My remote camp trip near Monument Valley

[89AKurt]

Everyone knows Monument Valley, I didn't camp inside the Navajo reservation, but...... Been wanting to take Blue Cloud camping. I prefer avoiding campgrounds, and would rather be under the stars than a roof. These are pictures from the Nikon camera, more will be posted from the phone. The pickup ran great, but the weather cut it short.

This is west of Tuba City:


This landmark is Elephant's Feet:


Abandoned service station:


Forest Gump made this straight famous, which is north of Monument Valley. They paved pull-offs, and made it a 35 MPH zone so tourists won't get run over:


Day one campsite, in the Valley Of The Gods:


When I left in the morning, scouted other campsites:


Campsites are just off the road, but there is no traffic at night:



This is Moki Dugway, the highway is gravel in this section that goes up the cliff:

I took more videos of this part than pictures.

Day two campsite, on Cedar Mesa at Muley Point. You can see Monument Valley beyond, about 20 miles as the Eagle flies:



The drive down Moki Dugway the next day:


Sand Island is where rafters launch for going down the San Juan River. There are petroglyphs on the canyon wall, and a developed campground:


This is along Comb Ridge, there are petroglyphs on these rocks:


Can camp at these locations, too windy today.

For now skipping day three camp spot, pictures still need to be downloaded. I got woke up at 2:30AM by rain. So I left, in case it really came down didn't wish to get stuck! This is the north entrance to Wupatki Nat. Mon.:


This is Wukoki Pueblo:



To avoid the headwind, I took Snebbley Hill Road, which is a historic road that is suited for Jeeps, but Blue Cloud did great!







I was nice to take the old truck for a long drive, 674 miles. Thanks for looking.

[67swb72klb]

Sweet!!
Thanks for posting!

[cwcarpenter98]

Great pictures! That looks like a fun trip

[best view]

How the hell do know were u are there’s no street signs unless you have lived there you’re whole life my friend in hawthorn Nevada does the same thing with me

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by best view

How the hell do know were u are there’s no street signs unless you have lived there you’re whole life my friend in hawthorn Nevada does the same thing with me

LOL One reason I knew where I was going, studied the satellite version of the map on Flickr (where the photos are hosted). I imagine Google Earth would serve the same purpose. There are few signs, and I have several maps. I have a good sense of direction, except when I was in Chicagoland. You are close to Bodie.

[68bowtie]

wow what a gorgeous trip

[GOPAPA]

Great picture taken with the truck in the wild ..I collect license plates ,and it made me notice yours on the truck .. "LMC"--- did ya get it by luck or have one made with LMC on it .. I am not after you to sell it to me , I just notice it being like the catalog business in Kansas City.. Now , I'm going to look at the photos again ..very nice,, looks a little snaky to me..

[GruntMoanCough]

Some nice pics there, thanks for posting. I've been through Monument Valley a few times but, never toured it like you have. I will definitely check it out more when I should go there again.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Great picture taken with the truck in the wild ..I collect license plates ,and it made me notice yours on the truck .. "LMC"--- did ya get it by luck or have one made with LMC on it .. I am not after you to sell it to me , I just notice it being like the catalog business in Kansas City.. Now , I'm going to look at the photos again ..very nice,, looks a little snaky to me..

That '69 plate was on the car I grew up with, dad asked for 190 because it was on a Mercedes 190 sedan. Nights are cold, so no snakes, saw only one lizard.

[Stocker]

Very striking scenery, those pics would make great picture postcards! (Do those even still exist?)

[toms68cst]

Great use of your truck! I really enjoyed the pictures. You've inspired me to do some camping too.

[57taskforce]

Nice! I live about 2 hours from monument. My wife is Navajo and has family in tuba, so we are well acquainted with that side of the rez. Mexican hat is a pretty cool site too.

[yuccales]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

Nice! I live about 2 hours from monument. My wife is Navajo and has family in tuba, so we are well acquainted with that side of the rez. Mexican hat is a pretty cool site too.

