We continued our drive through landscape I would consider the most unusual and raw in the states. Like many of the deserts in the U.S., driving through Monument Valley, part of the Colorado Plateau, feels like teleporting to another planet compared to the lush landscape of the Northwest. Yet, Monument Valley, which lies within the Navajo Nation Reservation, is an enchanting step back in time through the towering sandstone buttes and rich orange floor. You can easily drive through the valley on Route 163 or venture a little further through the Navajo Tribal Park. Maybe it’s the pure imaginative spirit that surrounds the place, but if you’ve ever thought of the iconic American West featured in many Western films, this is the place.




While heading north on 163, as you start to leave the valley, there is a pull off to snap some shots of the long road leading back down. It’s an interesting contrast between modern-day development – an asphalt road leading into an untouched landscape.

No matter what direction you’re headed on Route 163, don’t be surprised if your imagination takes hold and you venture on your own modern-day western adventure.

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