Most travelers have heard of, or have been to Monument Valley: It's one of the most-photographed and iconic landscapes in the American West. But, few know that right next door to this bucket-list-worthy spot is another, lesser-known hidden gem: Mystery Valley. Filled with ancient secrets, puzzling petroglyphs, and crumbling ruins, it's a totally different experience that few get to see.
Your home base for exploring this corner of Arizona will be Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park's visitor center. Here, you can see sweeping, panoramic views of Monument Valley, and book Navajo-guided Jeep tours of the valley and its landmarks. You can also do the looping scenic drive in your own car. It's a dirt road, but should be manageable for most.
As you drive the road to the visitor center, you'll see roadside stands set up by Navajo peoples, selling authentic crafts and other wares-- it's worth it to hop out and browse the stands!
Whether you take a tour bus or Jeep, or do the drive through Monument Valley yourself, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Red sandstone buttes and "mittens" rise up from the desert, and the road winds among them. Sure, we've all seen the landscape featured in pictures and films, but experiencing it in person is unlike anything else-- it's easy to see why the Navajo consider this place sacred.
Of course, there's no escaping the fact that Monument Valley is getting more developed, and that it does draw in some crowds. If you're looking to really experience the peace and quiet of the desert, you can always hire a guide to take you into the nearby Mystery Valley, Monument Valley's often-overlooked but equally beautiful sibling. It's still within the tribal park, so you can't get here without a guide, but it's worth it.
The immediate views aren't as striking as the sight of Monument Valley, but as you dive deeper into Mystery Valley, you'll uncover some fascinating bits and pieces. Before the Navajo settled here, it was populated by the Anasazi, so the ruins and petroglyphs you can find here are incredibly old, and they're dotted among arches, buttes, deep canyons, multi-hued petrified dunes, caves, and sandy hills. And, as an added bonus, the views of Monument Valley from Mystery Valley are unbeatable.
Some highlights of the trip through Mystery Valley include Baby House Ruins (which has tiny hand-and-footprints carved out in the floor) the House of Many Hands, which features handprint petroglyphs, and Honeymoon Arch, which you can walk atop (if you've got the guts!)
As stated, you'll have to book a tour in order to get into Mystery Valley. Navajo Spirit Tours, Monument Valley Safari, and Sandstone Tours offer guides who can take you into the valley. All provide insight into the human and geological history of the valley, and can show you the hidden gems of Mystery Valley.