Monument Valley is about 100 miles from Page, Arizona, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours via AZ-98 south and US-163 north. Page is the closest city with hotels and Antelope Canyon tours to Monument Valley, and the combination of the two makes one of the best two-day itineraries in the American Southwest. This guide covers the exact route, whether you can realistically combine Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley in a single day, and what to do once you get there.
Distance from Page
~100 miles (161 km) via AZ-98 and US-163
Drive time (one way)
~1 hour 45 min to 2 hours
Entry fee
$10 per person (Navajo Tribal Park, not NPS)
Valley Drive fee
$15 per vehicle (on top of per-person fee)
NPS annual pass accepted?
No. Navajo Nation administers the park.
Valley Drive
17-mile self-guided loop, mostly dirt
Park hours (summer)
8 am to 7 pm, last entry 4:30 pm
Park hours (winter)
8 am to 5 pm, last entry 2:30 pm
Nearest hotels in park
The View Hotel (inside), Goulding's Lodge (adjacent)
Nearest city with services
Kayenta, AZ (25 miles south of Monument Valley)
Forrest Gump Point
US-163, ~13 miles south of the visitor center
How far is Monument Valley from Page, AZ?
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is approximately 100 miles from Page, Arizona. The drive takes 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours in normal conditions with no stops. Page is actually the closest sizeable city to Monument Valley in the region.
For context, here is how Page compares with other common starting points for Monument Valley:
| Starting point | Distance to Monument Valley | Drive time | Day trip verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page, AZ | ~100 miles | ~1h 45min | Easy day trip or overnight |
| Flagstaff, AZ | ~180 miles | ~2h 45min | Long but doable |
| Sedona, AZ | ~210 miles | ~3h 15min | Very long day |
| Grand Canyon South Rim | ~215 miles | ~3h 30min | Not recommended as day trip |
| Las Vegas, NV | ~400 miles | ~6 hours | Overnight only |
| Phoenix, AZ | ~310 miles | ~4h 30min | Very long day |
The short drive from Page is what makes the Page plus Monument Valley combination so compelling. Most visitors in the area spend one day at Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend and a second day at Monument Valley, using Page as their base for both.
The route, step by step
The route from Page to Monument Valley follows three highways and stays entirely on paved road. There are no unmarked turns or confusing intersections.
| Segment | Road | Miles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page to AZ-98/US-160 junction | AZ-98 South | ~60 miles | Open desert highway, very little traffic |
| Junction to Kayenta | US-160 East | ~25 miles | Only gas station and food before the park |
| Kayenta to Monument Valley entrance | US-163 North | ~30 miles | Forrest Gump Point at mile 13 from Kayenta |
| Total | ~115 miles | 1h 45min to 2 hours |
Fuel: Fill up in Page before you leave. The only gas available between Page and Kayenta is at the AZ-98 and US-160 junction, and it is not always open. Kayenta has reliable fuel and a Burger King if you need a food stop. The View Hotel restaurant inside Monument Valley is the only dining option once you enter the park.
Forrest Gump Point is on US-163 heading north toward Monument Valley, roughly 13 miles south of the visitor center. You drive right through it. Pull onto the wide gravel shoulder, take the photo of the straight road running toward The Mittens and Merrick Butte, and continue. It adds about 5 minutes.
Day trip from Page: honest verdict
A Monument Valley day trip from Page is very doable. Unlike the Las Vegas to Monument Valley drive, which involves 12 hours of driving for 2 to 3 hours at the park, the Page drive is short enough that you can spend a real half-day or full day at Monument Valley and still be back in Page by 9 pm.
The main question is whether to combine Monument Valley with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend on the same day, or to dedicate separate days to each.
| Option | What you get | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Same-day combo (AC + HB + MV) | See everything in one day | Rushed at each site, miss golden-hour light at Monument Valley |
| Separate days (AC/HB day 1, MV day 2) | Full experience at each site | Requires 2 nights in Page or 1 night at The View Hotel |
| Monument Valley overnight from Page | Sunset and sunrise at The Mittens | Extra accommodation cost, but the photos are worth it |
The sweet spot for most travelers: spend a full first day at Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, then drive to Monument Valley on the morning of day two. Spend the full day there and either drive back to Page that evening or stay overnight at The View Hotel for sunrise over the buttes.
