Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a unique geological formation located in northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah, along the interstate border, on the territory of the Navajo Indian Reservation, one of the national symbols of the United States. The full name of the park is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which is actually an analog of a national park, with the only difference being that it is not under the jurisdiction of the federal government, but belongs to the Navajo Indians.
Monument Valley is an elevated plain that is part of the Colorado Plateau. The upper layer of this plain, consisting of soft sedimentary rocks, has been completely destroyed, but above the flat desert surface, bizarrely shaped remnant rocks rise here and there, ranging in height from 12 to 300 meters, composed of harder and more resistant to weathering sandstone. These remnants are called monuments, many of them have their own names. The famous "Ear of the Wind" arch and the "Castle", a massive 300-meter "giant" topped with teeth, look especially impressive. Opposite each other are the "Eastern Mitten" and the "Western Mitten" - two identical stone blocks with columns sticking out from the side, resembling the thumbs of mittens. Nearby are the "Three Nuns," dominated by the 245-meter-tall "Abbess," a figure resembling a woman kneeling in prayer. Nature has transformed other boulders into the likeness of giant mushrooms, cacti and petrified trees. Due to the flat terrain, it is convenient to inspect most of the stone sculptures from the car windows. But if a traveler dares to climb to the top of one of the monoliths, he will be able to fully enjoy his stay in a fantastic world, exploring the "Martian landscapes" from a bird's-eye view.
Monument Valley is considered one of the most famous landscapes in the United States today. But that wasn't always the case. In the 1920s, businessman Harry Gaulding settled in the region and established a small company. The company was not profitable, but its owner believed that the local beauty would sooner or later enchant tourists, and the "golden age" would come. However, for 10 years, the business of the merchant has not gone uphill. In 1937, after learning that director John Ford was looking for a set for a new film, Harry went to Hollywood, taking photographs of Monument Valley with him. Ford fell in love with these "Martian landscapes" at first sight, and Harry soon became rich. This is how the western "Stagecoach" appeared. Today, the Gouldings Lodge Hotel, owned by Harry's heirs, is located on the site of a rundown trading office, with stunning views of the red cliffs from its balconies. After the release of the films "My Dear Clementine", "Once upon a Time in the Wild West", "Carefree Rider", "Forrest Gump" and others. Monument Valley has become famous all over the world. Among the bright red desert with flat mountains of bizarre shapes, Western fans feel at home. Tourists who are not keen on movies are also familiar with these landscapes from advertisements for Marlboro cigarettes.
South of Monument Valley, in the Painted Desert, lies the largest fossil petrified forest known on the planet. Stone trees with preserved bark, branches and annual rings have been seen since the Mesozoic era, when dinosaurs roamed the mighty coniferous forests that stretched here. On the faults of the giant trunks, up to 2 meters in diameter, one can see crystals of pink amethyst, black morion, and milky-white quartz, which replaced rotted wood during crystallization.
