Headed to Flagstaff for 2 days next week

[dgberg]

Flying to Flagstaff over the holiday weekend(not my choice of days) and looking forward to several days of shooting. I have been to Sedona several times and also the Grand Canyon. I called the only hotel at Monument Valley and as expected it is full. Another place I have never been is yhe slot canyons in Page.
Thats probably not the place to go to either because of the holiday. So what should I cram into and not miss on these days. Arrive Sat. 10am and depart Mon. am at 10am. I am thinking of maybe a road trip like a big loop from Flagstaff to Monument Valley and back.
I just have to keep in mind if I drive 4 hours sight seeing and the only hotel in town is full it might be a 4 hour drive to the next one.
Any suggestions?

[azmike]

Dan,  There are now two hotels "in" Monument Valley:  Gouldings (435-727-3231) and the new The View (435-727-5556).  There are several motels in Kayenta which is not far away, and I'd be surprised if they all were full.  Monument Valley is some 300 miles from Phoenix....a good drive.  Not sure you could fit it all in, but a good loop would be Phoenix-Page-Monument Valley-Phoenix.  Page to Monument Valley is only 110 miles.

Page is full of motels, and given our economy, I'd be surprised if they all were full.  Perhaps given your short weekend, Page might be a better destination.  Antelope Canyon for sure; I'm fond of Water Holes Canyon just prior to Page on Hwy 89.  More than enough landscape for one weekend.

Mike Coffey
Prescott, Arizona

[dgberg]

Thanks Mike,good info.
We are flying into Flagstaff not Phoenix so the drive is not nearly as bad. The view was full so I will try Gouldings.
Our passengers are all driving down to Sedona but since I've been there more then once I think I will head north. Although I will miss dinner at Enchantment.
The last 2 times we came out to Sedona we flew into Prescott and drove over the mountain. This time the aircraft owner wanted to try Flagstaff.
Thanks for the tips.

[camilla]

Hi
The drive from Flagstaff is not bad at all to Monument Valley-- I wouldn't miss a trip there if you have not ever been----- and there are plenty of choices of hotels--
If The View or Goulding's are full ---( I would check for cancellations regularly anyway) May I suggest staying in Kayenta which is 30 miles or so before Monument Valley. Several Hotels there including a Holiday Inn, which may have turned into a Hilton I seem to remember... The drive to Monument Valley from Kayenta before sunrise is quite spectacular...

if you want a great guide in Monument Valley, try calling Daniel's Guided Tours and book a tour directly through their phone number or their email--- they will organize whatever you want, full day, half day, sunrise, before sunrise, whatever-- you can even organize an overnight in a hogan if you are interested...specify your interests and if they are photography oriented, at what time you wish to start out as some of the special locations take a while to get to! Leave your cell number so you can be reached as well as your email. They are excellent at getting back to you, especially now that they have DSL.

email them at danielsguidedtours@gmail.com and check their website at

www.danielsguidedtours.com
435 727 3227

Great great service and have helped me get some of my best photos of the area.  It's really worthwhile going with a guide that cares-- ask to go to the Totem Pole for sunrise and you won't regret it-- it's one of the areas you would not be allowed to drive to on your own. You are only allowed a simple loop without a Navajo guide.
May I suggest you start EARLY as it takes at least 40 minutes to get down to the dunes of the Totem Pole from the Visitor's Center-- stress the point that you want to meet very early (if that's what you wish)  and make sure that the guide company IS the one you booked with as sometimes you get approached by another company that's waiting there for customers...
Have a grand time!

[dgberg]

Camilla,
I will be on the phone today and see what I can line up. What a shame its only 2 days. 1 driving and 1 sightseeing.
Thanks for the info.

[camilla]

well if you plan it it can be quite a bit of time-- actually you should not have to spend your whole day just driving. There's quite a bit you can sightsee in between Flagtaff and Kayenta---such as Sunset Crater and the Wupatki ruins which are on your way out of Flagstaff-- you go in one way, via the Visitor's center of Sunset Crater and come out 23 miles later further up on 89a.

If you haven't been to Desert View at the South Rim-- it's 67 miles in, to your left, off 89A. Beautiful painted desert view from there-- especially at sunset. It's not going to take you that long to get to Monument Valley actually and you can even go out for a sunset shoot if you so desire and plan it.