The ideal 2-day itinerary
This is the sequence that most visitors who do both areas well end up following:
Day 1: Page (Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend)
Book an early Upper Antelope Canyon tour, ideally the 7 am or 8 am slot. Upper Antelope Canyon produces the famous light beams from May through September when the sun is high enough to shine directly down through the slot. The tour takes 1 hour. After the tour, drive 5 minutes to the Horseshoe Bend trailhead. The walk is 1.5 miles round trip on paved path and takes 30 to 45 minutes. You are done with both sites by 10 or 11 am. Spend the rest of day one relaxing in Page or exploring the Glen Canyon Dam area.
Day 2: Monument Valley
Leave Page by 8 am. You arrive at Monument Valley around 9:45 am, before the main tour bus crowds arrive. Drive the 17-mile Valley Drive loop (allow 2 to 3 hours), walk to John Ford Point for views of the Mittens, and if you have booked a jeep tour for the afternoon, you will get into areas inaccessible by car. Stay for sunset: the orange and red tones on The Mittens in the last hour of light are the image most people have in mind before they visit. Drive back to Page after sunset, arriving around 9 pm.
If you prefer not to rush day two, book one night at The View Hotel. Watching the sun rise over the buttes from your room terrace is genuinely one of the better experiences in the Southwest.
Stops worth making on the way
The drive itself is scenic but sparse. Two stops are worth building into the route:
Navajo roadside vendors (US-163) Navajo artisans set up small roadside stands along US-163 between Kayenta and the Monument Valley entrance. They sell handmade jewelry, pottery, and rugs. Prices are often better than the gift shops inside the park. Stop if you see them. They are not always there, so do not count on it.
Kayenta is a small town at the junction of US-160 and US-163, about 30 miles south of Monument Valley. It has the last reliable gas, a Bashas grocery store for snacks, and a Burger King. If you skipped breakfast or need provisions before entering the park, stop here.
What to do at Monument Valley
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park centers on a 17-mile self-guided Valley Drive loop that passes the main formations: The Mittens, Merrick Butte, The Three Sisters, John Ford Point, and The Thumb. The loop is a dirt road passable in most standard sedans if driven at low speed, though the surface is rough in spots and a high-clearance vehicle is more comfortable. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the loop with stops.
The Wildcat Trail is the only hiking trail open to self-guided visitors. It is a 3.2-mile loop around West Mitten Butte, flat terrain, and takes about 2 hours. Most other areas of the park, including Mystery Valley (with petroglyphs and natural arches) and the backcountry, are accessible only on a guided tour with an authorized Navajo guide.
Forrest Gump Point is technically outside the park, on US-163 about 13 miles south of the visitor center. You pass it on the way in. Pull over for a photo looking north toward the buttes. It is free and takes 5 minutes.
Guided jeep tours at Monument Valley
A self-drive on the Valley Drive is the baseline visit. A Navajo-guided jeep tour takes you significantly deeper into the landscape, into areas the Valley Drive does not reach, with a guide who explains the geology, history, and Navajo cultural context. Tours run from half a day to a full day and include stops at sites only accessible with a guide.
Monument Valley: 3-Hour Navajo Spirit Group Tour
Open-top 4x4 jeep tour covering all major formations: Mitten Buttes, Merrick Butte, Three Sisters, and John Ford's Point. Entry fee included. Free cancellation.
Monument Valley: 3-Hour Scenic Tour
Covers all iconic viewpoints at a relaxed pace with an experienced Navajo guide. Most-reviewed Monument Valley tour on Viator. Free cancellation.
Monument Valley: 3-Hour Sunset Tour
Watch the Mitten Buttes turn deep red at golden hour. Best option if you are arriving from Page in the afternoon. Free cancellation.
Where to stay
If you want to stay overnight rather than driving back to Page, you have two real options near Monument Valley and a third in Kayenta:
The View Hotel sits inside the park, directly facing The Mittens and Merrick Butte. Every room faces the buttes. Sunrise and sunset from the terrace are the reason to pay the premium. Book well in advance: it fills quickly from spring through fall. Check availability via the Navajo Nation Parks website.
Goulding's Lodge is across the valley on the Utah side, about 2 miles from the visitor center. It has a trading post, small museum, and restaurant. Views of the buttes from Goulding's are slightly less direct than from The View Hotel but the property has more character. Historic: John Ford used it as his base camp during his Monument Valley film era.