Thanks for the comment. I'm second generation Zonie, we always blew through this area when going to Colorado Springs. My dad's parents explored the area from the mid 30s, as well as my dad. Here is gramp's '40 Ford pickup at Elephant's Feet, before the highway was paved.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by best view

Kurt my friend in hawthorn Nevada was driving me down this main highway and stopped in the middle of nowhere and said i want to show you this hot tub the Indians built and started driving in the desert to show me it ,there was nothing to tell u to it was this spot to go out there i still can’t believe he new,also brought me to many unfilled mine shafts that they never filled and people have fallen in and died also keeps turpentine in his truck for picking pine nuts which only indians are allowed to have

You just get used to driving in the middle of no where and learn to pick up landmarks along the way. I have to find oil and gas wells out in the middle of no where daily. It can be easy to get lost but it’s not too hard to get righted as long as you can recognize the land marks.

Originally Posted by 89AKurt

Thanks for the comment. I'm second generation Zonie, we always blew through this area when going to Colorado Springs. My dad's parents explored the area from the mid 30s, as well as my dad. Here is gramp's '40 Ford pickup at Elephant's Feet, before the highway was paved.

That is such an awesome picture!!! I don’t actually live in Farmington I’m about 12 miles west right on the border to the Navajo nation off of 64.
The drive from here up thru teec nos pos, and Kayenta on to monument valley is a nice drive. Sometimes we go up thru aneth and come in that way. The mesas above the San Juan coming from aneth are pretty spectacular. They look like a rattle snake weaving around the river.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

You just get used to driving in the middle of no where and learn to pick up landmarks along the way. I have to find oil and gas wells out in the middle of no where daily. It can be easy to get lost but it’s not too hard to get righted as long as you can recognize the land marks.

That is such an awesome picture!!! I don’t actually live in Farmington I’m about 12 miles west right on the border to the Navajo nation off of 64.
The drive from here up thru teec nos pos, and Kayenta on to monument valley is a nice drive. Sometimes we go up thru aneth and come in that way. The mesas above the San Juan coming from aneth are pretty spectacular. They look like a rattle snake weaving around the river.

I've stayed in Farmington, to see Chaco and Bisti Wilderness. I'll keep in mind the locations you describe.

Here is another picture taken by grandpa.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by 89AKurt

I've stayed in Farmington, to see Chaco and Bisti Wilderness. I'll keep in mind the locations you describe.

Here is another picture taken by grandpa.

Hey Kurt, thanks for the inspiration! We’ve had Covid in our house for a little over a week now… luckily no major symptoms at all but we’ve been in various stages of “quarantine”. We decided to take a road trip today and get some fresh air and vitamin D! Our Yukon isn’t a cool as your truck but it was a great trip none the less. We went to goosenecks and had a picnic style lunch before heading up Moki Dugway…

[LT7A]

Such a cool way to see that incredible beauty. Thanks for taking the time to get the good pictures and to post them for us.

[special-K]

Nice get away. In the '68 makes it all the better. That's good desert camping, under the stars and no one around. When it came to Snebbley Hill I thought, "That's a ways from Monument Valley", then I saw 674 miles. Not surprised. Thanks for sharing. I miss that area. Seeing your pictures not only brings back how it looked but the feel and smell of the air with the sense of vastness. Thanks!

[4u2nv]

Hard to imagine that it was all underwater thousands of years ago and mammoths, camels, bison, horses, giant ground sloths, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves and whatever roamed that area.
Great pictures and a very interesting area of the world.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nice get away. In the '68 makes it all the better. That's good desert camping, under the stars and no one around. When it came to Snebbley Hill I thought, "That's a ways from Monument Valley", then I saw 674 miles. Not surprised. Thanks for sharing. I miss that area. Seeing your pictures not only brings back how it looked but the feel and smell of the air with the sense of vastness. Thanks!

Thanks for the comment! Glad you enjoyed.

Thanks to everyone else too, plan that camping trip!

[Ol Blue K20]

I love the pics, it looks like great trip! Thanks for sharing.

[Axle]

Nice scenery. Shame about a 35mph highway.

[Thealien]

Thank you!

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by 89AKurt

Forest Gump made this straight famous, which is north of Monument Valley. They paved pull-offs, and made it a 35 MPH zone so tourists won't get run over:

.

Nice pics! I love that area, was just there a little over a month ago. Think I parked the car in the same spot as you! Also did the Moki Dugway, but thats about as rough of a road as I will do these days. That last road you were on would kill my car for sure!