It all depends on what you prefer to do-- leave Flagstaff and go straight to MV and plan a sunset shoot with your guide--or make some stops on the way to sightsee at times iof the day which may not be optimal for photography...Your choices also might depend on the weather-- just in case the forecast for Saturday afternoon is better than the Sunday afternoon one.

When at Monument Valley: If you don't go into the valley the first afternoon you can shoot sunset right there from the Visitor's Center--it might be a bit crowded, but the ubiquitous shot which can be quite interesting according to the weather. If not,  there's a Teardrop Arch behind Goulding's (you must use the Navajo guide to go there- it takes about 30 minutes and it's inside their land so you can't travel alone---) which is really lovely. Monument Valley has tremendous possibilities so you can plan the first afternoon/evening and then the times the next day in which you can shoot what you like.
lots of luck and most of all, enjoy!

[Don Libby]

You might also want to consider staying in Kayenta which is 30 miles South of Monument Valley.  Might take you a bit longer to get there but there's at least two more hotels; I stayed there (Hampton Inn) this past week as the View was booked as well and the drive took me less than 30 minutes to get inside the Park.

Don

[Scott O.]

As others have mentioned, if you go to Monument Valley get a guide to take you in.  Without one, you are limited to the dusty 'tourist road' which will not get you to anything interesting.  The guide will take you to some absolutely wonderful areas...

[dgberg]

Thanks for all the tips.
I got a room at Gouldings for Sat. night as well as the sunset tour with Daniels Tour. I still may do the sunrise but he has no one else scheduled which means I would have to pay the 4 person minimum.

[camilla]

Hi
The drive from Flagstaff is not bad at all to Monument Valley-- I wouldn't miss a trip there if you have not ever been----- and there are plenty of choices of hotels--
If The View or Goulding's are full ---( I would check for cancellations regularly anyway) May I suggest staying in Kayenta which is 30 miles or so before Monument Valley. Several Hotels there including a Holiday Inn, which may have turned into a Hilton I seem to remember... The drive to Monument Valley from Kayenta before sunrise is quite spectacular...

if you want a great guide in Monument Valley, try calling Daniel's Guided Tours and book a tour directly through their phone number or their email--- they will organize whatever you want, full day, half day, sunrise, before sunrise, whatever-- you can even organize an overnight in a hogan if you are interested...specify your interests and if they are photography oriented, at what time you wish to start out as some of the special locations take a while to get to! Leave your cell number so you can be reached as well as your email. They are excellent at getting back to you, especially now that they have DSL.

email them at danielsguidedtours@gmail.com and check their website at

www.danielsguidedtours.com
435 727 3227

Great great service and have helped me get some of my best photos of the area.  It's really worthwhile going with a guide that cares-- ask to go to the Totem Pole for sunrise and you won't regret it-- it's one of the areas you would not be allowed to drive to on your own. You are only allowed a simple loop without a Navajo guide.
May I suggest you start EARLY as it takes at least 40 minutes to get down to the dunes of the Totem Pole from the Visitor's Center-- stress the point that you want to meet very early (if that's what you wish)  and make sure that the guide company IS the one you booked with as sometimes you get approached by another company that's waiting there for customers...
Have a grand time!

[camilla]

hello again
so pleased you got a room at Goulding's. There's a small store down the road from Goulding's and a gas station. You make a left out of their driveway to get to that. It;'s the only store around for miles...I would suggest you getting a few supplies as Goulding's Restaurant closes at 9 and so does the restaurant at the View. They are not flexible at all.

Your other option is to go to Kayenta where you have fast food or to Mexican Hat where the San Juan Inn closes at 9.30. Your last option is the small steak house on the right as you enter the town of Mexican Hat. They usually close at 10. You can call them- both of these places have waited for me when I run late.

Just to tell you that sunset is at 8.30 and depending on where you chose to be for that, it will take quite a while to get back into your car and head off 25 minutes away to Mexican Hat.

I also wanted to advise you just in case, that the time in Monument Valley is ONE Hour Ahead than Flagstaff. Just so you don;t have a mixup with your schedule...
Enjoy the trip-- may see you sometime in Pa; I have a son who works at Gettysburg College and I head there very very often to see the grandkids. I live in NY.
Take care

[dgberg]

Thank for your efforts. Please stop in when your in the area.
Double checking the time zones. Flagstaff pacific time and Monument Valley mountain time?
I was told to be at the visitors center at 4 to 4:30pm.
I think we land in Flagstaff around noon or a little before. If it takes 3 hours to make the drive and I lose an hour going back to mountain time it will be 4 at the earliest until I arrive. Hopefully we get in a little earlier and its not a problem.
Also was told Daniels Tours does not take credit cards,pretty rare these days.

