Travel to SE Utah Beyond Monument Valley

On my first trip to Monument Valley, I stood at the parking lot’s edge, surrounded by a traveling busload of tourists and Native American vendors, craning my neck to catch a glimpse of the sunrise lighting up the famous rock formations. Later, my husband and I paid the $5 per person fee to drive the 17-mile dirt road that loops through Monument Valley, along with a long line of traffic. Some travel adventure! What happened to the remoteness of the desert landscape, so familiar from the cowboy westerns that baby boomers watched on television and at the movies?

Drive north of Monument Valley and you’ll discover the real West — wide-open spaces bordered by mountain ranges, strange rock formations, prehistoric ruins, petroglyphs, and the best part, no crowds. We make Bluff, about 40 miles north on Highway 191 from Monument Valley, our headquarters for exploring southeastern Utah, including the 5 US National Parks and Monuments that are within a day’s drive. But before you go traipsing off to Canyonlands National Park or Hovenweap National Monument, let me introduce you to the off-the-beaten path adventures that are closer-by.

Explore a mini-Monument Valley

At Valley of the Gods, about twenty minutes south of Bluff, a 17-mile dirt road winds through a valley studded with red sandstone buttes and monuments. The road is passable for passenger cars although 4-wheel-drive vehicles are preferable. Drive at your own pace, park the car and explore, or photograph to your heart’s content – without fees, vendors, tour buses or hordes of tourists. Although there are no official hiking trails, it’s safe to roam and explore. But you won’t find any artifacts, petroglyphs or ruins as this valley was, and still is, sacred to Native Americans. Valley of the Gods Bed and Breakfast sits at one end of the valley. Book a room in the 1930′s era ranch house to experience life off of the energy grid. I couldn’t believe the night view of the Milky Way as it smeared a bright path across the dark sky.

Discover Vistas with Quirky Names

While you’re in the Valley of the Gods area, stop at Goosenecks State Park. The paved road leads to an overlook of a deep canyon carved by the San Juan River, with a little help from nature’s erosive forces. Although the San Juan flows for five miles in the canyon, the many twists and turns result in only one mile of westward progress for the river.

Of course thrill-seekers shouldn’t miss the chance to drive up Mokie Dugway. Close your eyes if you’re afraid of heights, I did. The one-way gravel road with pullouts climbs a 1200 ft. cliff onto Cedar Mesa. At the top, take the 5-mile spur road to Muley Point, which crosses through open range and ends at the mesa’s edge. Trails skirt the lip of the cliff with dynamite views of Monument Valley and Goosenecks. Photographers will want to stake out a position at sunrise or sunset for a photo that will wow the folks back home.

Look for Ancient Clues

For thousands of years, the Anasazi called this part of southeastern Utah home. A dry climate combined with the remoteness of the area has preserved many rock art paintings, petroglyphs and cliff dwellings. Finding them is part of the fun. Center your search on Comb Ridge. The 1,000 ft monocline, a large fold in the earth’s crust, extends for about 100 miles. Both Comb Ridge Road and Butler Wash Road provide primitive access to hiking trails on both the east and west side of the ridge, with numerous opportunities to view rock art panels and cliff dwellings. If you’re not comfortable exploring this rugged area on your own, Far Out Expeditions in Bluff offers guided hikes.

Do you want to know a travel adventure that’s on my list? Join Wild Rivers Expeditions, headquartered in Bluff,  on a guided San Juan River rafting trip. Choose journeys ranging from one day to a multi-day vacation excursion. You’ll stay cool while exploring petroglyphs and Anasazi ruins.

Find Life’s Necessities

Lodging and dining options are scarce in remote southeastern Utah. And, camping is not an option for this baby boomer princess. In Bluff, Desert Rose Inn provides clean, well-appointed rooms. My husband and I turned a southeastern Utah adventure trip into a romantic anniversary celebration by booking a cabin. After walking to Cottonwood Steakhouse, where the food is cooked outside on a barbecue and the best table is reserved for locals, we returned to our cabin porch to watch a late sunset, with champagne, of course. Another dining option, Twin Rocks Cafe, serves surprisingly good food and is the only restaurant open year-round.

So, if you’re a boomer who craves off-the-beaten-path western travel experiences, drive beyond Monument Valley. Be brave, visit in winter, when hot air balloons color the sky at the Bluff Balloon Festival.  Not a boomer? Adventures in southeastern Utah are waiting for families and gal pals, too.

BoomerGal Donna L. Hull specializes in writing travel and human interest content for online and print publications. Her popular blog, My Itchy Travel Feet, explores the world of active travel for baby boomers.