how long from GC to Monument Valley?
 

How long does it take to drive from the Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley? And how long from Monument Valley to Canyon De Chelley? And how long from Monument Valley to Albuquerque? I can figure out the mileage from my map, but can't tell what the roads are like...

The roads are all two-lane blacktop in good condition. Don't drive over 55 mph because the Navajo Police (you will be on reservation land most of the time) are very strict about speeding. From the South Rim, drive #64 to Cameron and take 89 north to the turnoff to Tuba City and on to Kayenta. From there, drive north to Monument Valley. If you go on to Mexican Hat, you can connect with roads to Canyon de Chelly. About the only place there to stay would be Chinle. Hard to say how long your trip will take because you will be stopping from time to time along the way. If you drive south from Canyon de Chelly, connect with I-40 at Chambers and drive east on I-40 to Albuquerque.

Cindy, I recommend you log onto www.freetrip.com. You can get routes and approximate times from site to site. I've always found their information helpful and fairly accurate. <BR>You've made a couple good choices--Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelley are among the best! If you want info on lodging, fire away.

Al and Howard: <BR> <BR>Thanks for some really helpful information. Did either of you go into the Hopi Indian Reservation? If, so, do you have any comments? I am trying to decide whether to spend some time either doing that or going to Canyon de Chelley...

We've been up to the Hopi country, going across from Tuba City to Ganado -- Second and Third Mesa. Grand desolate vistas, only a few places to stop. Be sure to have plenty of gasoline in your car. Hopis tend to cluster in settlements while the Navajo scatter out over their land to be near their flocks. <BR>We understand some Hopi craftsmen don't mind your dropping by to see their wares, but they don't particularly like tourists nosing around in their settlements. Would you? You will find places of interest in Chinle, the town at the entrance to Canyon de Chelly. Incidentally, you are not allowed free access to the canyon; to enter, you must go in with a Navajo guide and ride in their trucks. You can look down into Canyon de Chelly from a rim road, but riding in the canyon floor is only as I described lest you disturb the rural character of the Navajo families and their flocks. Also, several creeks have quicksand, and the Navajo trucks winch each other out when this sticky stuff is encountered. Respect their privacy, and they are great people.

Cindy, I'm not sure how much time we spent at the Hopi Reservation. However, I still strong urge you to go to Canyon de Chelley. It's a wonderful experience, heightened by the narration of the Native American guide. It's right at or near the top of our list of favorites in the Southwest and Rocky Mountain areas. While you're in that area, you also might want to consider Mesa Verde in Southestern Colorado, near the Four Corners. That's also high on the list!(I hope I'm not adding to your dilemma over what to see!)

Cindy, The book to answer all your questions is "Travel Arizona, Full Color Tours of the Grand Canyon State". It is put out by the Arizona Highways Magazine group. ISBN # 0-916179-03-6 This book is made up of 1-3 day trips of the state. Most start in Phoenix. We used it to plan the exact trip you are doing and just meshed two or three of the day trips together to make one bigger loop. The text is great - a narration of what you are seeing or should see along the way. There are maps and specific driving directions to get you to the most obscure sights. Monument Valley is surprising in its beauty - do get up for the sunrise. I recall the drive from GC to MV being an easy day. I will also tell you that by the time we got to Canyon de Chelley, we were "canyoned" out. You'll see a lot. Do find this book, its just what you need. Happy to help further if I can.