[camilla]

hi again
credit cards--- well it won't seem that rare to you when you get to the place.. another world...

Cells work sporadically at the Visitor's Center.

May I suggest a look at the weather forecast and see whether it would be preferable to take a more relaxed tour of Monument Valley on Sunday-- maybe a sunrise tour and then a stop to rest around lunchtime ( maybe go to Teardrop Arch) and then out again for a sunset tour... by then you will surely have seen all the important parts of the valley....it seems a pity to try to cover such a huge fabulous place in that short first afternoon with so many intangibles around....

 I really don;t mean to interfere but I've been going now for over 30 years, two or three times a year; one really needs time, a lot of time,  to savor the place and see what you like as your background for photography so you can maybe get several of those stops in during the best hour for photography. You might also be interested to fit in Suzie Yazzie's original Navajo hogan. She weaves in it-- awesome place...The drive inside the valley is not fast, dirt roads, a lot of sand, a lot of bumps, slow going...really a lot of terrain to cover...

Just my two cents if you allow me...I'm saying this only because you seemed so anxious to visit Monument Valley and by starting out at 4 or 4.30 with sunset at 8.30 it does not give you enough time to take it all in--- unless you then go out again much before sunrise the next morning and get that option in as well...It really depends on what you are looking for.
Tell us how it went and most of all, have a grand time!

[Paul Sumi]

Double checking the time zones. Flagstaff pacific time and Monument Valley mountain time?

Yeah, it's a big PITA (having visited Monument Valley in the past 2 years).

Basically, Arizona state does not recognize Daylight Savings Time.  So Flagstaff is always on Mountain Standard Time -- which for the moment is the same as Pacific Daylight Time.

The Navajo Nation, however, does recognize Daylight Saving Time (as does Utah on its border).  So Monument Valley (on MDT) is one hour ahead of Arizona state.

Paul

[dgberg]

Thanks Camilla and Paul
Most of my trips west are vacation trips for the family and company I fly for. Most if not all are several days at the most. I have been to many of the most photographic areas in this country. The only problem is that we spend no more then a day or two at each place. So having been to Sedona,Grand Canyon,Bryce Canyon and Zion the Page area and Monument Valley are two I have not seen. So I will cram in what I can using all your suggestions. Now you worried me, because I travel,eat, sleep and pay for everything with credit cards. Time for a call or two to Monument Valley.

[camilla]

hello again Dan
you won't have any problem whatsoever paying hotels, gas, food etc at any place in that area. It's the guide tours that take cash. Everything else in the stores and gas stations and food places all accept credit cards so donl't worry. It's that particular situation that is a little different...
Ciao

[Paul Sumi]

Cells work sporadically at the Visitor's Center.

You might also be interested to fit in Suzie Yazzie's original Navajo hogan. She weaves in it-- awesome place...

Wanted to give a +1 to both of Camilla's comments.

The only place my Verizon cell worked in Monument Valley was from the top of Hunt's Mesa.  

Meeting and having an opportunity to photograph Suzie Yazzie at her art was a highlight of one of my visits.

Paul

[CoyoteButtes]

Dan,

You're getting lots of good advice. The time is a pain. I've lived in the Page area for 12 years and still screw it up.

One additional thought is the Sunset Crater NM and Wupatki NM loop that you can take on the way out of Flagstaff on Hy 89 on the way to MV. The loop goes through volcanic topo and then prehistoric Native American ruins at Wupatki before coming back to Hy 89.

If you do have time for Page I'd give Lower Antelope a try - fewer tourists. Also the Horseshoe Bend view of the Colorado River is easily accessible from Hy 89 just south of Page. It is clearly marked. The trail is about 3/4 mile one way and no problem lugging a camera and tripod. Take some water.

Also, don't take motels in Page for granted. The last couple of summers has seen some days when folks with reservations were turned away due to overbooking.

Good luck,

Stan Burman
Page, Arizona

[dgberg]

So much to see so little time.  Many thanks to all. If any of you folks get to Lancaster County Pennsylvinia I owe you an amish buggy ride,wow! Or better yet a Pennsylvania dutch meal at Shady Maple Smorgersboard.