Gallup to monument Valley

[kwright]

Traveling at the end of the month to Pahrump, Nv. Only motorhome, no toad. Would like to stop and see Monument Valley, wondering the best roads from I-40. Also how is the road from there to I-15, does the bus run in Zion at that time?? If not what’s the best road down to Flagstaff? Is there anything we can stop at in the Rv? Also how is the weather at that time, trying to avoid snow. Thanks everyone

[ItsyRV]

2gypsies wrote:
From I-40 in Arizona take 191 north (you could stop at Canyon de Chelly Nat'l Monument. There's a campground there and you can take a variety of tours or just drive the motorhome around the circle of the canyon.

From 191 go west on 160 to Kayenta, AZ then north on 163 to Monument Valley. Stay at Gouldings RV and you can take a tour from there.

But that would almost double the mileage to Kayenta and deprive them of the wonderful adventure of traveling on IR59. 😉

It's one of those nice scenic historical roads where the beauty of checkerboard road works comes into focus. I mean, where else can you ride a paved road with a granite boulder in the bed of your pickup and by the time you read the end, it's pulverized into sand? :B

As for Monument Valley, a hidden gem is the new KOA that opened this year just north of the Navajo market on 163. It's situated as close to the iconic Monument Valley views people recognize from Forest Gump or the closing of Electra Glide in Blue. You don't need to go anywhere as you just walk tot he perimeter of the RV park or stand in the middle of the road and that's the view people come to see, especially at sunset. Many of the popular movie road scenes occurred in only that 12 miles stretch from the Navajo market pass the KOA, through Monument Pass to Forest Gump point.

[kwright]

How is 550 out of alburquerque

[2gypsies1]

From I-40 in Arizona take 191 north (you could stop at Canyon de Chelly Nat'l Monument. There's a campground there and you can take a variety of tours or just drive the motorhome around the circle of the canyon.

From 191 go west on 160 to Kayenta, AZ then north on 163 to Monument Valley. Stay at Gouldings RV and you can take a tour from there.

Zion's shuttles run through the end of November. From Monument to Zion backtrack and take 160 west to 98 into Page, AZ (Glen Canyon Nat'l Rec Area w/a RV park). I'll give the easy drive into Zion from here. You didn't state your RV size.

The easier route: From Page take 89 west to Kanab, UT then south a little back into Arizona at Fredonia. From Fredonia take AZ 389 west which becomes UT 59 to Hurricane, UT. Go east on Hwy 9 into Zion. To be able to park and use the shuttle you'll have to stay either in Springdale, UT at the park entrance & the shuttle goes into Springdale, or preferably get a site inside the park at Watchman campground & the shuttle stops there.

(More mountainous route would be from Monument Valley west on 160 to AZ 89 near Tuba City then north on 89 to 89A. Go west on 89A toward Jacob Lake (this will be your steep uphill) You could also drive into Grand Canyon North Rim from here - easy. Then either 89 north to Fredonia & the above directions to Zion or 89 north to Mt. Carmel and pick up Hwy 9 west into Zion. You'll have some tunnels to go through with restrictions & it depends on the size of your RV. Read the park's website on the tunnels. After the tunnels it's a steep downhill into Zion.

To get back to I-15 take Hwy 9 west.

From Monument Valley to Flagstaff take 160 west to 89 south to I-40.

OR.... if you wanted to drive through Grand Canyon South Rim, take 89 south and pick up Hwy 64 west at Cameron, AZ (great Navajo tacos & excellent restaurant with a beautiful gift shop at Cameron). Hwy 64 west is a good drive with a RV right through Grand Canyon NP. Many viewpoints to stop at. If you didn't want to stop overnight at Grand Canyon then continue on and take 64 south out of the park to take you to I-40 at Williams.

[kwright]

Thanks everyone for the info!

[suprz]

If you want to go in and drive thru monument valley, just be aware they do not allow rv's into the actual valley from the visitor center. And there are no rental cars anywhere unless you want to pick one up in flagstaff az

[Busskipper]

ppine wrote:
There are not that many main roads in that country. All are fine for RVs.

I travelled to the Navajo Res twice a year for a job for 6 years. Look carefully at all of the Native archaeological sites you can. Chaco Cy, Cyn de Chelley, Navajo Mtn and Navajo Nat Monument are not to be missed. A friend of mine got married at Keet Seal ruins which are about 10 miles off the road. Grandma came in on a donkey.

I used to take my field crews to the Holiday Inn near Kayenta with a view of Mon Valley. It is a tourist mecca. Our record for foreign languages heard during one happy hour was 7. Mostly we stayed at Tsegi Canyon and learned what it was like to be a minority. We knew we would be served last, but we learned to love the Dine and their culture.

And the Food is always worth the wait:)

[ppine]

There are not that many main roads in that country. All are fine for RVs.

I travelled to the Navajo Res twice a year for a job for 6 years. Look carefully at all of the Native archaeological sites you can. Chaco Cy, Cyn de Chelley, Navajo Mtn and Navajo Nat Monument are not to be missed. A friend of mine got married at Keet Seal ruins which are about 10 miles off the road. Grandma came in on a donkey.

I used to take my field crews to the Holiday Inn near Kayenta with a view of Mon Valley. It is a tourist mecca. Our record for foreign languages heard during one happy hour was 7. Mostly we stayed at Tsegi Canyon and learned what it was like to be a minority. We knew we would be served last, but we learned to love the Dine and their culture.

[Busskipper]

kwright wrote:
Traveling at the end of the month to Pahrump, Nv. Only motorhome, no toad. Would like to stop and see Monument Valley, wondering the best roads from I-40. Also how is the road from there to I-15, does the bus run in Zion at that time?? If not what’s the best road down to Flagstaff? Is there anything we can stop at in the Rv? Also how is the weather at that time, trying to avoid snow. Thanks everyone

For info Check out the NP site below;

https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Map of Route I'd Take to Pahrump. It would take you through Window Rock - Capital of the Navajo Nation - Canyon de Chelly NM - Monument Valley - Lake Powell - Zion then to Pahrump.

Hope this is of some help,