Monument Valley reopens tours on 6 November

Monument Valley (Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii) in Oljato resumed guided access to its 17-mile scenic route on 6 November 2026, after flood damage had restricted visits. The change was announced on 5 November by Utah’s Canyon Country tourism authority, which said the park’s viewpoint and visitor centre were open.

Valley Drive reopening changed access in November

The announcement followed heavy rain and flooding across southern San Juan County, Utah. The authority said the 17-mile scenic drive and backcountry would reopen on 6 November to tour guides and vendors, while private vehicles would remain barred from the route as repairs continued.

That distinction matters for travellers arriving with a rental car. The reopening restored guided access into the valley, but it did not restore self-driving on the scenic route under the 5 November notice. The same update said the visitor centre and viewpoint were already open.

The 5 November travel alert also recorded earlier restrictions from 2 and 3 November, when the loop remained closed to tour operations and visitors. Its next update set out the limited reopening while the Navajo Parks Maintenance Department repaired flood-damaged roads.

Sandstone buttes frame the Navajo Tribal Park

The park lies on the Utah and Arizona border and is managed by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. Its official information identifies the landscape as a 91,696-acre tribal park, with the visitor centre overlooking the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte.

The sandstone formations rise between 400 and 1,000 feet, according to the park authority. Wind and water have eroded the plateau over the last 50 million years, exposing the buttes, mesas and other formations seen from the visitor centre.

Guided access links the November reopening directly to the park’s layout. The official park description says Navajo operators take visitors into the valley by Jeep, while places such as Ear of the Wind can only be reached with a guided tour. This made the 6 November change a return to a restricted form of the experience rather than a general reopening of the route to all vehicles.

The park’s official information lists the site at 5,564 feet above sea level and describes the loop as rough terrain with deep sand dunes. It also names Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation as the responsible authority.

Visiting Monument Valley: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The guided reopening took effect on 6 November 2026 at the 17-mile scenic route and backcountry areas, according to the 5 November travel alert.
• The viewpoint and visitor centre were open, but private vehicles were not permitted on the scenic route under that announcement; guided access was available through tour guides and vendors.
• The park spans Utah and Arizona, with the visitor centre at 5,564 feet above sea level and the landscape centred on the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte.
• The route includes rough terrain and deep sand dunes. The official park page also lists the Wildcat Trail at 1.5 miles and warns that motorcycles are not accepted on the loop drive.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Monument Valley

When did guided access resume at Monument Valley?

Guided access to the 17-mile scenic route and backcountry areas resumed on 6 November 2026 after the 5 November announcement.

What changed at Monument Valley after the flooding?

Tour guides and vendors could return to the scenic route, while private vehicles remained excluded under the 5 November notice.

Where is Monument Valley and how do you get there?

The tribal park spans the Utah and Arizona border in the Oljato region. Its visitor centre overlooks the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte.