Hunt’s Mesa is a photographer’s dream as a vantage point to photograph the Lower Monument Valley. From the Mesa, you can look across the Valley to a ridge of mountains and all the pinnacles, arches and plateaus that make this land so special. Getting to Hunt’s Mesa is not easy. There are no real roads with helpful signs. An experienced Navajo guide is the only way to get there.
We chose to spend the night on the Mesa. We arranged for a guide to take us on the two hour trek to the peak of the mesa. We were dropped off at an incredible spot for catching late Golden Hour vistas of the Monument Valley below us. At a prescribed time we were picked up and taken to the camp where we had an incredible campfire dinner of steak, potatoes, corn and more before retiring for the night in large tents. The next morning we were directed to a spot closer to camp and were able to watch the sun come up over the Valley. It was stunning, magical and left us with a memory that will stay with us forever. We then walked back a short distance to camp and enjoyed a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, fruits, cereal choices and coffee. The guides picked up camp and drove us back to our motorhome.
The trip back was not the same route we took up to the Mesa and by itself was a major adventure. The photos from that are at the end of this post.
Sunset on Hunt’s Mesa.
Early morning on Hunt’s Mesa.
Sunrise from Hunt’s Mesa.
We did not go to bed hungry. Dinner was delicious and enough for twice the number of people there.
Our camp had a very clean outhouse. My recommendation should you ever get a chance to use it . . . take your camera with you.
View from ‘the green house’.
That is me walking ahead of the vehicle. What a view I had. One can feel pretty small in that vastness.
Our guide stopped and got out of the car. He peered over the edge! The road would need to be ‘rebuilt’ he told us. It had apparently washed out with a recent rain. He was experienced enough to check it before just heading down over the bank!
OK! We were good to go!
You know me. Gotta have my flower fix. Not much to choose from at that time of year on the mesa.