Valley of the Gods is a hidden gem located on Navajo Nation Land. A smaller scale version to that of nearby Monument Valley, it offers isolated buttes, red sandstone mesas and cliffs, and towering pinnacles, remnants of some ancient landscape. The area may be toured via a 17 mile dirt road that winds amongst the eerie formations.
Small canyons cut into the cliffs that form the northern boundary of the valley and can be reached after a couple of miles cross-country hiking (as there are no official trails). Valley of the Gods is especially beautiful at sunset, when the rocks take on a particularly deep red color. As with Monument Valley, the most prominent peaks in the Valley of the Gods have received fanciful names, all precisely marked on the topographic map, including Rudolph and Santa Claus, Setting Hen Butte, Rooster Butte, De Gaulle and His Troops, and Lady in the Bathtub.
There are no designated trails or campgrounds, and no gas stations, but there is plenty of backcountry where you can wander and explore.
Several television programs including Airwolf and Doctor Who have featured the the scenic area. In January 2008, a coach traveling west along US 163 in snowy conditions lost control during the steep descent from Lime Ridge, veered off the north side of the highway and crashed in Valley of the Gods. A plaque, cross and various artefacts mark the crash site, where nine people died.
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