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Above: A Navajo horseman takes his spot on John Ford’s Point, one of the most-photographed spots in Monument Valley. John Handley photo
The striking rock formations known as the mittens can be seen from every guest room at the new VIEW Hotel. It opened last month and is the only hotel located within Monument Valley. VIEW Hotel photo; Monument Valley photo by John Handley |
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Goulding and his wife owned a trading post in Monument Valley, one of the most scenic spots on earth. They knew that its natural beauty was worth a fortune if they could only sell it. It was the Depression year of 1938 and times were hard on the Arizona-Utah border.
Hoping to entice Hollywood filmmakers to come to Monument Valley, Goulding tried the office of famous movie director John Ford. When Ford’s receptionist turned him down, he went out and returned with his bedroll. He would wait as long as it took.
Goulding was soon able to show his black-and-white photos of Monument Valley to Ford’s location manager. Goulding described the vast desert that dwarfed all things human with 1,000-foot-high rock monoliths. He told about the towering red buttes and mesas that soar into the blue sky.
John Wayne arrives
Within a month, a film crew trekked to the remote valley to shoot “Stagecoach.” A young actor named John Wayne rode to stardom in what was to become a classic Western.
“Stagecoach” won two Academy Awards and set the format for Westerns that followed. In addition to boosting Wayne’s career, “Stagecoach” launched the long and successful film legacy of Monument Valley. It was to become the dramatic backdrop for countless movies, TV programs and commercials, music videos and other photo projects.
Ford loved this outdoor stage set so much that he returned again and again, putting the valley in the movies and on the map.
A few of the films shot here: “Once Upon a Time in the West,” “Easy Rider,” “The Eiger Sanction,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Back to the Future III,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade” and “Forrest Gump.”
The Marlboro Man lit up here for TV ads and numerous car commercials have driven through the valley.
Lorie Lee, media production specialist for the Navajo Nation film office, noted that more than 100 photo projects took place in the valley in 2008, ranging from documentaries to feature films. “One was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle travelogue of the Southwest,” she said.
With all this media exposure over the years, it’s natural that vacationers would want to come and see Monument Valley for themselves and take a few pictures of their own.
Tribal park
Located off the beaten path of Interstates, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is mostly in northern Arizona, with parts of it spilling into Utah. Phoenix, the closest big city, is some 300 miles away. But the drive to this remote place is well worth it.
Once here, other major attractions beckon in the region: Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Canyon de Chelly, Mesa Verde, Canyonlands and Navajo National Monument.
Since the late 1930s when Wayne and other actors camped out in the desert because lodging was unavailable, the valley has become more visitor friendly. But accommodations are still at a premium.
First, you might try historical Goulding’s Lodge where it all started. Goulding built cabins for tourists and movie crews. The lodge, about five miles from the park entrance, now has 62 rooms and a campground for tents and RVs. Its Stagecoach Dining Room serves a local favorite, Navajo tacos.
Don’t miss the lodge’s museum, housed in the 1920s trading post. It features motion picture memorabilia and Wayne’s cabin from the film “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.” Every night, this film and other Wayne movies shot here, are shown at Goulding’s.
“In the old days, the bulk of a movie was shot here. Now our footage in a finished film may be just three to five minutes,” said Ronnie Biard, operations manager at Goulding’s.
Accommodations also are available in Kayenta, Ariz., 22 miles south, and in Mexican Hat, Utah, 22 miles north.
A new hotel
But the big news in Monument Valley is the opening of the VIEW Hotel located next to the visitor center in the tribal park. From this prime vantage point, the valley below spreads out to the horizon in all its stark grandeur.
Every one of the 90 guest rooms has a private balcony offering picture-postcard views of the “mittens,” two of the most iconic rock formations here.
Built to green standards, the low-contour hotel conforms to the surroundings. Its color reflects the palette of the red-rock desert. The hotel also showcases the area’s movie fame and Wayne memorabilia.
Lauren Murdock, marketing manager of the Navajo-owned VIEW Hotel, said the goal was to create jobs in the Navajo Nation, which has a high unemployment rate.
The visitor center, next to the hotel, is where you plan your exploration of Monument Valley. Visitors can drive their own vehicles on a 17-mile dirt road for a fee of $5 a person.
Valley tours
But taking a tour with a Navajo guide delivers a much richer experience. Guides explain why this place is sacred to Native Americans. They also point out all the locations used in the movies. Tours can last from one hour to two days, including sunrise and sunset excursions and camping. More than 10 companies offer tours.
Harold Simpson of Trail Handlers Tours estimates that most films have been shot within a two- or three-mile radius of the visitor center. One of the most famous locations is John Ford’s Point, where the director shot the scene of an American Indian village being attacked in “The Searchers.”
Tourists may spot a Navajo horseman atop John Ford’s Point. This is a photo opportunity not to be missed. Remember, when photographing Navajos, good etiquette requires asking their permission first and then offering a gratuity.
What would Goulding say about the new VIEW Hotel that is now competing with the lodge that bears his name?
Harry likely would be happy that more visitors can enjoy the spectacular panoramas that he sold long ago to Hollywood.
John Handley is a contributor from Northbrook, Ill.
