Monument Valley – A Room With a View
Monument Valley Tribal Park (navajonationparks.org/tribal-parks/monument-valley/) is a must-stop on any Southwestern road trip. Located on the Arizona-Utah border, this chunk of Navajo land boasts an impressive collection of sandstone formations towering as high as 1,000 feet above the rich red desert. And there’s no better place to stay in Monument Valley than at The View Hotel (monumentvalleyview.com). Not only does this property have a spacious wheelchair-accessible guest room, but it also offers guests panoramic desert views from private balconies.
Stay a Spell
Located off scenic Highway 163 at the end of Monument Valley Road, The View Hotel is pretty hard to miss, as there aren’t many structures in the area. And that’s also part of its beauty – isolation.
There’s plenty of accessible parking in front of the property, with level access to the lobby. Room 103, which features wide doorways, a lowered peephole and lever handles, is located just around the corner. It’s furnished with a 28-inch high queen-sized bed, with wheelchair access on both sides. An easy chair, desk, refrigerator, microwave and a chest of drawers round out the furnishings.
The bathroom is equipped with a roll-in shower with a built-in shower bench, grab bars and a hand-held showerhead. There is a slight one-inch lip on the shower threshold, but most people won’t have any problems with that. And with the full five-foot turning radius in the bathroom, there’s plenty of room to navigate even the largest wheelchair. The toilet blocks the transfer space to the shower bench, but if you can manage the slight shower lip on the opposite end, it shouldn’t be a problem.
And then there’s the view from the balcony. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a sunset.
There is good access throughout the public areas of the property as well, with elevator access to The View Restaurant and The Trading Post gift shop on the second floor. There’s also a loaner wheelchair available at the front desk.
Explore Monument Valley
Known as “the place where the earth meets the sky”, there’s no shortage of scenic spots to enjoy in Monument Valley. The best place to begin your visit is at the Welcome Center and Navajo Market, which are located near the park entrance on Monument Valley Road.
Accessible parking is available in front of the Welcome Center, with level access up to the front door. Inside, there are interpretive exhibits about the history of the area, and about the many films and commercials that were made there. There’s barrier-free access throughout the building, and to the terrace out back, which offers a panoramic view of the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. As you survey the landscape, you’ll begin to understand why so many westerns were filmed there.
Next door there’s also accessible parking near the Navajo Market, which features a variety of local vendors, and boasts everything from artwork and jewelry, to baskets and even wood carvings. There is level access to many of the shops, and although some are a bit small, most vendors will happily bring items out to you.
Don’t miss the scenic 17-mile drive through Monument Valley. The unpaved and bumpy road begins near the hotel; and although four-wheel-drive isn’t required, it’s not advised for low clearance vehicles. Make sure and plan an adequate amount of time to complete the drive though, as you you can only go 5 mph. It’s also best to avoid the drive in the rain.
Finally, it’s important to remember that Monument Valley is on Navajo land, so national park passes are not valid there. There is an entrance fee to drive over the land, even if you are a hotel guest.
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