyone here.
Park near the buildings and walk out behind them for some great scenery. You can shoot from the higher ground or walk down into the area behind these buildings for quite a distance to create other compositions.
These ruins and are the closest ruins to see from Blanding. They are quite large and easy to access.
Arch Canyon has ruins and three arches, explore Walnut Knob to see amazing petroglyphs of hunting parties and game
There are many ruins in the canyon, but House on Fire ruin is the most famous of them, getting its name from the effects that the sunlight has on the sandstone cliff of the overhang that it is built under
Road Canyon contains many ruins, granaries, and kivas. “Fallen Roof Ruin” derives its name from the elaborate pattern created by the missing sandstone slabs of rock that fell out of the roof of the alcove in front of it.
Choose to view the ruins from an overlook or hike up the wash and explore the ruins close up
A petroglyph panel with a graphic representation of a large crane and sun symbol
See a higher and lower set of ruins with painted handprints, metates, rockart and impressive mud mortared rock walled structures still standing
A large intact ruin on top of a 400-foot rock pedestal with views out over Comb Ridge
Hidden up a side canyon of Comb Ridge is an impressive ruin complex with petroglyphs, pottery sherds, corn cobs, sharpening grooves, and grinding metates.
Hike to see multiple rock art panels with one with a unique wolfman like figure, across the canyon are ruins you can continue to
See two sets of Allosaurus dinosaur tracks from 160 million years ago
A short easy hike to a large cave with handprints and metates, there are a number of smaller ruins to see along the trail.
The hike to a ruin split over two ledges is filled with hundreds of pictographs, large rocks covered in metates, sharpening marks, pottery shards, and painted handprints
The park’s viewpoint overlooks the meander of two giant bends (goosenecks) of the San Juan River. Geologists consider this part of the river to be one of the finest examples of “entrenched meanders” anywhere in the world.
Sit 400 feet above Arch Canyon and enjoy a great sunset
This is a little visited but interesting location full of goblins and hoodoos contained in three main groups of formations relatively close to each other
On Highway 162, stretching for 3 miles east from Bluff there are multiple rock art sites sitting right next to the highway.
Valley of the Gods is a beautiful treasure waiting to be discovered, unlike Monument Valley, it is free, and you can explore without having to hire a tour guide
Photography tips for making the most of your visit to this iconic location that has been the backdrop of countless movies, commercials, print ads, calendars and much more.
There are two large concentrations of rock art to see at two sites that accumulated artwork over 2000 years.
A famous rock panel carved with about 650 individual petroglyphs of abstract shapes and symbols to more recognizable human and animal figures
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