Would like feed back about park ranger tours arranged by the park services versus the ones that the lodge does. It looks as if you could do 3 of the ranger one hour tours for $3 each or spend $53 for the lodge 4-hour tour.

No brainer, if you have your own car [so that you can get from site to site within the park] the park ranger tours are the best. These folks LOVE what they do and each one has their own style of how they present the information. Living in the area, I have been on a number ranger tours and each has been unique in its own way. And you cannot beat the price.

I am not quite sure what you mean by the lodge 4 hour tour for $53 - is that a private tour company with a big bus that drives you from site to site within the park? Only rangers can actually take you down into the actual cliff dwelling sites. If if is a private tour company on a bus, they will drive you around and point out things and makes stops along the way, but they will NOT be allowed to take you into the actual dwellings or on the tours; they will arrange [buy the ranger led tour tickets for you]and get you to where the tours start.

I would hate to be on a schedule in any NP; the beauty is too spectacular to rush through on a tour. You may find yourselves captivated and want to linger but this won't happen if you are on a tour.

Of course, I might not understand that lodge tour thing at all.

Hope this helps..
Deb

I think that the "Lodge Tours", basically, is just transportation. The park ranger still covers the Dwellings once you arrive there. I think the Lodge stops at a few other spots along the way. I am going the end of May and have read a lot about it. For me, the way to go is on my own/with $3 park ranger. I am sure you would get some insite on the bus tour, but as DebitNM indicates, you are doing everything on their terms. I like to be able to do what I want, when I want. We are planning on staying 2 days at Mesa. We will see two of the Ranger Guided Dwellings and 1 or 2 of the Self Guided. We will also do a hike each day. Probably 3-4 miles. The museum looks like it would be worth an hour to stop in and take a look at as well. There looks like a good picnic area near the gift shop/cafe. I believe this is near Spruce Tree area. There are two hikes here that look worthwhile as well. A canyon hike, and pictograph hike. Both of them are about 2.5 miles each.

Thank you DebitNM and spirobulldog. By "lodge tour" I meant the Far View tour which uses rangers. I thought I was missing something because of the price difference. Sounds like the ranger tours are the way to go.

Spirobulldog, I will also be there at the end of May so we might be there at the same time.

We'll be there May 23 and 24. Riding train the 25th and doing the zipline on the train. 26 and 27 Monument Valley/Natural Bridges/Goosenecks/Valley of the Gods/

I am looking into Hot Air Balloon over Monument Valley. Can't make up my mind about that or going with a guide for a jeep tour. We're staying at Far View 2 nights, Strater Hotel 2 nights and Valley of Gods.