We took tours today to Monument and Mystery Valleys. We walked up to The View Hotel for breakfast and waited in the hotel lobby for the dining room to open. They had very large Kachinas displayed on a central column.

After breakfast we met our guide, Margie, who grew up next to Mystery Valley. We started the tour there. Through out the day she told us a lot about her culture as well as the sights. She related that, as a girl of 6, she helped tend her grandmother’s sheep and goats in Mystery Valley. She said it’s called, Mystery Valley because every time you visit you discover something new. Margie also told us she did not have a Navaho name even though all her brothers and sisters were given Navaho names.

The canyon walls that surround the valley have many interesting features. There are many pockets of erosion from an inch or two up to hundreds of feet. The ancient people built cliff dwellings similar to those in Mesa Verde. They also painted petroglyphs on the walls.

There’s a different view around each corner. Margie stopped the truck often to let us get out and take pictures.

Some of the formations have been given “English” names; this one is Turtle Rock.

We had cool weather in the morning and some spits of rain. After lunch the sky cleared and it got warm, but not so warm as the 100 deg. they had last week.

We had lunch at the hotel and took a short spin around the gift shop. They had all sorts of native art and craft works. They had hundreds of Kachinas on the window sills.

We spent the afternoon touring Monument Valley. While the formations in Mystery Valley are rounded from the erosion, the formations in Monument Valley are angular. Of course there are many free-standing monuments, which are not prevalent in Mystery Valley. Most have names; the most famous are probably West Mitten and East Mitten.

There’s a monument around each corner.

At some of the stops there were tables and shops set up with items for sale. At one of the stops Margie took our picture. I’m notorious in our family for blinking in pictures. You see I haven’t lost the knack.

The pictures that follow are of various views around the valley.

I remember the name of this one was, “pancakes.”

At one spot they were setting up to shoot a movie.

I’m so glad we saw both valleys. I liked Mystery Valley more because there were few visitors, which made it seem more natural. Also, you had to go to the canyon walls to see interesting formations, while in Monument Valley the big monoliths are visible from a great distance.

Tomorrow we go to Petrified Forest and to stand on a corner in Winslow, AZ.

A bit of housekeeping – I’m getting some wonky comments from “Anonymous.” It would be helpful if you would include your name or handle when you post. I’m going to trash comments that are questionable.