September 10, 2022 Four Corners and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Oljato-Monument Valley, Arizona

 

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Oljato-Monument Valley, Arizona. The Navajo name is actually Tse Bii Ndzisgalii, which means valley of rocks.

Photo below located in front of Rain God Mesa for perspective!

This Navajo Tribal Park is maintained as a visitor attraction by Navajo Nation parks and Recreation. It is located on the Utah-Arizona state line, near the Four Corners area. 

Four Corners? The monument consists of the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico. Who says that you can't be in four places at one time?😂😄😁 This historical landmark in Teec Nos Pos, AZ is part of the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation. Tickets are required($8.00/person)

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is one of the most photographed places on earth. (To be clear, the Navajo Welcome Center and Visitor Center are NOT THE SAME as the Gouldings(Lodge). Gouldings is in Utah. Navajo Tribal Park is in Arizona!) Below is a partial list of movies filmed in Monument Valley.

The welcome center armed us with information, guides, and maps of the 17 mile loop. 

Honestly, neither of us was prepared for what we were about to see and feel. (Thought-provoking, captivating, gripping, sobering, inspirational). "The site is not a national park, like nearby Canyonlands, but one of six Navajo-owned tribal parks. The Navajo Nation has its own governance and judicial system that operates with its own President. The valley floor is still inhabited by Navajo...30 to 100 people, depending on the season, who live in houses without running water or electricity." Look closely at photo below to see at least 3 houses. The residences travel to nearby Gouldings for their water supply. 👇👇👇

Beginning at the Visitor Center, the unpaved loop winds through the park. Along the way are 11 numbered scenic stops. To quote John Wayne: "So this is where God put the West." The View Hotel and Visitor Center boasts breath-taking views. In photo below, we are seated on a wall next to the Center😲.

The map was easy to follow, and one that will be etched in our memories forever. The crowds were surprisingly minimal. In fact, we almost felt, at times, that we were ALONE in the park. It was as if we were having a spiritual/sacred/mystical experience. All of the viewpoints are clearly marked. Each one was different and well worth the stop.

MERRICK BUTTE:👇

THREE SISTERS:👇

TOTEM POLE (extreme right), and next to it, in the middle, is YEI BI CHEI: Both of these structures hold deep spiritual meaning for the Navajo.👇

and here is another view! The Totem Pole is 450 feet high.

ELEPHANT BUTTE:👇

CLY BUTTE: 👇

The next several photos were taken at ARTIST'S POINT. We were speechless, and quite emotional!👇

Did you know that the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II helped the US to win the war? "These American Indians used their tribal language to send secret communications on the battlefield. They were both enlisted and were drafted into the US military forces to help spread intelligence faster than using an encrypted coding machine." Photos of three of the code talkers are displayed in the visitor center.

Yet another stop on our 17 mile route: SPEARHEAD MESA:👇 

Also part of the SPEARHEAD MESA:👇(no, we are not doing Jeep commercials😁)

THE HUB:👇

SAND SPRINGS:👇

THE THUMB is the protruding rock at the southeast corner of CAMEL BUTTE:👇

Our last stop in Monument Valley (see map above) was #4..... John Ford's Point. What a treat to see the landscapes where a multitude of movies were filmed! Being able to walk out to that POINT was electrifying 😮 and included some shaky knees! 

RED DIRT MAKES GOOD RIDING ROADS..... We were overjoyed to have the jeep to travel these dirt roads. Plan to spend 4-6 hours in the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, when you visit! The park is fully self-drive, and pretty vast! 

September 8, 2022~ Taos Pueblo, Taos, New Mexico

 

The 1-mile drive North, from the modern city of Taos, to this historic landmark was lovely. We were not sure what we were going to experience, but oh my.......we were deeply moved. 

The Taos Pueblo is a collection of multi-storied adobe dwelling that have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. The houses are on the slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain ↑↑↑.

It is the only Native American community designated as both a UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site AND a National Historic Landmark. 

The culture, the people, the land......... oh my! YES, these places are occupied ALL YEAR!(also known as living Native American community) Of interest to us, were several inhabitants.

He(the resident, who asked not to be photographed) carried on quite the conversation with Ron about bow making, and arrows. They spoke the same language(in a sense). He also sold some jewelry, and let us know the precise tribe in which they were made. Speaking of tribes, Taos Pueblo is one of 19 pueblos of New Mexico and Neighboring Tribal nations. Each pueblo is a sovereign nation. Pueblo people live in modern houses, working and living both on and off of reservations. Here at Taos Pueblo, there are about 150 Pueblos! 

The doors/homes that are not clearly marked as businesses are homes that are not open to the public.

The ruins of the original San Geronimo Church remain.↓

We departed the Taos Pueblo with a better understanding of our heritage. "From the earliest days, Taos Pueblo was a critical center of trade and communications between American Indian tribes, and eventually between the Indians and the Spanish."

We both found Taos Pueblo one of the most integral parts of the Taos area. We(I) purchased very little on our trip, but these earrings, crafted by the Zuni Tribe, take on a new meaning!

 

 
  

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