Mystery Valley in Monument Valley

We booked a half day tour with a Navajo Tour Company, 3 Sisters, and were picked up here at the campground at 11:45am Sunday.  Amory, who was born and raised in Mystery Valley, took us on the private land that can only be accessed with a licensed tour guide.  Was he knowledgeable!  He shared his ancestral ways regarding every day life.  He said that his great grandmother passed down stories, legends, and knowledge of the earth to him and his siblings, speaking only in native Navajo tongue.  Amory said that when he started school at 5 did he learn English and then acted as an interpreter for his grandparents.

Our ride for the afternoon

Amory called this the mushrooms, sausages and pancake area

Amory had many explanations of what we were seeing and experiencing.  For example, he said we were going to get the Navajo massage that afternoon, which meant, we would be bouncing and jostling inside the Dodge Durango vehicle he was driving, the road was that bad.  We only found 3 paved roads, the major route into the Valley - Route 163; the road into the Navajo Visitor's Center, and a 3rd one which is near the famous Gouldings Trading Post.  Other than that - all dirt.

One of many ruins we saw

And petroglyphs

So off we went, bouncing along, making stops where he wanted us to get out to view an area or vista view, explaining all the time customs, language, answering any questions we had.  There were so many places he shared, most of which I cannot remember what they are called now.  When we got to ruins, Amory would not go near them, staying at the car.  He said that the ruins were sacred to the Navajo and they show respect by not going near them, do not want to disturb the spirits.

Called the Honeymoon Arch (couples come to get married under this)

Ruins inside to left - used to store food

Amory standing back by car

At one point we stopped to view ancient ruins and it was a rest area where tables, picnic bench, barbecue was set up.  He said that some people book evening sunset tours where they come there for a meal, then wait for the stars to come out.  We did a quick little hike at this area and came up close to the Mitten.  Pretty awesome.  We saw ruins, arches, petroglyphs, rock formations, vista views - just an incredible day.

A cave used for storing food

House of Many Hands ruins

Hiked to the Mitten (right side)

Long House ruins

When Amory got us back to the campground at 4 we were exhausted from the bouncing in the SUV and by being out in the elements for hours.  But the tour is something we will never forget, and, we saw things that most tourists did not see because they would not spend the money for the tour.

Amory demonstrating how water collects at surface and creates ridges to grow

The road out, dirt, bumpy and full of sand pits

The hike to the Mitten 

Mystery Arch - the strange noises this one produced! 

We are sitting still for the next 2 days, Hurricane Rosie is coming up through the Valley from Baja California and heavy rains and flooding is predicted.  Tomorrow the forecast is clear so we will venture into Monument Valley itself for our own self-guided tour.