Kayenta, AZ (30 miles south) has several chain hotels at lower prices than either property inside or adjacent to the park. If budget is the priority, stay in Kayenta and drive up for sunset the first evening and sunrise the next morning.
Best time to go
Monument Valley is open year-round. Spring (March to May) and fall (September to October) are the ideal windows: comfortable temperatures, lower crowd volume than summer, and good light conditions. Summer (June to August) is the busiest period with heat above 100 degrees Fahrenheit by midday. Winter is cold but uncrowded, and an occasional light snowfall on the buttes produces one of the more striking images in the Southwest.
If you are combining with Antelope Canyon from Page, note that Upper Antelope Canyon light beams happen only from May through September (when the sun is high enough to beam directly down into the slot). Outside that window, Lower Antelope Canyon is the better Antelope Canyon choice.
| Month | Temp range | Crowds | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Feb | 20-50°F | Low | Cold, possible snow on buttes, very quiet |
| Mar to May | 45-80°F | Moderate | Best overall: mild, good light, manageable crowds |
| Jun to Aug | 75-105°F | High | Peak season, very hot by midday, tour slots sell out |
| Sep to Oct | 50-85°F | Moderate | Second best window, cooling fast, excellent photography |
| Nov to Dec | 25-55°F | Low | Cold, potential for dramatic winter skies |
How far is Monument Valley from Page, AZ?
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is approximately 100 miles from Page, Arizona. The drive takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours via AZ-98 south and US-163 north, with no significant traffic. This makes Page the closest major city with lodging and Antelope Canyon tours to Monument Valley.
Can you do Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley in one day from Page?
Yes, but it is a full day. Book an early Upper Antelope Canyon tour (7 am or 8 am), walk Horseshoe Bend immediately after (~30 min), then drive directly to Monument Valley (1 hour 45 min). You arrive around noon to 1 pm, which gives you 4 to 5 hours at Monument Valley before sunset. Drive back to Page in the evening. This works best in spring and summer when days are long.
What is the route from Page to Monument Valley?
Take AZ-98 south from Page for about 60 miles to the US-160 junction. Turn left (east) on US-160 toward Kayenta for about 25 miles. At Kayenta, turn left (north) on US-163. The Monument Valley visitor center entrance is 30 miles north of Kayenta. The entire route is paved highway; no dirt roads or 4WD required to reach the park entrance.
Is there food or gas between Page and Monument Valley?
There is a gas station at the AZ-98 and US-160 junction (roughly the halfway point). Beyond that, the next services are in Kayenta: a Bashas grocery store and a Burger King. Stock up in Page before you leave. The View Hotel at Monument Valley has a restaurant, but it is the only dining option inside the park.
Do you need a 4WD to visit Monument Valley from Page?
No. The visitor center, The View Hotel, and the start of the Valley Drive are all reached on paved highway. The 17-mile Valley Drive loop itself is a dirt track passable in most standard cars if driven carefully, though a high-clearance vehicle is more comfortable on the rougher sections. Areas beyond the Valley Drive require a Navajo-guided jeep tour regardless of your vehicle.
Does the National Parks pass work at Monument Valley?
No. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is administered by the Navajo Nation, not the National Park Service. America the Beautiful passes and other NPS passes are not accepted. Entry is $10 per person, plus a separate $15 vehicle fee for the Valley Drive scenic loop.
What is Forrest Gump Point and is it on the way from Page?
Forrest Gump Point is a stretch of US-163 where the road runs straight toward The Mittens and Merrick Butte, the setting for the scene where Forrest stops running. It sits about 13 miles south of the Monument Valley visitor center, so you drive through it on the way in from Kayenta. Pull over on the gravel shoulder and take the photo. It takes 5 minutes.
What is the best time of day to arrive at Monument Valley from Page?
For photography, early morning (before 9 am) and the hour before sunset produce the most dramatic light on the sandstone buttes. If you are combining with an Antelope Canyon morning tour, you will typically arrive at Monument Valley around noon to 1 pm. That is decent light but not the magic hour. Stay for sunset if possible: the red and orange tones on The Mittens at sunset are the postcard image most people have in their heads.
Written by Diego Fresno, Travel writer and independent publisher specialising in the American Southwest. Latest research conducted on location in Page, Arizona during July 2025. Guides are verified quarterly; last review April 2026.. Verified quarterly: last review April 2026. About the author →