Monument Valley, Arizona, USA
Airing Date: Nov 14th, 2005
Monument Valley is the kind of place that is familiar to people, as it's been used as landscape in many famous movies.
The Valley became known throughout the world when in 1939 John Ford's Stagecoach first brought its spectacular landscape to the big screen. Since then, Monument Valley has been the location of dozens of other movies, from the western classic She Wore a Yellow Ribbon to the huge chick flick Thelma and Louise to Forrest Gump.
An exceptional way to see the scope of this incredible landscape is on a Westwind Aviation flight. The flight also covers the Grand Canyon and the Red Rocks of Sedona.
From the air you'll see the dramatic spires and buttes that characterise the area. You can also take an open air Jeep tour to get a feel for what Monument Valley is like on the ground. The tour includes a visit to Mystery Valley in the morning. After a lunch 'cookout' the tour then heads to Monument Valley. It stops at the visitors' centre where you can see artefacts, buy souvenirs and grabs some brochures and maps. The tour then sets out on the 17 mile loop, where you'll learn about stories of the area - both the Hollywood and the Navajo History - as well as tales of the rocks and geological formations. The tour will also take you off the beaten track past traditional Navajo homes, and teach you about traditional bush medicine.
Although Monument Valley is massive, only a thousand people live there and there is only one place to stay. That's Goulding's Lodge, about a mile off U.S. Highway 163, near the turnoff to the Navajo Tribal Park headquarters, the official entrance to Monument Valley.
Situated at the base of towering sandstone cliffs, the long, two-storied adobe motel faces east toward the formations. Goulding's Trading Post has been a fixture at Monument Valley since 1923. The original trading post building is now the Goulding's Museum, housing a collection of movie-making memorabilia as well as Indian artefacts. It was Harry Goulding who first brought Monument Valley to Hollywood's attention, convincing director John Ford that this dramatic, rugged land would be the ideal backdrop for his westerns.
More Information
An eight hour tour with Westwind Aviation starts from $659 a person. Includes scenic flight landing in Monument Valley, Jeep tour & flight over Grand Canyon
Westwind Air Service
Telephone: 0011 1 480 991 5557
Website: www.westwindairtours.com
Rooms at Gouldings Lodge start from $110 a double. Prices include tax. Facilities include two indoor heated pools, restaurant, campground, grocery store & fast food court
Goulding's Lodge
Telephone: 0011 1 435 727 3225
Website: gouldings.com
Prices correct at 14/11/05
